O'Connor named NEC Co-Coach of the Year

O’Connor named NEC Co-Coach of the Year

By Brian Farrell, QBSN Staff Writer

Quinnipiac women’s golf is making an impression in the Northeast Conference. On Wednesday, head coach John O’Connor was named the Northeast Conference Co-Coach of the Year.

 “It’s always special when people, especially other coaches notice the effort that you put into your work,” O’Connor said.

The effort is clearly there as the Bobcats improved in their second full season. Improvement is the name of the game for Quinnipiac women’s golf and all that improvement starts with O’Connor.

“This has been a remarkable year for the golf team,” O’Connor said.  “Everyone on the team worked extremely hard.”

O’Connor made it clear that his success this year is thanks not only to his golfers putting up better scores, but also for his family for putting up with a dedicated coach.

“My wife understands my passion for coaching and knows how important this is to me,” O’Connor said. “… She finds a way through all the time away from my family and time at practice, and without her support, this would be an impossible task.”

O’Connor’s love for the game is apparent, so it should come as no surprise that he works as hard as he does both on and off the course.

O’Connor has been described by his golfers as a positive and active coach. In fact, O’Connor never uses a golf cart during tournaments and instead takes every step that his golfers take.

“When we go to tournaments, other girls can’t believe that he walks the courses with us,” junior Kayla Ketcheson said proudly.

Last season, O’Connor’s squad struggled, and while the team didn’t find themselves at the top of the standings, the Bobcats are on their way.

At the NEC Championships, Quinnipiac finished ninth after three consistent days. The championships featured O’Connor’s first recruit, Hannah Russell. Russell was second on the team at the championships and will be a key for the Bobcats next season.

Next season will also feature the O’Connor’s first real recruiting class. With a pair of seniors graduating, O’Connor will look to newcomers Krissy Unger and Jenn Whaley to fill the shoes left by Amanda Nagel and Nicole Ferretti.