A Denver-born lacrosse player stationed at Peterson Space Force Base is preparing to compete in professional lacrosse's final four — a trajectory that few could have predicted when his college career nearly ended before it began.
A torn ACL during his freshman year at the U.S. Air Force Academy threatened to end his athletic future before he had appeared in a single game. Rather than closing a door, the injury opened one: he received a medical fifth year at Notre Dame, performed well enough to be selected in the Premier Lacrosse League's April draft, and now competes for the Philadelphia Waterdogs while honoring his Space Force commission.
His four years at the academy brought considerable individual honors, among them a conference offensive player of the year award in 2025 and recognition as the program's 17th all-time All-American. He had expected Notre Dame to mark the end of his playing days, but his role in carrying the Fighting Irish all the way to a national championship title game drew the attention of professional scouts across the country.
Some teams were reluctant to draft a player carrying active military obligations, but the Waterdogs were not among them, selecting him in the third round of the 2026 PLL College Draft. The academy community had already rallied on his behalf twice — first to arrange the medical fifth year and then again to clear the path for professional play after his name was called in the draft. He credited his base for its flexibility, saying Peterson was "very cooperative and easygoing about it."
The arrangement requires him to train on his own around his service schedule and travel on weekends for competitions — a load that recently included a trip to Jamaica with Team USA. On the dual commitment, he said, "Whatever they need me to do, I'm willing to do it."
Despite a difficult start to the season, he helped the Waterdogs turn things around, with the club finishing the regular season with more wins than in any previous year in franchise history. His father, Roger, reflected on how improbable the entire sequence had seemed, saying, "The crazy thing is, it wasn't going to happen, and then it did happen. The next thing you know, he is playing lacrosse at Notre Dame, and everyone is wondering how that happened. And then they have this amazing season, go all the way to the championship; that's a dream for a lot of people."
The player himself captured the year with a mix of disbelief and gratitude. "It's cool to think back to my younger self. I wouldn't believe me that I was a pro player with a chance to win a championship," he said. "No complaints about my rookie year so far."
Having earned a first-round bye, the Waterdogs are scheduled to play their semifinal on Sept. 7 in Salt Lake City. Whether the club advances to contend for a league championship will hinge on that result.