Dan O'Connell

Duke Men’s Lacrosse in studio. Durham, NC. January 22, 2021 - Reagan Lunn / Duke Athletics

Height/Weight:
5-10 / 195
Class:
Graduate Student
Hometown:
Winchester, Mass.
High School:
Holy Cross

Career: Played three seasons at Holy Cross before transferring to Duke for his final year of eligibility … Played in 43 career games … Finished his career with a .619 win percentage at the X … Won 470-of-759 faceoffs … Picked up 245 career ground balls … Recorded eight goals … ACC Academic Honor Roll.

2021: Played in 10 games as a faceoff specialist … Won 25-of-52 faceoffs and picked up 15 ground balls … Went 13-of-23 and had eight ground balls in win over High Point (3/10) … Won 6-of-9 restarts in NCAA semifinal against Maryland … ACC Academic Honor Roll.

At Holy Cross
2020:

Played in all seven games
Won 96 faceoffs for a .662 winning percentage
Ranked eighth nationally and second in the Patriot League in winning percentage (.662)
Led the Crusaders to rank ninth nationally in faceoff winning percentage (.633)
Holds the program’s all-time ground balls record with 230
Picked up 51 ground balls
Scored three goals, including a two-goal outing against Harvard (Feb. 25)
Ranked third in the Patriot League in ground balls per game (7.29)
Named to the 2020 NEILA All-New England Preseason second team
Earned three Patriot League Faceoff Specialist of the Week accolades (March 9, March 2, Feb. 3)
Ranks seventh in career faceoff percentage among active career leaders (.629)
Captained the team
Season concluded on March 12 due to COVID-19

2019:

Played in 13 games
Won 199 faceoffs and owned a .665 faceoff percentage
Ranked second in the Patriot League in faceoff percentage and sixth nationally
Led the team in ground balls with 122
Ranked first in the Patriot League and seventh national in ground balls per game (9.38)
Named to the All-Patriot League second team
Selected to the Patriot League All-Academic Team
Became the first-ever Crusader to be named the Patriot League Faceoff Specialist of the Week (Feb. 18, April 8, April 15)
Named to the NEILA All-New England Preseason second team
Scored three goals
Named the team's MVP

2018:

Played in all 13 games
Scored two goals
Picked up a team-best 57 ground balls
At the faceoff, went 151-263 for a .574 winning percentage
Ranked 19th nationally in faceoff percentage (.574)
Took all but six faceoffs for the Crusaders
Led the Crusaders to rank third in faceoff winning percentage in the Patriot League
Ranked fourth in the Patriot League in faceoff percentage (.574)
Ranked seventh in the league in ground balls per game (4.38)
Named Crusader of the Week on March 26
Caused three turnovers
Voted the team's Joseph M. Murphy III Rookie of the Year
Member of the Patriot League Honor Roll

Before Holy Cross:

Transferred from South Carolina after his freshman year
Three-year member of the varsity lacrosse team for head coach John Pirani, leading the team in points each season
Was the first player in program history to be elected captain both his junior and senior seasons
Was awarded the Middlesex League MVP Award as a senior in 2016
Was a Middlesex League All-Star in 2014 and 2015
Was awarded 2016 Boston Globe All-Scholastic accolades along with 2016 Boston Herald All-Scholastic accolades
Was a 2016 EMLCA Second Team All-American
Team won league championships in 2014 and were state semi-finalists in 2016
Set the school record for most career assists and is ranked second all-time in career points
Is ranked second all-time in single season points for his senior year performance and led the team in points in each of his years on the team
Played four years of varsity hockey under head coach Bob Lavin as a center
Served as team captain his senior year
Was a Shriner's Hospital Massachusetts High School Hockey All-Star
Team won the league championship his senior year
Played one season of varsity golf under head coach Tom Walsh
Was a member of the Sachems Leadership Club

Personal:

Son of Christopher and Susan O’Connell
Father Christopher played hockey as a member of the Army West Point Class of 1981
Mother Susan graduated from Holy Cross in 1985
Has one brother (Christopher) and one sister (Lauren)
Great grandfather James A. Brennan (1913), grandfather Raymond F. Brennan (1952), aunt Kimberly Brennan (1980), aunt Christine Brennan (1987), cousin Nell Turner (2008) and cousin Molly Turner (2010) all graduated from Holy Cross
A political science major