UNH’s O’Connor is catching on

By rbrown
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Updated: June 12, 2018

SEATTLE – Neil O’Connor, a senior wide receiver on the University of New Hampshire football team, was named to the HERO Sports FCS Preseason All-America First Team on Tuesday.

O’Connor was named to five All-America teams – Associated Press, STATS, Phil Steele, Madness and HERO Sports – following a standout 2017 season in which he ranked No. 1 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) and third nationally in receptions (97) with the second-highest total in UNH single-season history behind R.J. Harris (100).

New Hampshire opens the 2018 season Aug. 30 (7 p.m.) at Maine. The first home game is Sept. 8 (6 p.m.) against Colgate for Youth Football Night.

O’Connor also paced the CAA in receptions/game (6.9, 11^th in FCS), receiving yards (1,396, 4th), receiving yards/game (99.7, 11th) and touchdown receptions (10, T-14th). His 1,396 receiving yards ranked fourth in single-season school history, and was a mere 155 yards shy of all-time co-leaders Harris (2014) and David Ball (2005).

O’Connor’s season highlights included establishing career bests of 232 receiving yards vs. Rhode Island and 13 receptions at Stony Brook.

The 232 receiving yards vs. URI ranks second on UNH’s list of single-game superlatives. O’Connor surpassed 100 receiving yards four other times, including 193 at William & Mary and 182 at Stony Brook. He also pulled in a personal-best three receiving touchdowns against Bryant.

His other 2017 accolades included Walter Payton Award Finalist, All-CAA First Team, All-New England Team and All-ECAC First Team.

The complete HERO Sports FCS Preseason All-America teams, as well as the preseason poll, can be found online at herosports.com.