University of Tennessee Athletics
Dual-Sport Standout Neal Named 2022 McLendon Scholar
July 19, 2022 | General, Track & Field, Soccer
Tennessee two-sport star Maya Neal, who excelled in both soccer and track & field from 2015-19 has been awarded one of eight 2022 McLendon Foundation Postgraduate Scholarships.
While rehabbing from a sports injury, Neal spent the past year gaining valuable real-world experience in collegiate athletics administration with Tennessee Athletics' Vol Fellows program.
Before further pursuing a career in athletics administration, Neal plans to continue her professional soccer playing career, which includes a previous stint in France.
Her future educational plans include pursuit of an Executive Master's in Sports Business at Temple University.
Neal received a bachelor's degree in Political Science from Tennessee in 2019 after serving as captain of both the soccer and women's track & field teams. On the pitch, Neal earned All-SEC honors for four consecutive seasons and led UT to its first-ever NCAA quarterfinals appearance in 2018. As a track & field athlete, she competed in the combined events and was a second-team All-American in the heptathlon at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
She also represented her teams on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and served as Community Service Co-Chair within SAAC. And in 2018-19, Neal participated in the prestigious year-long VOLeaders Academy leadership curriculum.
The McLendon Foundation, established in 1999, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded and administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). Through the scholarship program and leadership initiative, the McLendon Foundation provides minorities educational resources, practical experiences and serves as a vehicle for networking, career advancement and advocacy on behalf of the profession. More information regarding the McLendon Foundation can be found at MinorityLeaders.org.
Neal and the other McLendon Postgraduate Scholarship winners each receive a $10,000 grant to be used toward postgraduate studies in athletics administration. Funding for the scholarship program has been provided in part by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA); the Cleveland Cavaliers; Major League Baseball (MLB); the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC); the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA); the National Basketball Association (NBA); the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA); Capital One; and Sears, Roebuck and Co.
As of the 2021-22 academic year, the John McLendon Minority Postgraduate Scholarship Program had awarded more than 120 scholarships, totaling more than $1.2 million.
Tennessee men's basketball coach Rick Barnes is one of the McLendon Foundation's Minority Leadership Initiative Ambassadors, funding an academic coordinator position in the UT Martin athletics department.
While rehabbing from a sports injury, Neal spent the past year gaining valuable real-world experience in collegiate athletics administration with Tennessee Athletics' Vol Fellows program.
Before further pursuing a career in athletics administration, Neal plans to continue her professional soccer playing career, which includes a previous stint in France.
Her future educational plans include pursuit of an Executive Master's in Sports Business at Temple University.
Neal received a bachelor's degree in Political Science from Tennessee in 2019 after serving as captain of both the soccer and women's track & field teams. On the pitch, Neal earned All-SEC honors for four consecutive seasons and led UT to its first-ever NCAA quarterfinals appearance in 2018. As a track & field athlete, she competed in the combined events and was a second-team All-American in the heptathlon at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
She also represented her teams on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and served as Community Service Co-Chair within SAAC. And in 2018-19, Neal participated in the prestigious year-long VOLeaders Academy leadership curriculum.
The McLendon Foundation, established in 1999, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded and administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). Through the scholarship program and leadership initiative, the McLendon Foundation provides minorities educational resources, practical experiences and serves as a vehicle for networking, career advancement and advocacy on behalf of the profession. More information regarding the McLendon Foundation can be found at MinorityLeaders.org.
Neal and the other McLendon Postgraduate Scholarship winners each receive a $10,000 grant to be used toward postgraduate studies in athletics administration. Funding for the scholarship program has been provided in part by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA); the Cleveland Cavaliers; Major League Baseball (MLB); the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC); the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA); the National Basketball Association (NBA); the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA); Capital One; and Sears, Roebuck and Co.
As of the 2021-22 academic year, the John McLendon Minority Postgraduate Scholarship Program had awarded more than 120 scholarships, totaling more than $1.2 million.
Tennessee men's basketball coach Rick Barnes is one of the McLendon Foundation's Minority Leadership Initiative Ambassadors, funding an academic coordinator position in the UT Martin athletics department.
The Mike Keith Show (Oct. 2, 2025)
Friday, October 03
Big Orange Rewind | September 29, 2025
Sunday, September 28
The Mike Keith Show (Sept. 25, 2025)
Thursday, September 25
Big Orange Rewind | September 21, 2025
Monday, September 22
