David McNeil is the Athletic Trainer for Soka University of America, where he has served since 2025. He is responsible for delivering quality athletic healthcare to Soka's student-athletes, using evidence-based sports medicine and a patient-centered approach to care.
David is a Certified Athletic Trainer through the NATABOC and holds a California Career Technical Education Teaching Credential. He is trained in AHA Basic Life Support (AED).
David brings extensive experience in athletic healthcare, emergency management, and sports medicine program development. Prior to Soka, he worked as an independent athletic trainer for Costa Mesa High School and La Quinta High School, and provided athletic training and event coverage for CSU Fullerton Club Sports, Laguna Hills High School tournaments, and CIF Southern Section Track & Field preliminaries. He also served as a staff clinical athletic trainer with Intecore Physical Therapy and as an instructor at Trabuco Hills High School.
Earlier in his career, David worked in collegiate athletic training at CSU Monterey Bay, where he delivered care to women's volleyball and men's and women's basketball programs and created a concussion management policy, and at CSU Los Angeles, where he supervised graduate assistant athletic trainers. He also spent time at USC University Hospital, where he served as lead athletic trainer for USC Club Sports and Recreation and provided care for more than 40 sports teams, and later served as Director of Medical Services for the 2007 CCAA and NCAA Western Regional Baseball Championships.
David earned his Bachelor of Arts in Health & Exercise Science / Athletic Training from Rowan University and his Master of Science in Health Science from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions.
Outside of the athletic training room, David competed in track and field through high school and one year of collegiate competition, specializing in hurdles and high jump. He lives with his wife, Monica, and their two cats, Echo and Bandit. In his free time, David enjoys crime and mystery novels, cheering on Liverpool FC, spending time outdoors, and a good slice of pizza or a burrito.
