Willard Merrill "Pete" Pederson (October 28, 1910 â September 8, 1982) was an American college football and college basketball coach as well as a professional basketball player. Professionally, he played in the National Basketball League for the Oshkosh All-Stars and Toledo Jim White Chevrolets and averaged 3.1 points per game for his career. In 1939âÂÂ40 he served as player-coach for the All-Stars before resuming full-time head coaching duties in 1940âÂÂ41. His collegiate basketball coaching experience includes a stint at his alma mater, Western State College of ColoradoâÂÂnow known as Western Colorado University, from 1935 to 1939.
Pederson played football at Western State in addition to basketball. In his post-professional basketball life, he became the head football coach for University of Mount Union, Marshall University, and Western State.