Murray State University Athletics
Men's Basketball
Cullen Neal
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- cneal14@murraystate.edu
Cullen Neal joined Murray State Basketball as an assistant coach ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Neal's first season at Murray State finished with a 20-13 overall record, a 12-8 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play and a third-place finish in the league standings, the program’s best MVC regular-season finish and most conference wins since joining the league. The Racers also earned a postseason berth in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). Offensively, Murray State developed into one of the most productive teams in the country, averaging 83.1 points per game while ranking among the nation’s top teams in offensive efficiency.
Neal joined the Racers with five years of coaching experience in the collegiate ranks with stops at Nevada, Rice and Hawaii.He began his career a graduate assistant at Nevada from 2020-22 and was Director of Player Development and Director of Video Operations at Rice from 2022-24 and was assistant coach at Hawaii during the 2024-25 season. In 2024, Silver Waves Media named him to the 100 Rising Stars List for men's mid-major assistant coaches.
Neal played collegiately at New Mexico (2013-16), Ole Miss (2016-17) and Saint Mary's (2017-18), participating in postseason play with all three programs. He helped New Mexico win the Mountain West Conference championship in 2013 while playing for his father, Craig Neal, who was head coach, as the team made an NCAA Tournament appearance and was a 1000-point player with 1,198 points in his collegiate career in 139 games played. He later played professionally for two seasons in Poland and Germany where he averaged 15.4 points and 3.2 assists. At Eldorado High School, Neal finished his prep career with 2,311 career points, third-most in the state of New Mexico history, and was a Parade All-American in 2012-13, 2012 Mr. Basketball in New Mexico, 2012 Gatorade Player of the Year and ESPN Top 100 recruit as a junior and senior.
Neal earned his bachelor's degree from New Mexico in 2016 and a Master's degree from Nevada in 2022. He and his wife, Lauren, have a son, Holt and daughter, Cash.
Neal's first season at Murray State finished with a 20-13 overall record, a 12-8 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play and a third-place finish in the league standings, the program’s best MVC regular-season finish and most conference wins since joining the league. The Racers also earned a postseason berth in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). Offensively, Murray State developed into one of the most productive teams in the country, averaging 83.1 points per game while ranking among the nation’s top teams in offensive efficiency.
Neal joined the Racers with five years of coaching experience in the collegiate ranks with stops at Nevada, Rice and Hawaii.He began his career a graduate assistant at Nevada from 2020-22 and was Director of Player Development and Director of Video Operations at Rice from 2022-24 and was assistant coach at Hawaii during the 2024-25 season. In 2024, Silver Waves Media named him to the 100 Rising Stars List for men's mid-major assistant coaches.
Neal played collegiately at New Mexico (2013-16), Ole Miss (2016-17) and Saint Mary's (2017-18), participating in postseason play with all three programs. He helped New Mexico win the Mountain West Conference championship in 2013 while playing for his father, Craig Neal, who was head coach, as the team made an NCAA Tournament appearance and was a 1000-point player with 1,198 points in his collegiate career in 139 games played. He later played professionally for two seasons in Poland and Germany where he averaged 15.4 points and 3.2 assists. At Eldorado High School, Neal finished his prep career with 2,311 career points, third-most in the state of New Mexico history, and was a Parade All-American in 2012-13, 2012 Mr. Basketball in New Mexico, 2012 Gatorade Player of the Year and ESPN Top 100 recruit as a junior and senior.
Neal earned his bachelor's degree from New Mexico in 2016 and a Master's degree from Nevada in 2022. He and his wife, Lauren, have a son, Holt and daughter, Cash.
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Friday, February 27
