Peter Van Buskirk is entering his eighth season as the head coach of the Crusader women's ice hockey team. In addition to his coaching duties, Van Buskirk serves as the director of Holy Cross' Hart Center. He has accumulated a 84-84-10 record over seven seasons, including a 15-10-2 mark last season. During the 2002-03 season he helped the Crusaders compile a 17-7-1 overall record and win the ECAC Championship title in only their fourth season as a varsity team.

Van Buskirk has been affiliated with the Holy Cross ice hockey program for 26 years. From 1979-88 he served as the men's head coach before returning to the bench as an assistant from 1991-96 and head coach again for the 1996-97 season. Van Buskirk is Holy Cross' second most successful men's coach, with a record of 167-146-8 throughout 10 seasons.

During his tenure, Van Buskirk guided the Crusaders to eight ECAC East playoff appearances and also earned College Coach of the Year in 1993. He reassumed the men's head coaching duties for the 1996-97 season, guiding his squad to a 14-13-0 mark and earning a fourth consecutive trip to the ECAC East Tournament. Prior to coming to Holy Cross, Van Buskirk served as the head coach at Hudson High School from 1973-79. During his tenure, he guided the Hawks to five Central Massachusetts titles, three district crowns and a Division I State Championship in 1978. He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at St. John's High School in 1972.

A 1965 graduate and two-sport athlete at the University of New Hampshire, Van Buskirk served as a lieutenant in the Army Infantry from 1966-68. He also holds his Master's Degree in Education from Boston State College.

Van Buskirk is a member of both the Hudson High School and University of New Hampshire Athletic Hall of Fame.

In addition to coaching, Van Buskirk has served as the director of several hockey schools. From 1976-79, he served as the director of the Los Angles Hockey School and the Squaw Valley Hockey School.