Brian Neal
	Position: Assistant Coach Experience: First Season Alma Mater: Northern Kentucky '91

On May 11, 2011, Xavier women's basketball head coach Amy Waugh announced the hiring of Brian Neal to fill one of the assistant coach openings on her staff. Neal spent the past seven seasons as the head coach at Thomas More College.

"I am excited to add Brian Neal to my staff," Waugh commented. "He's had tremendous success throughout his coaching career and has a proven track record of maintaining a tradition of success within a program. He's spent his entire coaching career in the Cincinnati area and his knowledge, experience, and work ethic will be a great asset to the Xavier women's basketball program."

"I'm looking forward to Brian Neal joining head coach Amy Waugh's staff," said Xavier Athletic Director Mike Bobinski. "Brian is a proven winner who will bring significant experience and an understanding of and passion for women's basketball."

Neal posted a 171-31 (.847) overall record in seven seasons at the helm of the Thomas More women's basketball program. He recorded six consecutive 20-win seasons at TMC and guided the Saints to five consecutive Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) championships. Neal is a four-time recipient of the PAC Coach of the Year Award (2006, 08, 10, 11) and was twice named the Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year (2008 and 11).

"If you are involved in coaching women's basketball, this is just a great opportunity," commented Neal. "Not only is XU a great academic institution, but it has a tremendous basketball tradition and I'm very excited about working for Amy Waugh. Her energy and passion for Xavier is contagious."

The Saints made five straight NCAA Championship appearances under Neal. During the 2010-11 season TMC earned the school's first-ever No. 1 ranking, posted program's second undefeated regular season in four years and advanced to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Division III Championship for the second time in three seasons and fourth overall. In March of 2011 Neal was named the Russell Athletics/Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Region Six Division III Coach of the Year.

Before taking over the reins at Thomas More, Neal was an assistant coach at Northern Kentucky University, his alma mater, for six seasons under head coach Nancy Winstel. While there, the Norse compiled a six-year win/loss record of 156-36 (.813), advancing to the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship each season with the school's first-ever national championship coming in 2000. NKU also made four appearances in the Elite Eight and two in the national championship game, with the last coming in 2003. In addition, the Norse also won four Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) regular-season titles and two GLVC tournament championships.

Prior to his stint at NKU, Neal began his coaching career with six seasons at the Division III level as an assistant at Wilmington College from 1992-98. With the Quakers, he was an assistant under head coach Jerry Scheve for a team that posted back-to-back 20-win campaigns in his final two seasons.

Neal graduated from Northern Kentucky University in May of 1991 with a bachelor's degree in journalism with an English minor. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in sport administration at Xavier.

Neal and his wife, Amy, reside in Taylor Mill, Ky., with their four children, Allison, Madison, Emma and Maxwell.

Xavier Musketeers Women's Basketball

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