Neil I. Cohen, who became athletic director for Community College of Allegheny County at age 25, then built a national champion cross country program, died Friday at UPMC Presbyterian from complications following surgery. The Aspinwall resident was 62.

Mr. Cohen, who grew up in Morningside and attended Peabody High School, was named CCAC athletic director in 1967 after teaching and coaching high school in Farmington Hills, Mich., for one year.

At CCAC, Mr. Cohen oversaw a cross country program that went 110-0-1 in dual and invitational meets while claiming three junior college national championships. In the mid-1970s, the school won the national junior college indoor championship using only distance runners and finished third in the national outdoor championship with only middle and long distance runners.

In 1990, Mr. Cohen was inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as a cross country coach. He also served on the track, field and cross country coaches' advisory board for the Nike shoe company.

"He really liked the sport of track and field, and he loved cross country. He was very passionate about those sports," said Sam Bair Sr. of Shaler, an elite runner himself who was recruited to Kent State University in Ohio by Mr. Cohen and took over the track and cross country coaching job from him at CCAC until the program ended for budgetary reasons in 1978.

Also during Mr. Cohen's tenure as athletic director, the basketball team won the national junior college Division III championship in the late 1980s and, in 1992, the soccer team finished sixth in nationals with Mr. Cohen's son, Matt, on defense.

In all, the CCAC athletic program won more than 60 championships during his 25-year tenure that ended in 1993.

He retired from CCAC in 1993, but was a frequent caller to local sports talk shows, using the name "Guido."

Mr. Cohen graduated from Kent State and Western Michigan University, where he earned a master's degree in physical education.

Survivors include his father, Lazarus Cohen, of Squirrel Hill; former wife Susan Cohen of Squirrel Hill; son Matt of San Francisco; and daughter Jamie Beth Schindler of New York City.

The funeral and burial will be private. Arrangements are being handled by Ralph Schugar Chapel Inc., 5509 Centre Ave., Shadyside.

The family requests memorial contributions be made to Habitat for Humanity, 121 Habitat St., Americus, Ga. 31709-3498.