Neal Zonfrelli is the fifth of seven siblings and the youngest of three boys born to Anthony and Joan Zonfrelli. Over 40 years ago his eldest brother Michael first exposed Neal to the sport of wrestling at the age of nine. Michael was part of a group of young men who started the first wrestling team at Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School under Coach Stan Holmes. The next oldest brother Barry carried on the tradition and excelled in the sport in both high school and college.

As a three-sport athlete at Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School, Neal excelled in both wrestling and football. In wrestling he compiled a 92-11 record; was inducted into the B-R Athletic Hall of Fame as a sophomore, junior, and senior; was a two-time Sectional Champion and Outstanding Wrestler of the Year, and was named a Boston Globe All-Scholastic. As a junior he posted an unblemished regular season mark of 18-0, grabbed top honors in the prestigious Lowell Holiday Tournament, placed 2nd in States and 4th in New England. Co-captain of the team his senior year, Neal posted a regular season mark of 17-0, with 17 pins, without allowing an opponent to score a single point against him. He would go on to win the All State Tournament, but due to problems posed by Proposition 2½, Massachusetts wrestlers were not allowed to compete in the New England Tournament.

Neal was also tri-captain of the history-making 1981 Trojan football team, leading them to an undefeated Old Colony League Championship. He was a two-time OCL All Star as well as two-time member of the Taunton Daily Gazette All-Scholastic team. Neal was a member of the Boston Globe All Star, Boston Herald All State and Brockton Enterprise All-Scholastic teams, and a Shriners football game participant.

Neal would continue his athletic career in college, attending the University of New Hampshire on a full football scholarship, while earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Even though Neal had no intention of wrestling in college, UNH wrestling Coach Jim Urquhart had other plans and convinced him otherwise. A three-year letterman in both football and wrestling, Neal capped an excellent athletic career at UNH by being elected co-captain of both the football and wrestling teams. His defensive abilities as a linebacker earned him Yankee Conference Defensive Player of the Year, 2-time All Yankee Conference, All New England, All ECAC, and 2-time honorable mention All American accolades. In wrestling Neal achieved additional honors, namely, two-time Division 1 New England finalist, Northern New England Invitational Champion and MVP, Division 1 New England Champion, and NCAA Division 1 National competitor. Neal was inducted into the UNH Hall of Fame in 1994 for both football and wrestling.

After college, Neal continued his involvement with the sport of wrestling by becoming an official. He was a member of the MIWOA for 25 years where he refereed numerous High School Sectional, State, All State, and New England Tournaments. He was also a member of the NEIWOA for 19 years where he officiated 17 NCAA Division III National Qualifier Tournaments. In 2011, Neal was named the 'Official of the Year' by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Wrestling Coaches Association.

Neal comments, "The great fortunes in my personal life and the success I have achieved professionally can all be attributed to the lessons I've learned from the true grit of this sport. There were several influential people who contributed to my successes as an athlete - my parents, my brothers Michael and Barry, my high school coach Stan Holmes and my college coach Jim Urquhart; my success as an official was due to the guidance of Phil Grebinar, Bobby German, Dennis Mulvihill, George Bossi, and Brian Manzi. I am most grateful for my wife Laurie and daughter Lexi, who without their love and support, my dedication to the sport and success as a referee would not have been possible."

Neal is a Senior Vice President at Liberty Mutual Insurance Company located in Boston, Massachusetts.

In recognition of his many years of service to the sport of wrestling, The Massachusetts Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame is honoring Neal Zonfrelli with its Award for Lifetime Service to Wresting.