Millersville

At Millersville State Teachers College, Neff competed for the Marauder basketball and baseball teams for four years each. He was a member of the 1939-40 Pa. State Teachers College Conference championship basketball squad and was the leading scorer for the Marauder cagers in his senior season.

After graduation, Neff played amateur basketball for the Millersville Merchants for 14 years and was a perennial Lancaster County league champion. He also was an all-star performer in amateur baseball leagues in Lancaster City and County and played on four championship teams. He graduated from Millersville in 1943 with a bachelor's of science degree in education and in 1967, he earned a M.Ed. from West Chester.

He began his coaching career in 1943 as basketball and baseball mentor (1943-45) at West Lampeter Township High School. From 1946 to 1957, Neff coached basketball and track at Oxford High School and served as athletics director for five years (1952-57).

Neff returned to Millersville borough in ’57, and for the next 24 years, he was athletics director at Penn Manor High School. During his tenure, he introduced or added 20 interscholastic program, developed elementary and co-ed physical education curricula, and served as both intramural director and supervisor of health, physical education and safety.

In addition, he was Penn Manor boys’ soccer coach for 10 years, guided the Comet boys’ basketball program for nine seasons, and served one season as head boys’ track mentor.

In 1990, the Penn Manor School District dedicated its field house in Neff’s honor, and he received the 1992 Distinguished Graduate Award from the Penn Manor Alumni Association. He was inducted to the Penn Manor Sports Wall of Honor in 1999 and earned its Sportsmanship Award in 2000.

Neff was also actively involved in community activities. He was a board member with the Millersville Lions Club and the Penn Manor Community Center Foundation, and held membership with the Millersville Masons and the First United Methodist Church.