Bucknell University Athletics
Conor O'Brien Receives Bucknell Senior Athletic Award
5/4/2010 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
May 4, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell senior Conor O'Brien (Mt. Sinai, N.Y./St. Anthony's), a 2010 All-American and one of the all-time leading scorers in the history of the Bison men's soccer program, received a special award at the University's annual Senior Athletic Awards Banquet, sponsored by the Bison Club and held in the Terrace Room on campus on May 4.
O'Brien won the Bison Club Award, presented to the senior athletes who best exemplify the winning spirit of the University's athletics program. O'Brien shared the award with Valentina Rozas of the women's water polo team.
In addition to O'Brien and Rozas, several other student-athletes were honored at the banquet, including the winners of the Christy Mathewson Award, given to the most outstanding athletes in the senior class. Patriot League and Eastern champion swimmer Courtney Warren and two-time All-America wrestler Andy Rendos won the Mathewson Awards.
Following a brilliant senior year in 2009, O'Brien was one of 15 semifinalists for the Hermann Trophy, which is soccer's version of the Heisman Trophy as the national player of the year. He earned NSCAA Second Team All-America honors, becoming the first Bucknell soccer All-American in 33 years, and he was named the Philly Soccer News Men's College Player of the Year.
O'Brien in 2009 became only the fourth player in Patriot League history to repeat as the league's Offensive Player of the Year. He was also a First Team All-Patriot League selection after leading the league in goals (11), assists (9) and points (31). More importantly, he co-captained the Bison to a school-record 17 wins, a Patriot League championship and an NCAA Tournament first-round win over Princeton.
It was O'Brien's third All-Patriot League certificate, as he was also a first-team selection in 2008 and a second-team pick as a sophomore in 2007. O'Brien had a point in 17 of the team's 23 games this season, and in 22 of 28 matches dating back to the end of the 2008 season. Seven of his 11 goals were game-winners, the most dramatic of which was his golden goal against Lafayette in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals.
O'Brien wrapped up his magnificent career ranked second on Bucknell's career list for assists (25), sixth in points (77) and ninth in goals (26). He is the highest scoring Bison player in the last 20 years.
Bucknell is a highly-selective, privately endowed liberal arts institution with an enrollment of approximately 3,500 undergraduate students. Bucknell competes in NCAA Division I as a member of the Patriot League and has full membership along with American, Army, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh and Navy. Bucknell has won the Presidents' Cup, signifying the Patriot League's all-sports champion, in 15 of 19 years.
Bucknell annually ranks among the national leaders in graduation rates. In addition, Bucknell ranks fifth in Division I in the total number of CoSIDA Academic All-America selections, with 118 national Academic All-Americans since 1970.
