Sean Romeo dies at 31 after October stroke

Sean Romeo died on Oct. 24 at the age of 31. The Ohio State men’s hockey website reported that he succumbed to complications from a stroke he suffered on Oct. 15. Romeo was a former goaltender for the University of Maine and the Buckeyes. He was a native of Cary, North Carolina.

Romeo began his collegiate career at the University of Maine. In the 2014-15 season, he started 23 games as a freshman. He finished with a 7-13-1 record and a 3.04 goals-against average. He recorded a .902 save percentage that year. He earned the team's only playoff victory in a first-round Hockey East loss to Vermont.

The following season, McGovern and Matt Morris split playing time. Romeo appeared in just two games. He then transferred to Ohio State. NCAA transfer rules required him to sit out the 2016-17 season. He became the starting goalie for the 2017-18 team. He led the Buckeyes to their first Frozen Four appearance since 1998. He finished that campaign with a 22-10-5 record, a 2.06 GAA, and a .927 save percentage. He recorded two shutouts. His 22 wins are tied for second in school history. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Midwest Regional.

Romeo was selected to the second team All-Big Ten. He became the first Buckeye named a semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award. He earned the NCAA Elite 90 Award with the highest grade-point average among players at the 2018 Frozen Four. In the 2018-19 season, he shared duties with Tommy Nappier. He went 8-7-2 with a 2.58 GAA and a .902 save percentage. He set the school record for the longest shutout streak, spanning 204 minutes and 27 seconds. He became the first goalie in program history to record shutouts in three consecutive starts.

After leaving Ohio State, Romeo earned a finance degree. He was a three-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. He played a two-year professional career with seven ECHL teams. He appeared in 30 games during that professional stint.

Ben Guite, former UMaine assistant coach and current Bowdoin College men’s hockey coach, spoke about Romeo’s work ethic. Guite said Romeo was a goalie you wanted to run with due to his preparation. Guite noted that Romeo spent considerable time in the gym and workout room. He described Romeo as an exceptional student. Guite stated that Romeo’s success at Ohio State after a difficult start at UMaine demonstrated his resilience and belief in himself. Guite said, “It’s a sad day.”

Ohio State announced that Romeo was an organ donor. He donated his lungs, liver, heart, and kidneys.