The UMass Lowell Athletics family lost a cornerstone in recent weeks, as John “Johnny” DeFreitas passed away peacefully at home at the age of 90 on November 21, 2024. A longtime supervisor of athletics facilities and a season ticketholder for 40 years alongside his beloved wife, Patricia, Johnny was beyond devoted to the River Hawk community and he will be deeply missed.
 

Faith. Family. Friends and UMass Lowell Athletics were four of the most prominent pillars in Johnny’s life. After proudly serving his country in the Army during the Korean Conflict and spending over 20 years working for the Courier Citizen, Johnny found his forever home when he first came to UMass Lowell in 1979 as member of the campus police. Seven years later in 1986, Johnny would ultimately make the move to athletics where he would oversee facilities and operations, becoming a staple in the department not just until his retirement in 2002, but for the rest of his life. 

Throughout the years even after Johnny’s retirement, it was hard to find someone in athletics at UMass Lowell that didn’t know and love Johnny. His joy was infectious, and countless people cherished their weekly interactions with him over the course of four decades.

“He came in twice a week during the season and brought us every article from the Lowell Sun for 12 years,” Head Men’s Basketball Coach Pat Duquette reminisced. “He would stay 30-45 minutes and just talk, tell stories and laugh. One of my favorite parts of working at Lowell has always been Johnny.”

“I was so fortunate to be impacted by him as both a student-athlete and a coach,” added LeBlanc. “He was my biggest hype guy and I will miss him dearly between his office visits, his complaints about us not getting enough coverage in the newspaper and always wanting to go on my excursions to the Netherlands. He was simply the best, and there will be a void in our department with him no longer visiting us.”

In the days and weeks since his passing, River Hawks both old and new, near and far have shared memories of their time with Johnny. Whether he was playing matchmaker for multiple couples, mailing home news articles to athletes’ families, providing a sense of home away from home for countless students, the underlying theme of all the stories is the same, and that is that Johnny treated everyone like family and he truly cared like no one else. His ability to create connections was one-of-a-kind.

Of course, we would also be remiss not to mention the homemade caramel candies he made with his wife to hand out on his visits, which were just as legendary as he was. They were always good for making anyone feel special and a great conversation starter around the halls of Tsongas and Costello. 

For his unmatched and unwavering support, Johnny was inducted into the Legends of Lowell Hockey earlier this year, which recognizes an elite group that exudes characteristics that the program cherishes, such as grit, heart, passion and commitment. 

“Johnny was the GM of our program,” stated Ice Hockey Head Coach Norm Bazin. “Legends such as Billy Riley, Don Lampron, Bob Ellis and Johnny DeFreitas are a big part of why Lowell Hockey has grown into what it is now. They stood by it in good times and tough times, supporting the athletes no matter what. They are Legends of Lowell Hockey. Johnny will be missed, but he’ll be remembered even more.”

And although Johnny exemplified all those things for the UMass Lowell hockey program, he was equally devoted to the student-athletes and staff of the other River Hawk teams, as well. 

“Johnny welcomed me warmly when I first joined UMass Lowell and became a constant in my life, stopping by my office every week,” shared Men’s Soccer Head Coach Kyle Zenoni. “He’d share stories, offer advice and chat about players. His visits brought me joy, especially during the toughest times as a new coach. This fall, I was fortunate to get him to some soccer games and the next day, we’d recap, either in person or on the phone.”

Keeping up with his counterparts in the athletics department, being active was an important part of Johnny’s life, as he prided himself on still working out multiple times a week at the UMass Lowell Campus Recreation Center even at 90 years old. He also enjoyed golfing, bowling, tennis, swimming and jogging throughout his years. He even challenged his fair share of student-athletes to infamous pushup contests, which he would win on all accounts.