PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland State athletic department has officially named Josiah Petersen head coach of its women's tennis program. Appointed interim head coach in August 2024, Petersen now becomes the eighth head coach in program history.
"We are pleased to officially announce Josiah as the head coach of our women's tennis program," Portland State Director of Athletics Matt Billings said. "He has been a key part of the team's growth over the past four seasons and understands what it takes to build a winning culture. His experience, leadership, and familiarity with both the program and our student-athletes make him the perfect fit to lead this team forward."
Petersen first joined the program as a volunteer assistant coach under Kyle Russell in January 2021, making the 2025 season his fifth with the team. The Vikings are just getting started in their 2025 campaign, currently holding a 1-2 overall record with 11 regular-season matches still ahead.
Since 2021, Petersen has played a pivotal role in guiding the program through one of its most successful stretches. With him as part of the staff, the Vikings have recorded 35 wins, including a program-best 12-win campaign in 2023. He's helped lead the team to three consecutive Big Sky Tournament appearances, highlighted by a semifinal run in 2023, while coaching five players to all-conference singles honors and seven doubles teams to All-Big Sky recognition.
Portland State has been dominant in doubles play since Petersen joined the staff, producing four consecutive first-team all-conference duos and compiling a 53-22 (.707) record at No. 1 doubles since 2021. He also helped coach Capu Sanoner and Masha Ponomareva to a No. 85 ranking in the final 2023 ITA doubles standings, making them the first Portland State duo to earn an ITA ranking.
A native of Missoula, Mont., Petersen brings 13 years of experience as a professional tennis instructor. In addition to his collegiate coaching at PSU, he is a USPTA Elite Professional who has worked with players of all ages across various settings, including high school programs, tennis academies, adaptive tennis clinics, traveling juniors, and camps in Mexico.
