Joe Perruzzi concluded his seventh season as the head coach of the Lewis University men's lacrosse team at the end of the 2026 campaign.
Perruzzi guided the Flyers to one of the most successful seasons in program history in 2026, capturing their second Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Men's Lacrosse Championship on their home field. Lewis tied the program-record for victories in a season with 14 and set a new benchmark with just four losses, while its fourth consecutive appearance in the GLVC Championship game established a new conference record. Lewis also snagged its second NCAA Tournament victory at home with a 15-14 win over No. 5 seede Newberry.
Perruzzi was named GLVC Coach of the Year, while 11 Flyers earned All-GLVC honors and seven were selected to the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-South Region Team. Carter Korzenski, Caden Donahue, Paul Ruskoski, Tyler Davis and Kohl Wesner each garnered USILA All-America honors. Ruskoski was also named a USA Lacrosse Magazine Second Team All-American, while Davis became just the third CSC Academic All-American in program history after earning third-team recognition. Before the season, Korzenski and Davis were both selected as USILA Preseason All-Americans. Following the season, seniors Ruskoski, Donahue and Korzenski represented Lewis in the USILA Senior All-Star Game.
Under Perruzzi's leadership, 10 different Flyers earned either USILA or GLVC Player of the Week honors during the 2026 season. Lewis produced 10 GLVC Offensive or Defensive Player of the Week selections, the most of any conference program, while its six USILA Team of the Week selections also led all GLVC schools. The Flyers spent the entire 2026 season ranked among the nation's top 20, finishing No. 4 in the final national poll to earn the highest ranking in program history. Lewis also defeated seven opponents that were either nationally ranked or receiving votes during the regular season and postseason.
Lewis finished the 2026 season ranked among the nation's top 10 in assists (fourth), assists per game (fifth), clearing percentage (second), ground balls (ninth), points (sixth), points per game (seventh) and scoring margin (seventh). Individually, Malikye Good led the nation with 12 man-up goals, while Ruskoski ranked fourth with nine. The Flyers also eclipsed the 20-goal mark five times during the season, highlighted by a program-record 30-goal performance against Quincy. Lewis also excelled in the classroom, earning the USILA Team Academic Award. Ruskoski, Logan Suchy and Donahue were each recognized as USILA Scholar All-Americans as well.
During the 2025 season, Perruzzi guided the Flyers to 12 victories and their third consecutive appearance in the GLVC Championship game. Lewis placed 13 student-athletes on the All-GLVC Team, highlighted by Domenic Tarello being named GLVC Specialist of the Year.
Four Flyers earned USILA All-South Region honors, while Luke Schroeder and Tyler Davis collected USILA All-America recognition. Schroeder and Tarello also earned both USILA Scholar All-America and CSC Academic All-America honors, with Tarello receiving second-team recognition and Schroeder earning third-team accolades. Lewis concluded the season ranked No. 13 in the final USILA poll.
Serving as the Flyers' offensive coordinator, Perruzzi helped Lewis lead the nation in man-up goals (40) while ranking fourth in extra-man conversion percentage (48.8%), ninth in assists per game (9.59) and 13th in scoring offense (14.2 goals per game). Individually, Ruskoski led the nation with 19 man-up goals.
Perruzzi led the Flyers to one of the most historic seasons in program history in 2024, guiding Lewis to a 14-5 overall record and a 5-1 mark in GLVC play, both program-bests at the time. The Flyers captured their first GLVC Regular Season Championship, earned the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament and hosted the GLVC Men's Lacrosse Championship for the first time in program history.
Lewis capitalized on its home-field advantage by defeating Indianapolis in the semifinals before capturing its first GLVC Tournament Championship with a victory over Maryville. The championship season resulted in 11 All-GLVC selections, including four major conference awards. Perruzzi was named GLVC Coach of the Year, while Evan Clement earned Offensive Player of the Year honors, Domenic Tarello was selected Specialist of the Year and Riah Rathe repeated as GLVC Goalkeeper of the Year.
The historic season continued with the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance and first NCAA Tournament game at Lewis Stadium. The Flyers earned their first NCAA Tournament victory by defeating conference rival Maryville before advancing to the NCAA Quarterfinals. Rathe was named a USILA Third Team All-American, while Clement and Tyler Davis received USILA Honorable Mention All-America recognition. Lewis finished the season ranked No. 11 in the final USILA poll.
Perruzzi continued the program's upward trajectory in 2023, leading the Flyers to a 10-6 record and their second consecutive appearance in the GLVC Tournament. Entering the postseason as the No. 4 seed, Lewis upset top-seeded Indianapolis on the road to advance to the first GLVC Championship game in program history, where the Flyers fell one goal shy of the conference title.
Lewis placed 10 student-athletes on the All-GLVC Team, including two first-team selections, five second-team honorees and three honorable mention recipients. Rathe was named GLVC Goalkeeper of the Year, while five Flyers earned USILA All-South Region honors. Rathe and Jack Speers also collected USILA Honorable Mention All-America accolades.
In 2022, Perruzzi guided the Flyers to a 9-6 overall record and the program's first-ever GLVC Tournament appearance. An early-season upset of then-No. 4 Seton Hill propelled Lewis into the national rankings for the first time in program history, with the Flyers climbing as high as No. 17 in the USILA Coaches Poll. Under Perruzzi's leadership, eight student-athletes earned All-GLVC honors, while 13 were named Academic All-GLVC. Three Flyers were selected to the USILA Division II Team of the Week, and two earned GLVC Player of the Week recognition. Defensively, Lewis ranked fourth in NCAA Division II in man-down defense with a 79.3% success rate.
Peter Carlson repeated as the GLVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men's lacrosse and became the program's first USILA Scholar All-American. Attackman Drew Kask was selected by the Vancouver Warriors with the 85th overall pick in the fifth round of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) Draft.
During the 2021 season, Perruzzi guided the Flyers to a 5-7 record while competing exclusively in GLVC play. Lewis posted three home victories, including a season-ending win over Maryville.Six Flyers earned All-GLVC honors, while 11 were named Academic All-GLVC. Four student-athletes were selected to the USILA Division II Team of the Week, three earned GLVC Player of the Week honors and Micah Daigle received USILA South Region Honorable Mention recognition.Carlson was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District At-Large Team and earned GLVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors for men's lacrosse. Josh Calvin finished ninth nationally in saves per game (13.45) and ranked 14th in Division II with a .565 save percentage.
In the program's inaugural season in 2020, Perruzzi guided the Flyers to a 5-2 record before the remainder of the season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lewis' defense quickly established itself among the nation's best, leading NCAA Division II in man-down defense (100%) while ranking seventh in scoring defense at 7.00 goals allowed per game. Individually, Carlson finished second nationally in ground balls per game (12.14), while Calvin ranked fifth in save percentage in the shortened season.
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 returned 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.
