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Xavier University Athletics
Women's Basketball
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- nealb3@xavier.edu
- Phone:
- 513.745.2880
Brian Neal was the head coach of the Xavier women's basketball team for six seasons, finishing his Xavier career with a 76-108 record (28-80 BIG EAST). He resigned as head coach on March 10, 2019.
The 2018-19 season was highlighted by A'riana Gray earning All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention Team honors. The forward led the conference in rebounding (11.5), while ranking 10th in the NCAA. Her 344 total rebounds ranked 19th in the NCAA and fifth in single-season school history. The Musketeers also made 240 three points, the second most in program history.
In 2017-18, the Musketeers ranked fourth in the BIG EAST in three pointers made per game (7.1) - ranking 75th nationally. Xavier made 214 three pointers, 53 more three pointers than the year before. The 214 three pointers also ranks second in single-season school history. Aaliyah Dunham was also named to the All-BIG EAST Freshmen Team, becoming the second player to earn the honors since joining the BIG EAST.
The 2016-17 season was highlighted by a home win over Big Ten foe Michigan as the Musketeers picked up a 61-58 victory. The 58 points was the fewest scored all season by the Wolverines who finished the year with a 28-9 record and a WNIT Championship. Senior Raeshaun Gaffney was also named to the All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention Team.
In 2015-16, he led the Musketeers to their 22nd winning season since joining the NCAA Division I ranks in 1982-83. Xavier also picked up its first BIG EAST honoree in Briana Glover who was tabbed to the honorable mention team.
Neal led the Musketeers to a 10-win improvement in 2014-15 from the previous season (18-15 vs. 8-23), finishing the year ranked ninth nationally in win improvement. Xavier also posted a winning season and participated in a postseason tournament for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign.
Neal, who was named interim head coach of the women's basketball team on Oct. 9, 2013, was named the program's seventh head coach by Director of Athletics Greg Christopher on Nov. 7, 2013.
Neal replaced Amy Waugh, who resigned after a two-year tenure with the Musketeers.
Neal spent the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons as an assistant coach on the Xavier staff before being appointed head coach. Prior to Xavier, he was the head coach of Thomas More's women's program for seven years.
Neal posted a 171-31 (.847) overall record at Thomas More with six consecutive 20-win seasons and five consecutive Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) championships. Neal was a four-time recipient of the PAC Coach of the Year Award and was twice named the Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year.
The Saints made five straight NCAA Championship appearances during Neal's tenure. In 2010-11, Thomas More earned the school's first-ever No. 1 ranking and posted the program's second undefeated regular season in four years while advancing to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Division III Championship for the second time in three seasons. In March of 2011, he 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 his alma mater Northern Kentucky University for six seasons under head coach Nancy Winstel. While at NKU, the Norse compiled a six-year record of 156-36 (.813) and advanced to the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship each season with the school's first-ever national championship coming in 2000. All told, NKU made two national title game appearances and four elite eight appearances with Neal on staff to go along with six Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) conference titles.
Neal began his coaching career at the Division III level as an assistant coach 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 in May of 1991 with a bachelor's degree in journalism with an English minor.
Neal and his wife Amy have four children, Allison, Madison, Emma and Maxwell.
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THE NEAL FILE |
PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE: Assistant Coach at Wilmington College (1992-98); Assistant Coach at Northern Kentucky University (1998-2004); Head Coach at Thomas More College (2004-11); Assistant Coach at Xavier University (2011-13); Head Coach at Xavier University (2013-19).
COACHING RECORD: 87-61 in six seasons as assistant coach at Wilmington College (1992-98); 156-36 in six seasons as an assistant at Northern Kentucky University (1998-2004); 171-31 in seven seasons as head coach at Thomas More College (2004-11); 21-36 in two seasons as an assistant at Xavier University (2011-13); 76-108 in six seasons as head coach at Xavier University (2013-19).
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in Journalism with an English minor from Northern Kentucky in 1991.
POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE: 2007 NCAA Division III Tournament, 2008 NCAA Division III Second Round, 2009 NCAA Division III Sweet 16, 2010 NCAA Division III Second Round, 2011 NCAA Division III Sweet 16.
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HONORS AND AWARDS |
THOMAS MORE COLLEGE | Division III | Head Coach
• Four-time President's Athletic Conference (PAC) Coach of the Year (2006, 2008, 2010, 2011)
• Two-time Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year (2008, 2011)
• 2011 Russell Athletics/WBCA Region Six Division II Coach of the Year
• Five Consecutive PAC Championships
• Five Consecutive NCAA Championship Appearances
• Five Consecutive Postseason Tournament Appearances
• Earned the Program's First-Ever No. 1 Ranking in 2010-11
• Earned a Appearances in the 2009 and 2011 DIII Sweet 16
NORTHERN KENTUCKY | Division II | Asst. Coach
• 2000 Division II National Champions; Progam's First
• Five Consecutive Postseason Tournament Appearances
• Four Great Lakes Valley Conference Regular Season Titles
• Two Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament Titles
XAVIER | Division I | Head Coach
• Selected to attend the WBCA's Center for Coaching Excellence
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COACHING CREDENTIALS |
| All-Time: | 247-139 (.640 / 13 yrs.) |
| Xavier Record: | 76-108 (.413 / 6 yrs.) |
| BIG EAST Regular Season: | 28-80 (.259 / 6 yrs.) |
| BIG EAST Tournament: | 1-6 |
| BIG EAST All-Freshman Team Selections | 2 (Maddison Blackwell, Aaliyah Dunham) |
| BIG EAST Honorable Mention | 3 (Briana Glover, Raeshaun Gaffney, Ari Gray) |
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YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD |
| Year | School | Overall Record (Conference Record/Finish) | Postseason |
| 2004-05 | Thomas More | 16-9 | - |
| 2005-06 | Thomas More | 20-8 | - |
| 2006-07 | Thomas More | 22-5 | NCAA Div. III Tournament |
| 2007-08 | Thomas More | 29-1 | NCAA Div. III Second Round |
| 2008-09 | Thomas More | 28-3 | NCAA Div. III Sweet 16 |
| 2009-10 | Thomas More | 26-4 | NCAA Div. III Second Round |
| 2010-11 | Thomas More | 30-1 | NCAA Div. III Sweet 16 |
| 2013-14 | Xavier | 8-23 (3-15 BIG EAST/9th) | - |
| 2014-15 | Xavier | 18-15 (8-10 BIG EAST/7th) | WBI |
| 2015-16 | Xavier | 17-13 (8-10 BIG EAST/t-7th) | - |
| 2016-17 | Xavier | 12-18 (4-14 BIG EAST/t-7th) | - |
| 2017-18 | Xavier | 10-20 (3-15 BIG EAST/t-9th) | - |
| 2018-19 | Xavier | 11-19 (2-16 BIG EAST/10th) | |
| Totals | 13 Seasons | 247-139 (.640) | 5 NCAA |
