CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – J.P. O’Connor, a NCAA wrestling champion for Harvard in 2010, is returning to Cambridge.
Jay Weiss, head coach of Harvard’s wrestling team, announced this week that he is adding O’Connor to his coaching staff. O’Connor, currently training for a spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic wrestling team, rejoins the Crimson after enjoying one of the most decorated careers in program history.
“I am extremely delighted and fortunate to have J.P. joining our coaching staff, he has meant so much to our program," Weiss said. "Not only has he won on the biggest stage, he’s also a tremendous leader. Our student-athletes will be able to learn more than just wrestling from J.P. He brings a passion for the sport but also for the Harvard program.
“Last year, I wanted to focus strictly on training, and I didn’t know how time consuming it would be,” O’Connor said in a phone interview Wednesday. “I didn’t think I could coach and train at the same time, but I realized there is only so many hours in a day you can physically train without your body breaking down. I had some extra time, and I didn’t think I was utilizing that extra time in the way I wanted.”
O’Connor was looking to use his extra time as a wrestling coach, but a spot on the Harvard staff did not open until recently. Second assistant, Sean Harrington, took another coaching position in Boston opening the door for O’Connor. “Sean was offered a good job at Boston University, and being a Massachusetts guy, it was a dream job for him,” O’Connor said. “I had approached Coach Weiss before about a position, and I was able to slide into Sean’s spot.”
O’Connor proved that he could not only excel in the classroom, but also on the mat. He became Harvard’s third national champion in 2010 when he claimed the 157-pound title with a 6-4 win over Cal Poly’s Chase Pami. O’Connor finished his senior campaign with a perfect 35-0 record and was named both the EIWA and Ivy League Wrestler of the year. Off the mat, O’Connor was a three-time NWCA All-Academic and Academic All-Ivy honoree, O’Connor was also named to the 2010 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team. He graduated in May 2010 earning his degree as a human evolutionary biology concentrator.
O’Connor says he offers a different perspective as a coach, and being a recent graduate, his experiences are relatable to current team members. “I understand the ins and outs academically, athletically, and even socially,” O’Connor said. “I understand the different nuances of a place like Harvard. I know what it takes, and when it was all said and done, I proved I could kick butt in the classroom, and also win a national title my senior year.”
A native of Oxford, O’Connor was a four-time New York State champion, and compiled a scholastic record of 238-12 over his six-year varsity career. He was named first team all-America, was a member of the Amateur Wrestling News Dream Team, and was a recipient of the 2006 Dave Schultz Athletic Excellence Award.