Petruska named Interim Women's Basketball Coach

Fr. Myron Kirsch, OSB, Athletic Director of Saint Vincent College, has named James Petruska as Interim Head Coach of the women's basketball team for the remainder of the 2010-11 season. Kristen Zawacki, the only coach in the 27-year history of the program, passed away unexpectedly on December 25, 2010.

“Jimmy has been at Saint Vincent for five seasons,” said Kirsch. “He has recruited many players, he knows the game, and Kristen has prepared him well.”

Petruska began his career as a graduate assistant coach for the 2006-07 season, and in July of 2007, he was named full-time assistant coach, responsible for recruiting, opponent scouting, and practice planning and implementation. In his five years as an assistant, the Bearcats have amassed a record of 75-43, including a 23-5 mark in the Bearcats' 2009-10 ECAC Championship season.

Though only 28 years old, Petruska has a wealth of coaching experience under his belt. He began his coaching career in 2002, serving as assistant coach for the girls' basketball team at Mars High School. After three seasons at Mars, he spent the 2005 season as an assistant at Pine-Richland High School, before coming back to Saint Vincent in 2006.

A native of Mars, PA and graduate of Mars High School, Petruska graduated from Saint Vincent in 2004 with a degree in History and minor in Secondary Education. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction at Saint Vincent.

Says Petruska, “Kristen Zawacki has been a mentor for not only the players, but also for me, on and off the court, for the past five years. I know that when our team steps onto the court, we will be moving forward with her game plans, and with her voice in our heads.”

The team will return to action on Monday night, January 3rd, facing Washington & Jefferson on the road at 8pm.

The Athletic Department is also turning to the guidance of Mark Hozak, who has been a part-time assistant under Zawacki for the past 15 years. Hozak, 52, has been named Administrative Assistant to the Athletic Director for women's basketball. He has worked with the women's basketball team and Zawacki since the 1995-96 campaign.

A graduate of Waynesburg College, where he earned a Bachelors of Science in Business Finance, Hozak was a four-year starter in both baseball and basketball. On the hardwood, he scored 1,062 points for his career, and grabbed over 900 career rebounds.

Hozak is a native of Uniontown, PA and graduate of Uniontown High School, and he currently resides in Mount Pleasant, PA. In addition to his position at Saint Vincent, he is also employed by the Connellsville Closure Facility of Crown, Cork, and Seal, Inc.

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