It has taken Jefferson (J.J.) O'Connell just two short years to rebuild the Stevens women's volleyball program. Entering his third season as the program's full-time head coach, O'Connell has his squad in position to challenge for the Skyline Conference title in 2004.
Named the third coach in the 18-year history of the program in March 2002, O'Connell inherited a program that won just three matches in 2001. He quickly reversed the team's fortunes, directing the squad to a 14-12 record in his first season. During the 2003 campaign, he led the Ducks to a 21-14 record and the program's first berth in the Skyline Conference Tournament. The 21 victories tied a school record for wins in a season.
"J.J. has done a terrific job of rebuilding our volleyball program," said athletic director Russell Rogers. "He has a tremendous background in the sport of volleyball and every program that he’s ever been associated with has improved and won on a consistent basis. He is an outstanding teacher of the game and relates well to his players. I have no doubt that our program is going to continue to grow and get better under J.J.'s leadership."
O’Connell’s first head coaching campaign at Stevens saw the Ducks’ volleyball team break 18 school records on its way to a 14-12 record - an improvement of 11 wins over the previous season. In addition, three players earned all-conference honors while O’Connell was recognized for his efforts by being selected Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Coach of the Year by his peers.
The Ducks broke numerous team and individual records again en route to a 21-14 record in 2003. Two players earned All-Skyline honors while three were selected to the All-WIAC team. Stevens advanced to the semifinals of the WIAC Tournament while earning a berth in the quarterfinals of the Skyline Championship for the first time.
Born and raised in the Ithaca, N.Y. area, O’Connell developed into an outstanding middle hitter at Ithaca High School. A two-year captain for the Little Red program, his senior squad earned a New York sectional championship.
O’Connell attended the State University of New York at Cortland where he played outside hitter on the Red Dragon club men’s volleyball team while earning a B.S. in Economics and Management Science in 1994. O’Connell led the men’s volleyball team to fifth and ninth place finishes in 1996 and 1997 in the NIRSA Division II Volleyball Club Championships, earning all-tournament honors in both years. During his undergraduate years, O’Connell also broke into the coaching ranks by serving as an assistant coach to Cortland head women’s volleyball coach Joan Sitterly. His tenure on the Cortland staff saw the Red Dragons earn fifth-place national finishes in the NCAA Division III National Championship in both 1996 and 1997. Looking to pursue a career in coaching, O’Connell returned to the classroom at Cortland and earned a second bachelor’s degree in 1997 in physical education with a concentration in coaching.
Following four years as an assistant at Cortland, O’Connell accepted the position of assistant women’s coach at NCAA Division II Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich. During a two-year stint on head coach Tia Brandel’s staff, the Bulldogs were twice runners-up for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II National Championship in 1999 with a 26-8 overall record.
In 2000, O'Connell accepted the position of graduate assistant coach at the State University of New York at Brockport, where he nears completion on an M.S. in physical education. The Golden Eagle program captured the SUNYAC West Division regular-season championship each year and finished as the runner-up in the 2000 and 2001 SUNYAC Tournaments. As an assistant coach, O’Connell was a part of teams that compiled an overall record of 255-76.
In addition to his duties as head women’s volleyball coach at Stevens, O’Connell also serves as the equipment and purchasing supervisor for the athletic department. O'Connell serves on the NCAA women's volleyball regional selection committee for the New York region and is also the volleyball chairperson for the Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). He remains an active official for USA Volleyball.
