Neumann College has appointed Dennis [nl]Williams its men’s ice hockey coach and assistant athletic director. [nl]Williams will replace Nick Russo, founder of the Knights hockey program, who stepped down earlier this year.
![[nl]Williams](https://www.uscho.com/images/headshots/neumann_williams.jpg)
“I am excited to come to Neumann and I look forward to the opportunity to turn the ship around,” said [nl]Williams. “It is going to take a few years, but I feel that there is no reason that the Philadelphia area can’t have a successful Division III hockey program. I want to win and my goal is a playoff victory. It will take time but I look forward to the challenge.”
[nl]Williams comes to Neumann from ECAC West rival Utica College where he was assistant coach. While with Utica, [nl]Williams worked as the Pioneers defensive bench coach responsible for defensive, penalty-kill and forecheck systems. He also administered and monitored the team’s strength and conditioning programs and academic success through team training and study halls.
[nl]Williams was actively involved in player recruitment. The Pioneers claimed the fourth spot in the 2003-04 conference standings, and named three student-athletes to the 2003-04 ECAC-West All-Academic Team and seven players to the All ECAC-West Team.
[nl]Williams graduated with a bachelor of science in Sports Management and Marketing and received his masters in Marketing Education at Bowling Green, where he was a four-year letterman.
Prior to his tenure at Utica, [nl]Williams, a Stratford, Ontario, native, was a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater.
“His knowledge, skills and abilities are perfectly suited to lead our program. Dennis is special because of his enthusiasm and passion. These qualities separated him from other candidates,” said Neumann Director of Athletics Chuck Sack.
In addition to Bowling Green, [nl]Williams’ experience on the ice includes a career in the Central Hockey League as a forward for the Odessa Jackalopes. He was a member of the 1994-1995 Sutherland Cup Jr. B Championship Team and in 1995 [nl]Williams played on the International Under-17 Team Ontario which won the gold medal at the International Hockey Tournament in Mountain, New Brunswick.
