Email coach
Joe Perruzzi
Joe Perruzzi enters his fifth season as the head coach of the Lewis University men's lacrosse team.
In the 2022 season, Perruzzi coached the Flyers to a 9-6 overall record, earning the first GLVC tournament berth in program history. An early season upset over #4 Seton Hill propelled the Flyers into the Top 20 rankings for the first time in program history, peaking at #17 in the USILA Coaches Poll and #14 in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll. Under the guidance of Perruzzi, eight members of the team earned All-GLVC honors, thirteen were named Academic All-GLVC, three players were selected to United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division II Team of the Week and two players were named GLVC Player of the Week. Defensively, the Man-Down Defense ranked 4th in NCAA Division II at 79.3%. Peter Carlson repeated as the GLVC's Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men's lacrosse and earned USILA Scholar All-American honors, the first ever to do so in program history. Attackmen Drew Kask declared for the NLL Draft and was selected by Vancouver Warriors with the 85th pick in the 5th round.
In the 2021 season, Perruzzi guided the program to a 5-7 record in a GLVC only schedule. At home the team won three contests which included a win over Maryville in the season finale. Under the tutelage of Perruzzi, six members of the team earned All-GLVC honors, 11 were named to the Academic All-GLVC squad, four players were selected to United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division II Team of the Week, three players were named GLVC Player of the Week and Micah Daigle earned South Region Honorable Mention All-Region honors from the USILA. Peter Carlson was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District At-Large team and was the GLVC's Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men's lacrosse. Josh Calvin ranked ninth in NCAA Division II in saves per game (13.45) and was 14th in save percentage at 56.5 percent.
In 2020, the program's inaugural season, the Flyers boasted a record of 5-2 before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the shortened season, Lewis' defense ranked first in Division II in man-down defense (100%) and was seventh in scoring defense allowing 7.00 goals against average. Carlson finished second in Division II in ground balls per game with 12.14 and Calvin ranked fifth in save percentage.
Perruzzi came to Lewis after spending three seasons (2016-18) as the defensive coordinator at Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, N.C. During his tenure with the Crusaders he helped guide them to a 38-13 record and back-to-back appearances in the Conference Carolinas Tournament Championship game. Perruzzi helped mentor 17 Conference Carolinas All-Conference selections, 10 United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-Americans and two USILA Scholar All-Americans.
In 2018, he helped lead Belmont Abbey to a school record 14 wins, the Conference of Carolina regular season and postseason championships and a Top 15 finish in both the USILA Coaches Poll (9th) and the Nike/Lax Magazine Poll. Liam Osborne was the Conference Carolinas Co-Offensive Player of the Year. Perruzzi coached six All-Conference Carolinas selections, four USILA All-Americans and two USILA Scholar All-Americans.
The Crusaders ranked second in Division II in clearing percentage (90.9 percent), fifth in man down defense (81.8 percent) and ninth in scoring defense (7.94 goals against average).
In 2017, The Abbey established a 12-5 record and advanced to the Conference Carolinas Championship game for the first time since 2010. Adam Wiedemann was chosen as the Conference Carolinas Co-Offensive Player of the Year. Perruzzi mentored six All-Conference Carolinas selections and four USILA All-Americans.
The Crusaders ranked first in Division II in clearing percentage (95.4 percent) and man down defense (82.9 percent) and were 10th in scoring defense (7.76 goals against average).
In his first season at The Abbey, the team set a then school record for wins (12) and winning percentage (.750). He coached five All-Conference Carolinas selections and helped Devin Cruz and Adam Weidemann to earn USILA All-America honors.
The Crusaders ranked 12th in the country with an 8.63 goals-against-average, while standing fifth nationally in caused turnovers (10.44 per game). Cruz led the nation individually in caused turnovers.
Perruzzi came to Belmont Abbey following a stint as an assistant coach at Ohio Wesleyan University. During that time, the Bishops had the best season is program history boasting an 18-1 record with an undefeated regular season and No. 3 national ranking in the USILA Division III coaches poll. Head Coach Mike Plantholt was the 2015 North Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the year and the Bishops were NCAC regular-season and tournament champions and NCAA Quarterfinalists. Perruzzi worked with the the defense, faceoff unit, goalies and ran the substitution box while coaching four USILA All-Americans and 13 All-NCAC All-Conference selections.
Prior to Ohio Wesleyan, Perruzzi was an assistant coach at Kenyon College, where he served as the Lords' defensive coordinator. Perruzzi coached two NCAC all-conference selections as the Lords advanced to the NCAC tournament.
Before joining the Kenyon staff, Perruzzi was an assistant coach at Community College of Baltimore County-Essex in Baltimore, Md. In his one season at Essex, the Knights were Region XX champions and reached the NJCAA Final Four. Perruzzi assisted with the defense, ran the substitution box and was head of strength and conditioning for the lacrosse program while coaching 3 NJCAA All-Americans and 8 Region XX all-region selections.
Perruzzi began his coaching career as the head coach of Ohio University's Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association club team. He led the Bobcats to their first winning record since joining the MCLA, as well as the first CCLA playoff berth in the program's history. He coached 12 all-conference selections, the most in one season in the program's history. While at Ohio University, Perruzzi earned his master's degree in recreation & sport sciences with a concentration in coaching education.
Perruzzi is a 2011 graduate of Belmont Abbey, where he was a three-year starter at defensive midfielder. During his time at the Abbey, Perruzzi played in two Conference Carolinas Championship games, winning the first one in program history in 2008. He graduated with a B.A. in Sports Management and was a member of the Dean's List and the President's List. Perruzzi earned his Master's Degree from Ohio University in Recreation and Sport Sciences in 2012.
show more