ASTON, Pa. - Neumann University is proud to announce the appointment of John Krimmel to be its new Director of Athletics and Recreation.
Krimmel comes to Neumann from Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania, where he has worked for the last 18 years, 15 of them in the Athletic Department. For the last seven years at Saint Francis, he was senior associate director of athletics for student-athlete and leadership development.
In that role, he was the administrator for four teams, supervised all aspects of the academic support program for more than 500 student-athletes in 23 sports, was the academic advisor for students on 11 teams, and founded the Faculty Athletics Mentor program.
He begins his leadership position at Neumann on September 1, 2024. He will oversee 19 NCAA teams and a variety of club sports.
"I've always aspired to be an athletic director," he says. "It just had to be at the right institution at the right time. The small, close-knit, faith-based community that kept me at Saint Francis for years drew me to Neumann as well."
He appreciates Neumann's emphasis on excellence in competition – and winning – within a values-based campus culture. Although his experience is with a school that competes at the NCAA Division I level, he was searching for a leadership position at a Division III program.
Krimmel believes that Division III athletic programs embody the very best of the student-athlete experience in higher education. He supports a student-centered, holistic approach to college administration, urging students to take advantage of internships, study abroad experiences, competitive athletics, and robust academics.
"I enjoy helping students grow personally and professionally and making sure they have the best possible experience during their college years," he explains. "When they're connected and involved on campus, they can learn valuable life lessons."
College athletics seems to be in his family DNA. Krimmel played basketball at Saint Francis before working for nearly two decades in the administration there. His oldest brother, Rob, came to Saint Francis to play basketball in 1996 and has not left. He is currently the head men's basketball coach. Ken, another older brother, played basketball at Penn State and is now the associate athletic director for compliance at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia.
Their father even served as director of athletics for Saint Francis from 2005 to 2016 after serving as an athletic administrator and swimming coach at Penn State. Krimmel's mother was a three-sport athlete at East Stroudsburg University.
Born and raised in State College, Pennsylvania, Krimmel holds two degrees from Saint Francis: a BS in marketing (2005) and an MBA (2012). He and his wife Melinda have two children: Kenzie, 7, and Kash, 2.
