Neumann won the Division III national championship in roller hockey on April 23 with a convincing 9-1 victory over Quinnipiac University at the sport’s annual tournament in Irvine, California.
The Knights were led by Zachary Deemer, a senior forward, who had a hand in eight of Neumann’s scores. The Business major notched six goals and two assists in the title game.
Neumann finished the season with a record of 24-1, sweeping through the National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association (NCRHA) competition with seven victories in five days. In the preliminary round to determine tournament seeding, the Knights defeated Hofstra University 7-4, San Jose State University 19-3, and the University of Florida 7-3.
In the single-elimination tournament, Neumann bested California State Polytechnic-Pomona 12-6, Missouri University of Science and Technology 9-6, and the University of Florida 6-5 before crushing Quinnipiac in the championship game.
In beating the Bobcats, Neumann avenged its only blemish in an otherwise perfect season, a 7-2 loss to Quinnipiac on February 18.
The win solidifies Neumann’s reputation as a national roller hockey powerhouse. The Knights also won national championships in 2006, 2008, 2015, and 2016. Lee Strofe has been the coach for 13 years, guiding the team to its last three titles.