I first mentioned this move in the Daily Dirt back on 3/28. It’s now official – Kevin O’Connor has taken over as the head basketball coach at D2 Georgia Southwestern State. Here’s the press release from the school:
Georgia Southwestern State University Director of Athletics Mike Leeder announced today that Kevin O’Connor has been named the new head men’s basketball coach for the Hurricanes. O’Connor comes to Georgia Southwestern after serving as head men’s basketball coach at NCAA Division II Cameron University in Lawton, Okla., for the past three seasons.
“I am honored and humbled to be given the opportunity to be the next head coach at Georgia Southwestern State University,” said O’Connor. “I would like to thank President Michelle Johnston and Athletic Director Mike Leeder for allowing me the opportunity to lead such a great program. After visiting the Americus community, I can tell this is a special place, and truly a dream come true for me. I would also like to thank my wife Jessica, without her, none of this would be possible. Our family cannot wait to get to Americus and hit the ground running. Now the real work starts.”
“We had a very competitive pool of applicants, and we are really excited that Kevin has accepted our offer to be the fourth head men’s basketball coach in the NCAA Division II era here at GSW,” said Leeder. “Kevin was able to help resurrect the Cameron men’s basketball program in the very competitive Lone Star Conference.”
The 2023-24 season saw the men’s basketball program at Cameron make a huge jump, from a 4-24 record the previous year, to a record of 18-12. Improving dramatically from the 2022-23 season, Cameron earned a bid to the 2024 Lone Star Conference Tournament, where they advanced to the semifinal round. Cameron won 14 Lone Star Conference games in the 2023-24 season, which is the most in school history.
“I spoke with several head coaches in that conference and they all spoke very highly of the product that Kevin was able to put on the floor during his three seasons at Cameron,” said Leeder.
Cameron ended West Texas A&M University’s streak of six consecutive Lone Star Conference Tournament championships when they upset the Buffaloes in the quarterfinals in 2024.
“I would like to thank everyone at Cameron University for the past three years,” said O’Connor. “I was fortunate to work with a special group of players, coaches, and administrators. They are the reason for this incredible opportunity. I am counting down the days until our first game in the Storm Dome, and am extremely excited to compete in the Peach Belt Conference.”
O’Connor was named the Cameron men’s basketball program’s 32nd head coach in March of 2022 after a successful stint as the head coach at Murray State College. Murray State went from 10 wins during O’Connor’s first year to 25 wins during his third and 21 in 2021-22; both 20-plus win years he was named NJCAA Region II Coach of the Year. In 2019-20, the MSC Aggies finished second in NJCAA Region II play and won the NJCAA region II Tournament Championship for the first time since 1969.
Prior to MSC, O’Connor was at Arizona Western College from 2015-17 where he was in charge of recruiting, defensive schemes and adjustments, scouting, and player development as the assistant coach and assistant athletic director. The Matadors achieved a lot of success during O’Connor’s time there including winning the Region 1 Championship and going to the NJCAA National Tournament in the 2016-2017 season. O’Connor recruited and developed multiple student athletes that are currently enjoying success at the NCAA Division 1 level and also the NCAA Division 2 level.
Before going to AWC, O’Connor spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Kansas State University for Coach Bruce Weber. He helped with film duties, team/individual camps, workout planning among many other duties assigned to him by the coaching staff. While there the Wildcats made the NCAA Tournament and O’Connor also helped develop and mentor multiple student athletes that are playing in the NBA or overseas. He graduated with a Master of Science Degree in Academic Advising in May of 2015.
Prior to K-State, O’Connor was a student manager for the University of Illinois Men’s Basketball program led by Coach Weber. He helped the program to a lot of success and saw a lot of his peers move on to the NBA or overseas. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology in May of 2012.
“We look forward to working with Kevin as he elevates our men’s basketball program in the classroom, in the community and in the competitive arena,” said Leeder.
A native from Hadley, Mass., O’Connor and his wife Jessica have two sons, Casey and Riley.
