Peter Van Buskirk

Peter Van Buskirk is an American retired ice hockey coach. He was involved with both the men's and women's programs at the College of the Holy Cross since 1979, serving as the head coach for both at various times until his retirement in 2019.[1] In that time, he recorded more than 400 wins between the two teams.

Peter Van Buskirk
Biographical details
Born1946 (age 76–77)
Hudson, Massachusetts, USA
Alma materUniversity of New Hampshire
Boston State College
Playing career
1962–1965New Hampshire
Position(s)Defenseman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1972–1973Saint John's High School (assistant)
1973–1979Hudson High School
1979–1988Holy Cross
1991–1996Holy Cross (assistant)
1996–1997Holy Cross
2000–2019Holy Cross (women)
Head coaching record
Overall167–146–8 (.533) [men's]
295–178–35 (.615) [women's]
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
1983 Edward Jeremiah Award
Military career
AllegianceUnited States United States
Service/branchUnited States Army seal United States Army
Years of service1966-1968
Rank Second Lieutenant

Career

Van Buskirk got his start in college hockey as a player for New Hampshire. After graduating in 1965, Van Buskirk served as a Lieutenant in the United States Army during the early year of the Vietnam War. After mustering out of the military, Van Buskirk continued his education at Boston State College, earning a master's in education. He began teaching afterwards and eventually returned to hockey as an assistant coach at Saint John's High School. he became the head coach at Hudson High School the next year and led the program to five regional titles over the next six years. After the Hawks won the Division I state championship in 1978, Van Buskirk was a prime candidate for college programs. When the position at Holy Cross opened in 1979 he returned to the college ranks.

In his very first season with the Crusaders, Van Buskirk got the team to post a 20-win season for the first time as well as win their first postseason game in a decade.[2] After a two-year hiccup, his team posted a second 20-win season and Van Buskirk was named as the co-College Division coach of the year in 1983.[3] He continued to lead the team for another 5 years, producing mostly positive results, before stepping down in 1988. Three years later, he returned as an assistant and served in that capacity until Paul Pearl took a year off to earn his master's. In his absence, Van Buskirk served as head coach and helped the team earn its first postseason win in 14 years.

He left the program for a second time in 1997 but remained with the school, helping Holy Cross found their women's program and then became its head coach in 2000. Over the next 17 seasons, Van Buskirk helped the team become one of the top teams at the Division III level. The Crusaders won 6 open championships and finished as runners-up 5 other times. In 2017 the program made the transition to Division I and continued their winning ways in the NEWHA, finishing third in the standings. The next season Holy Cross joined Hockey East, one of the premier conferences, and Van Buskirk's team struggled mightily against the stiffer competition. The Crusaders won just one game all season, but suffered a further loss after the year when Van Buskirk announced his retirement, turning the team over to Katie Lachapelle.

Head coaching record

Men's
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Holy Cross Crusaders (ECAC 2) (1979–1985)
1979–80 Holy Cross 21–9–015–6–06thECAC 2 East Semifinal
1980–81 Holy Cross 14–17–011–11–0T–15thECAC 2 East Quarterfinal
1981–82 Holy Cross 16–15–212–10–215thECAC 2 East Quarterfinal
1982–83 Holy Cross 20–10–216–7–15thECAC 2 East Semifinal
1983–84 Holy Cross 10–15–38–10–217th
1984–85 Holy Cross 19–15–012–9–011thECAC East Quarterfinals
Holy Cross: 100–81–774–53–5
Holy Cross Crusaders (ECAC East) (1985–1988)
1985–86 Holy Cross 18–16–011–12–09th
1986–87 Holy Cross 17–18–113–13–08thECAC East Quarterfinals
1987–88 Holy Cross 18–18–012–14–08thECAC East Quarterfinals
Holy Cross: 53–52–136–39–0
Holy Cross Crusaders (ECAC East) (1996–1997)
1996–97 Holy Cross 14–13–011–8–0T–7thECAC East Quarterfinals
Holy Cross: 14–13–011–8–0
Total:167–146–8

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Women's
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Holy Cross Crusaders (ECAC East) (2000–2015)
2000–01 Holy Cross 7–14–14–13–115th
2001–02 Holy Cross 12–12–37–11–07thECAC East Open Runner-Up
2002–03 Holy Cross 17–7–115–5–03rdECAC East Open Champion
2003–04 Holy Cross 10–13–17–9–1T–6th
2004–05 Holy Cross 12–14–19–9–1T–5thECAC East Open Runner-Up
2005–06 Holy Cross 11–14–110–9–06thECAC East Open Third-place game (win)
2006–07 Holy Cross 15–10–211–7–15thECAC East Open Third-place game (win)
2007–08 Holy Cross 16–8–313–4–23rdECAC East Open Third-place game (win)
2008–09 Holy Cross 24–2–117–2–11stECAC East Open Champion
2009–10 Holy Cross 20–4–215–2–22ndECAC East Open Champion
2010–11 Holy Cross 17–9–113–5–0T–3rdECAC East Open Champion
2011–12 Holy Cross 19–4–314–3–12ndECAC East Open Runner-Up
2012–13 Holy Cross 16–6–519–4–54thECAC East Open Runner-Up
2013–14 Holy Cross 18–8–111–4–13rdECAC East Open Runner-Up
2014–15 Holy Cross 18–7–311–4–25thECAC East Open Champion
Holy Cross: 232–132–29176–82–18
Holy Cross Crusaders (NEHC) (2015–2017)
2015–16 Holy Cross 24–3–014–3–0T–2ndNEHC Open Champion
2016–17 Holy Cross 22–5–014–3–03rdNEHC Open Runner-Up
Holy Cross: 46–8–028–6–0
Holy Cross Crusaders (NEWHA) (2017–2018)
2017–18 Holy Cross 16–9–315–3–23rdNEWHA third-place game (loss)
Holy Cross: 16–9–315–3–2
Holy Cross Crusaders (Hockey East) (2018–2019)
2018–19 Holy Cross 1–29–31–25–110th
Holy Cross: 1–29–31–25–1
Total:295–178–35

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References
  1. "New England hockey: Holy Cross' Peter Van Buskirk calls it a career". Boston Herald. February 17, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  2. "All Time Results" (PDF). Holy Cross Crusaders. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
  3. "American Hockey Coaches Association". Archived from the original on 2010-01-16. Retrieved 2012-07-11.
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