Coach Cory Neal enters his second season as the Head Coach of the Johnson & Wales Charlotte men's and women's tennis programs. In his first season leading the Wildcats, Neal guided both programs to major accomplishments, including a record-breaking number of single-season singles victories. Under his leadership, the men's tennis program established multiple Johnson & Wales records, including single-season singles wins and single-season doubles wins, while also securing the first match clinch in program history. Neal's inaugural season also saw the Wildcats produce the first-ever C2C Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year in tennis program history.
Neal joined Johnson & Wales Charlotte after spending 12 years as a federal educator and program administrator. Most recently, he served as an Education Program Specialist for the U.S. Department of Education's Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad program, where he managed a portfolio of 166 international education grants totaling more than $24 million. Prior to his work with the Department of Education, Neal served as a Teacher/Education Specialist with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, where he developed educational programs and prepared students for academic success.
A lifelong educator and coach, Neal previously served as the Head Men's Tennis Coach at Thomas Dale High School in Chester, Virginia, from 2008-2013. During his tenure, he led the Knights to four consecutive district championships, earned District Coach of the Year honors three times, and developed multiple district champions. Neal earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2009.
