Jack McNeeley
Jack McNeeley '03 Trainer
Named Cleveland State's head athletic trainer in October of 1969, Jack McNeeley helped keep CSU student-athletes in the game for 32 years. His effort helped CSU teams achieve never before seen success. Among these were conference champions in cross-country, basketball, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, and wrestling. Under McNeeley's care, CSU athletes became All-Americans as well as All-Conference performers. They also performed in numerous NCAA championship events including the 1986 Men's Basketball Tournament and appearances by over forty wrestlers in the NCAA Tournament. Fencing, golf, softball, soccer, and swimming also produced NCAA performers during McNeeley's long career. Am familiar face on the sideline at Viking men's basketball games, McNeeley missed one game during the 1970-71 campaign and possibly another, although unconfirmed, in the mid 70's. He ended his career with a string of at least 631 straight games. Overall, McNeeley was on the CSU sideline for at 881 of 883 games.
However, as impressive as those accomplishments are, Jack McNeeley's enduring legacy at CSU will be the first-rate training facilities he was instrumental in developing. Because of him, CSU has state-of-the-art training facilities at both the Physical Education Center and the Convocation Center that are among the finest in college athletics.
A native Clevelander, McNeeley is an alumnus of St. Edward's High school and a 1967 graduate of Miami of Ohio. While at Miami, McNeeley served as a student trainer for two years and as a graduate assistant in 1968-69. At Miami, McNeeley worked under head trainer Ken Wolfert, who had previously worked in the same capacity of CSU. In 1972, McNEeley earned a Master's Degree in Education from Miami.
In addition to his duties at CSU, McNeeley was the head trainer for the U.S> Track Team at the 1975 World University Games in Rome as well as for the 14th World Games for the Deaf in West Germany in 1981. He was also a trainer at the 15th World Games for the Deaf in Los Angeles in 1985. McNeeley served as the medical supervisor for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Regional in Providence in 1996. He capped his career by serving in the same capacity when CSU hosted the First & Second Rounds of the 2000 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
McNeeley was inducted into the Ohio Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame in 1996. The OATA Hall of Fame is located at Ohio University's Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio and honors high school, collegiate, and professional trainers. McNeeley served as OATA president from 1997-99 and then served a term on the executive board as past president.
Jack McNeeley's influence on CSU athletes continues today. CSU's head trainer Dave Ali and associate trainer Jackie Wise both served on McNeeley's training staff.
