GAINESVILLE, Fla. –
Austin O'Connor is elevated to a Florida Gators Soccer Assistant Coach.
O'Connor, who joined the Gator staff in February as volunteer coach, will work with the Gator goalkeepers. O'Connor comes to the Gator program from Marshall University where he was a women's soccer assistant coach.
Coaching Experience:
O'Connor was an assistant coach for women's soccer at Marshall University for three seasons, helping the team advance to the conference tournament and win a match for the first time since 2015. O'Connor joined the Thundering Herd in February of 2020, working as a goalkeeper coach, recruiting coordinator and camp director.
Prior to his collegiate coaching experience, O'Connor worked at Jacksonville Armada Youth Academy as the Ponte Vedra Armada director of coaching from 2019-2020. He built the curriculum and provided education for all coaches in the academy. O'Connor oversaw all boys and girls teams based out of Ponte Vedra for the Armada, running camps, tournaments, clinics and any events hosted by the club. O'Connor also performed similar duties as the South Campus Academy director for Jacksonville Armada Youth Academy from 2017-2019.
O'Connor was a staff coach at Pro Sports Pathway Center of Excellence in 2017. He coached players with goals to improve the technical, tactical, physical and psychological part of soccer. This program is for athletes hoping to pursue soccer at the highest level. Several alumni of the program are at Orlando City Youth Soccer, Florida Elite Soccer Academy and Jacksonville FC.
His coaching career began at Ponte Vedra Soccer Club in 2015, managing the girls technical training at the club.
From 2012-2014, O'Connor assisted youth in his area by working for Premier Soccer Development. Here he aided in managing training clinics for athletes involved with Ponte Vedra Soccer Club, Jacksonville Football Club, Jacksonville Youth Soccer Club and Creeks Krush. O'Connor also offered private lessons for athletes in the area.
Playing Career:
O'Connor played at Flagler College from 2011-2014. He aided Flagler to become a 2011 NCAA Quarterfinalist, the 2011 Regional Champions and sweeping 2011 Peach Belt Conference tournament and regular-season titles. The Saints was a 2012 NCAA Regional Semifinalist and advanced to the 2013 NCAA Regional Quarterfinals. O'Connor was named Flagler Athletics Comeback Player of the Year in 2014.
His freshman season was played at Gardner-Webb University. The Runnin' Bulldogs advanced to the semifinals of the 2010 Big South Tournament.
Education:
O'Connor graduated magna cum laude with his bachelor's degree in Coastal Environmental Science from Flagler College in 2014. He holds D, E, and F licenses from U.S. Soccer.
