Gustavus Adolphus College

A standout defender for the Gusties from 2007-11, Kirstin Peterson returned to the Gustavus women's hockey coaching staff in 2018-19 after serving as an assistant coach for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. Peterson, in her 11th year as an assistant to Mike Carroll, has helped the Gusties to incredible success from behind the bench.

The Gustavus women's hockey team has claimed six MIAC regular season titles, six playoff championships, seven NCAA tournament appearances, and a national championship in Peterson's 11 total years. Peterson, primarily coaching defenders, has help build the nation's premier defense, producing four All-American defenders who have earned eight honors. 

As an assistant coach in 2011-12, Peterson helped the Gusties post a 24-4-2 overall record and 16-1-1 mark in the MIAC, winning the conference championship and taking fourth in the NCAA Championships. In the 2012-13 season, the Gusties went 27-2-1 overall and a perfect 18-0 in the league, winning another conference title and once again taking fourth in the national tournament. Peterson helped coach the Gusties to both the MIAC regular season and playoff titles during the 2019-20, 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 seasons, and was a member of the program's national championship team, guiding the Gusties to their best season in program history. Peterson helped the Gusties bring home a national trophy to the West Region for the first time in NCAA Division III hockey history, winning the college's and the conference's first national championship in women's hockey.

During her tenure as a player, the Golden Gusties went 91-16-9 overall and 62-5-5 in the MIAC, winning four MIAC championships and taking home four MIAC playoff titles. She recorded a total of 16 goals and 59 assists for 75 points, ranking 28th overall and fourth among defensemen in career points at Gustavus. Peterson, a four-time All-MIAC performer and three-time All-American (2009, 2010, and 2011), broke the program’s “Iron Woman” award in 2011, setting a new games-played mark by skating in all 116 contests over her career. Her record has since been broken multiple times – all by players who Peterson has coached.

Peterson earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy from St. Catherine University in 2017 and now works as a physical therapist in New Ulm while living in Saint Peter.