Dec. 11, 2009

Center Valley, Pa.—Bucknell senior forward Conor O’Brien was named a Performance Subaru Second-Team All-American, it was announced Friday by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). O’Brien is the seventh Patriot League men’s soccer player to earn All-American recognition, and the first since 2006.

In what has been an honors-heavy senior season for O’Brien, he was also named one of the 15 semifinalists for the Hermann Trophy, which is soccer’s version of the Heisman Trophy. O’Brien was also tabbed an ECAC Division I All-Star and received NSCAA First Team All-Mid-Atlantic Region and Goal.com Third Team All-America honors.

In 2009, O’Brien 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). He co-captained the Bison to a school-record 17 wins, a Patriot League championship and an NCAA Tournament first-round win over Princeton.

O’Brien earned All-Patriot League honors in three consecutive seasons, including two straight appearances on the First Team. O’Brien had a point in 17 of the Bison’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 in 2009 were game-winners, the most dramatic of which was his golden goal against Lafayette in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals.

O’Brien won the Jim Lennox Offensive Most Valuable Player Award at the Mayor’s Cup in Oneonta, N.Y. early in the season. Bucknell won the tournament with 1-0 wins over Hartwick and Syracuse, and O'Brien scored both goals. That was part of his school-record 11-game point-scoring streak.

O’Brien wrapped up a brilliant 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.