Rochester Institute of Technology Athletics

A native of Gates, business administration major Pete Van Peursem played four years of football at RIT: two under Tom Coughlin (New York Giants coach) and two for Lou Spiotti (current RIT executive director for Intercollegiate Athletics). In his senior campaign he served as co-captain and was named All-Eastern College Athletic Conference honorable mention. Van Peursem also won the Team Coaches Appreciation Award in 1975. During his four seasons, he recorded 145 tackles. Van Peursem’s best year was 1975 with 56 tackles. On three different occasions that year he recorded 10 tackles in a game. At 6’3”, 265 pounds, Pete caught the eyes of professional scouts. And on April 4, 1976 he signed a professional contract as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys.