Neal attended Whangārei Girls' High School from 2006 to 2010 before studying communications at the University of Waikato.

[1][2] She graduated in 2013 as a Sir Edmund Hillary Scholar Neal's brother, Shay, also represents New Zealand at hockey and attended the Rio Olympics.

She has also entered the corporate speaking circuit, where shares the lessons learned throughout her journey.

Neal represented New Zealand at the 2013 Women's Hockey Junior World Cup, before making her national debut that same year.

[1][4] She has competed in two World League finals, the most recent in 2015 where the team came second, Champions Trophy in 2016, and she represented New Zealand at the 2016 Summer Olympics where her team came fourth.