West Hartford Resident Named Regional Track Athlete Of The Year

WEST HARTFORD, CT — West Hartford’s Grant O’Connor, a Hall High graduate and a senior at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), has been named the Atlantic Region Track Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

O’Connor ranks among the leaders in Division III in the 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters. He began the season by winning the mile at the Utica College Pioneer Open with a time of 4:18.55 and a week later he ran the 3,000 meters in 8:24.39 at Utica. The electrical engineering major won both races.

The only 5,000-meter race O'Connor participated in came on February 8 at Boston University, where he crossed the finish line in 14:17.84, the third-fastest time in Division III this year. He concluded the regular season with personal-record times of 4:17.94 in the mile and 8:16.50 (converted from meet record time of 8:22.27) - which ranks fourth in Division III in 2019 - in the 3,000 meters at the Liberty League Championship Meet.

O'Connor, who is undefeated against Division III competition in the 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters this season, will run the 5,000 meters at this weekend's NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Boston. The event is scheduled for Friday at 7:45 p.m. He finished 13th in the event in 2017 (9:56.42) and won the outdoor 5,000 in 2018 (14:26.03).