As the sun set over Condron Family Ballpark at the University of Florida on Wednesday evening, senior University of Central Florida catcher Danny Neri felt the familiar buzz of anticipation mingled with nerves knotting in his stomach.
The night was more than just another game under the lights. It was a collision of past and present, dreams and reality, as he stepped onto the diamond.
Neri, 22, is now a University of Central Florida player, but as a young boy he dreamed of wearing the orange and blue of the Florida Gators, the team he grew up supporting in his hometown of Macclenny, an hour from UF's campus. As UCF's catcher Wednesday, he got to face the Gators in front of his parents, family and friends from Macclenny.
“I grew up always dreaming about playing on that field,” said Neri, adding that the chance to play at the park was "really awesome."
Neri went 1-for-2 at the plate, scoring a run in the Knights' 9-6 win in front of 5,330 fans.
Returning to the UF campus is a moment that the family will remember and will put an exclamation mark on the memorable moments Neri experienced as a collegiate baseball player.
Neri had many family and friends in the crowd watching, with a mix of orange and blue of the University of Florida and gold and black of UCF. Neri’s grandparents both met while attending UF, and his grandmother attended sporting a mix of orange and blue from her alma mater and gold and black in support of her grandson. Danny’s mother, Shelly Neri, was there to support her son.
“Obviously I’m gonna wear my UCF colors and pull for them, pull for Danny,” she said in an interview before the game. “It’s going to feel really odd to be at a Gator facility and not be wearing my orange and blue.
With a population of about 7,500 people, everyone knows everyone in Macclenny. Neri began playing baseball at age 3, throwing in the backyard with his father, Chris Neri. By the age of four, Neri began playing organized baseball. He played with the same kids almost his entire childhood which he said benefited him.
Neri attended Bishop John J. Snyder High School in Jacksonville. Although he had dreamed of playing in orange and blue, when he reached high school he began looking at other schools. Freshman year, Neri realized he had a Division I skillset.
“I started getting some interest from some Division 1 schools,” Neri said. “I realized that I was probably good enough to do that if it was something I wanted to work for.”
Neri initially committed to Georgia Tech, but due to coaching changes, decided to switch his commitment to Notre Dame. This is where his collegiate career began. When deciding on a school where he could potentially play baseball, academics played a large part in his decision. His father emphasized how important academics were to his decision and career.
“Dan was always a strong, academic kid, and that played a big role in the process for him,” his father said. “He ended up at Notre Dame, which is home to some really amazing student-athletes.”
While it took much adjustment to the new challenges college brought, Neri embraced it.
“School was way harder, so I had to manage that,” Neri said. “A lot of that is pretty normal for college athletes in general. I loved it. I thought it was a unique set of challenges that definitely made me a better person and a better baseball player.”
During his time at Notre Dame, Neri had the opportunity to play in one of the biggest stages in college baseball: The College World Series in Omaha, Neb. The Fighting Irish defeated the Tennessee Volunteers, a team they were not expected to beat, to send them there.
“The College World Series was awesome, was literally a dream come true,” Neri said. “It was a really surreal experience.”
Neri was fortunate to play with his whole family in the crowd watching, all of which harped about how amazing that opportunity was. His family also was in attendance at the final Super Regional game against Tennessee that sent them to the CWS. His mother still regards this as her favorite day in baseball.
“The day that Notre Dame beat Tennessee in the super regional was my favorite day of baseball ever, hands down,” she said. “There was just nothing like it. The atmosphere was electric. Nobody expected us to win. Just to see the team, the boys all run out onto the field and dog pile like that was surreal.”
Neri accelerated his career at Notre Dame, graduating in three and a half years with a double major before deciding to transfer to UCF for his final year of eligibility in 2024. Neri decided on the school in Orlando because he wanted to be closer to home and his family.
While playing baseball, Neri had a lot of support from his family and coaches to get to the level that he is today. He had his fair share of challenges throughout the way, beginning his career during the COVID-19 pandemic when only his family could attend games. Neri has also had to adapt to numerous coaching changes throughout his career, but his parents have supported him through this and know he has the skill sets to get through it.
“We often have told our kids, ‘If you do what everyone does, you get what everyone gets,’ so we have encouraged them to try hard things,” his father said. “Which sometimes results in bad days, or as an example in Dan’s world, a strikeout with the bases loaded in front of lots of people.”
During his entire baseball career, Neri has created countless relationships with teammates and coaches who have helped him on and off the field. Senior Florida A&M pitcher JD Garner is a longtime friend and teammate of Neri. He credits Neri for helping him in his playing career.
“While playing with Danny, I would say I learned a lot from him on how to better myself,” Garner said. “He always made me push myself because he was always gonna give 110% every time.”
As for the future of Neri’s baseball career, he would love the opportunity to keep playing but is prepared for whatever road is ahead. His family is supportive of him and believes he is well-prepared for what the future holds.
“It’s been a privilege to have a front-row seat and backstage pass to Dan’s baseball career, and whenever it ends, I am excited for what comes next,” his father said. “He’s a diverse, well-rounded guy, with a big brain, loads of focus, lots of discipline. I don’t know what he’s planning to do next, but I’m excited to watch.”