Photo by Kevin Hinchey,
UNH Human Resources

There are many ways and many places to go if you want information on any of the University of New Hampshire athletic teams. You could go to a variety of websites; you could ask various coaches; you could go through past periodicals in the library; or, you could find out just as much from Phil Neri, who is a veritable one-step-stop of UNH athletic information.

Phil has been working for the Athletic Department since beginning his UNH career in 1974, first as an Athletic Equipment Attendant and currently as the Equipment Manager. Name a sport at UNH and Phil is involved: football, hockey (men's and woman's), soccer (men's and woman's), swimming (men's and woman's), skiing (men's and woman's), volleyball, gymnastics, tennis (men's and woman's), basketball (men's and woman's), field hockey, lacrosse, track (men's and woman's), and cross country. "Every item that you see any athlete (and some of coaches and staff) wearing for games or practice has come through Phil's equipment room," says Steve Metcalf, Phil's supervisor. "And then he and his staff make sure whatever it is, it's ready to go back out the next day."

"Going back out the next day" might be as close to home as U-Mass or as far away as Stephen F. Austin State University (Texas) or Buccaneer Stadium (Florida). Phil and his assistant, Don Worden, often put in 13-14 hour days during football season as it takes two full days to get everything together for road games. Phil mentions, "this season, when we played Northeastern on the road, we rented a truck and threw all the gear in it and went down the night before the game because the Red Sox parade was the day of our game and we knew it was going to be crazy down there!"

One of the biggest changes Phil has observed in athletics over his tenure at UNH is the length of the athletic seasons. "When I first started working here, a sport ended their season and you didn't see those athletes and coaches again until the next season," he says. "Not any more. Now there is almost no off-season. The athletes are always in the weight rooms, working out, exercising, etc." Phil oversees all the equipment purchasing, cleaning, repairing (football) and organizing for 24 teams and approximately 600 athletes - which is no small task. "Phil has always been a guy who just simply gets the job done," Metcalf says. "If it means coming early before an early practice, staying late to get something after a late practice, or driving all night to get the football equipment back from an away game and then get it cleaned and ready for practice the next day. He travels to every away football game, usually by van or truck to take everything necessary for the team. I've never known Phil to say 'no' he couldn't get it done. His evaluations from coaches are filled with 'frequently exceeds job standard' and 'exceptional'. He is also a friend to many of our athletes and comes to know most of their names."

When asked who or what at UNH has had a positive impact on him, Phil's response is "I worked under Jack French for 25 years. He was the most dedicated, honest, and hard working man I have ever known. He always put the university first." Phil takes great pride in the staff within his department. "I have great people working for me," he states. "I don't have to follow up on things constantly. We operate under organized chaos here (laughing). We also have birthday parties for whoever has birthdays in that month and that gives us a chance to be together and celebrate each other."

While not working to keep the University athletic teams ready to roll, Phil loves going with a group of 5 co-workers on their annual fishing excursion in northern Maine. "I used to do a lot of basketball and baseball officiating," he states, "but now it's fishing for me. We go up there, every June, for five days and it gives us all a chance to get away from it all."

Born in Portsmouth, NH - "I was there when it was just beer rooms and barbershops", he says. "It's sure changed a lot since then." Phil and his wife of 33 years (Cathy, an Administrative Assistant in COLSA) now reside in Dover, NH. They have four children (2 boys and 2 girls), and their oldest daughter, Kendra, is a police officer at UNH.