Bridgewater College

In 2017, Peter Raeford begins his 15th year with Bridgewater College football and is the longest tenured assistant coach on head coach Michael Clark's staff. This season, Raeford will move to the offensive side of the ball after previously coaching the secondary.

Sophomore cornerback Isaac Evans earned first team All-State and All-ODAC honors in 2016, returning two interceptions for touchdowns and earning a D3football.com National Team of the Week honor during the year.

The Eagles had one All-State and All-ODAC selection in the secondary in 2015- senior cornerback Anthony Moton II. Defensive back Darrick Gore earned D3football.com All-Region honors in 2014, and was a three-time All-State selection.

Raeford has been a part of three ODAC championship teams at Bridgewater- in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

The Eagles went 10-2 in 2005, defeating Washington & Jefferson and Thiel in the NCAA tournament to reach the quarterfinals.

2004 brought an ODAC championship and an 8-3 mark, with the Eagles falling 55-48 in double-overtime to Washington & Jefferson in the NCAA tournament.

In 2003, Bridgewater knocked off Waynesburg, Christopher Newport and Lycoming to reach the NCAA semifinals, allowing an average of just 12 points per game over the opening three postseason rounds. The Eagles were eliminated by Mount Union in a rematch of the 2001 title game.

Prior to joining the BC staff, Raeford was an assistant coach at Greensboro College for five seasons. He coached the defensive backs for his first two seasons at Greensboro and for three seasons, he coached the outside linebackers.

Raeford played professional football in three different leagues. He was a defensive back for the USFL's San Antonio Gunslingers in 1984-85 before joining the NFL's Chicago Bears in 1987. In 1988, he played with the New York Knights in the Arena Football League.

Raeford also had brief coaching stints on the pro level. In 1991, he worked as strength coach and assistant defensive backs coach for the San Antonio Riders in the World Football League. The following year, he served as defensive backs coach and strength coach for the San Antonio Force in the Arena Football League. Raeford also worked as a strength coach for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs from 1992-93. Peter's daughter Chloe was a 2008 graduate of Baylor University in Texas.

Pete lives in Harrisonburg with his wife Tatyana, whom he married in May 2010, and their daughters Angela, Diana and son James III.