Josh Petrusma was elevated from interim to permanent director of Calvin’s ACHA hockey program during the 2024-25 season. His duties which include serving as head coach of its ACHA Division I team. He also oversees the structure and recruiting efforts of Calvin’s ACHA Division 2 team which is led by its head coach Lyn Sova.
He is coming off a 2025-26 season that saw his ACHA D1 team reach the semifinals of the ACHA D1 National Tournament, marking the highest finish in program history. His Knights finished 23-9-2 overall which included an appearance in the GL6 Tournament finals as well as a second place finish in the GL6 regular season standings. In addition, Calvin's ACHA D3 team captured the 2026 Vezina Cup Trophy as champions of the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Conference and later reached the semifinals of the ACHA D3 National Tournament. Petrusma has since overseen the transition of Calvin's ACHA D3 team to ACHA D2 status.
In November of 2024, Josh took over as interim director after the untimely death of his father and Calvin ACHA hockey director Mike Petrusma. The elder Petrusma had built the Calvin hockey program for 28 years including the expansion into two (ACHA Division I and Division III) teams in 2018. Josh had served as his assistant coach and assistant operations director for 15 years.
Under difficult circumstances, the younger Petrusma did a masterful job of taking the wheel from his father, guiding the Calvin ACHA Division I team to a final season record of 25-7-0 which included a fourth straight trip to the ACHA Division I National Tournament, two road victories at No. 3 Liberty University and a final No 11 national ranking. The 2024-25 Calvin ACHA Division III team, coached by Austin Huizenga, also advanced to the ACHA Division III Tournament, finishing 19-6-3 including at No. 6 national ranking.
“First, I want to thank God for this incredible blessing,” said Petrusma at the time of his appointment. “This program has been such a large part of my life and it means so much to me to be able to continue to be a part of it all. I’m grateful to (Calvin Director of Athletics) Dr. Jim Timmer, (then Calvin Provost) Dr. Noah Toly, and President Greg Elzinga for the opportunity to represent Calvin University and for their commitment and continued support of the hockey program. I’m so thankful to our hockey alumni for their support and encouragement, and to our current players and families for the trust that they’ve placed in me. I look forward to continuing to build on a great foundation of success on the ice, in the classroom, and in the community.”
Petrusma is a graduate of Cornerstone University where he received a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He prepped at Grand Rapids Christian High School where he was a member of the boys soccer and hockey teams. He and his wife Michelle have three children: Tessa (10), Jade 8, and Jurjen (7). He has coached soccer and hockey at youth, high school and college levels for a combined 25 years. Nearly his entire coaching career has been with his father Mike.
Carrying on the lessons from his father are paramount in his mind.
“I have been so fortunate to have spent most of my life around this program watching my dad build it into what it is today,” said Josh. “Though I would give anything for him to still be with us and having him continue to lead this program, I’m so honored to have the opportunity to carry forward his legacy. He was named to the ACHA hall of fame as a “builder” and that has resonated with me deeply. He built this program and now I have the honor of leading it. The lessons that he has given me will no doubt be a strong foundation for me moving forward.”
