PHILADELPHIA – Sean Neal, who has served the past five years as the director of operations for the La Salle men's basketball program, has been promoted to assistant coach, head coach Dr. John Giannini announced today. Neal replaces Harris Adler, who took a similar position at Auburn.
 
"Sean has been a big part of our program for 10 years; four as a student-athlete, one as a video coordinator and five as director of operations," Giannini said. "In each case, he has exhibited professionalism, loyalty, dedication and class.
 
"He will be an excellent recruiter and floor coach because of his intelligence, work ethic and interpersonal skills. He follows a long line of successful coaches who earned their first coaching position on my staffs, including Horace Owens, Will Bailey, Harris Adler and Ashley Howard. These individuals all advanced our program and I clearly see those same qualities in Sean."
   
Neal played for the Explorers from 2003-07 and was a junior in 2005-06 when La Salle finished third in the Atlantic 10 and set a school benchmark for A-10 wins (10) in its 18-10 campaign. Neal has been a part of the two winningest La Salle teams in terms of A-10 victories in 2006 and 2013.

"I am grateful and excited for the opportunity to be an assistant coach at the school I love and for the coach who has been a mentor to me," Neal said. "I look forward to contributing in this new role and continuing the success of this storied program."

The Springfield, Mass. native was honored four times with the La Salle University Faculty Athletic Award for achieving a grade point average over 3.25.

He graduated in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in political science and received his MBA from La Salle in 2011.
 
Neal is a Springfield, Mass. native and earned Western Massachusetts Player of the Year honors while playing at Springfield Cathedral.