JoshPetersen

Josh Petersen, who helped guide Miami to the 2023 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, was hired as the University of Kentucky women’s basketball assistant coach on April 18, 2024. He enters his second season with the Wildcats’ women’s basketball program in 2025-26.

In his first season in the Bluegrass, he helped a program, which featured 11 new players and 11 new coaches and staff, earn a 23-8 overall record, including an 11-5 mark in the Southeastern Conference to finish in fourth place in the loaded league. The Wildcats, who earned five ranked triumphs, ranked as high as No. 8 in the Associated Press poll on the season, while they went on to earn the four seed and double bye at the SEC Tournament and the four seed and hosting privileges in the NCAA Tournament. The Cats broke or tied 12 school records before ending the season as the nation’s leader in blocks per game (7.0). Meanwhile, star-studded point guard Georgia Amoore went on to earn consensus All-America, Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Top Five Finalist, ESPN Newcomer of the Year, SEC Newcomer of the Year and All-SEC First Team – among others – before being picked No. 6 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft by the Washington Mystics, while up-and-coming center Clara Strack earned Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Top 10 Finalist, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, All-SEC Second Team and SEC All-Defensive Team.

Peterson arrived in Lexington after two seasons as an assistant coach at Miami (2022-23 and 2023-24).

In 2023-24 in Coral Gables, the Hurricanes earned a 19-12 record, including a 14-4 mark at home in 2023-24. He helped prepare Miami for an upset over then-No. 4/5 N.C. State on Jan. 18, which tied Miami’s highest-ranked triumph in program history. The Hurricanes also reached the ACC Tournament quarterfinals, ultimately dropping to Brooks’ Virginia Tech team. In his first season there in 2022-23, the Hurricanes reached their first Elite Eight, falling to eventual national champions LSU. Serving as the primary coach to the post players, Petersen helped Miami rank in the top five in rebounding in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Hurricanes went from ranking 11th and 13th in both defensive rebounding and offensive rebounding, respectively, in 2021-22, to ranking fifth in both categories in 2022-23.

Prior to his time at Miami, Petersen served four seasons as an assistant coach at Pittsburgh (2019-22).

During his Panthers tenure, he coached seven ACC All-Academic Team selections, an ACC All-Freshman Team choice and an All-ACC Team Honorable Mention pick.

During Petersen’s four seasons in Pittsburgh, he coached the Panthers’ rebounding effort from 14th in the conference in both offensive rebounds per game and offensive rebounding percentage to first in each category.

While there, Petersen also was instrumental in the recruiting and development of Rita Igbokwe and Amber Brown, who were part of a recruiting class that combined to score 31.0 points per game, the highest-scoring freshman class in program history.

Prior to joining the Panthers, Petersen served as an assistant coach under Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick at UNC Asheville for four seasons (2015-18).

During his time in Asheville, the Bulldogs earned back-to-back Big South Conference Tournament crowns (2016, 2017), two NCAA Tournament berths (2016, 2017), three consecutive postseason berths (2016-2018) and one Big South Conference regular season title (2016).

With Petersen on the sidelines, nine Bulldogs earned All-Big South Conference honors, including 2015-16 league player of the year in Chatori Major.

Petersen got his start in coaching as an undergraduate student at Florida State, where he worked as the Seminoles’ head manager from 2008-09 to 2011-12, before moving into a graduate assistant position from 2012-13 to 2013-14.

In his six years at Florida State, the Seminoles went to five NCAA Tournaments, including an appearance in the Elite Eight in 2010.

A native of Abernathy, Texas, Petersen moved to Tallahassee, Florida, prior to his senior year of high school and graduated from Godby High School.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance in 2012 and his master’s degree in sports management the spring of 2014, both from FSU.

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