Adelphi University Athletics

Jim O'Connor arrived on the Adelphi University campus in June of 1988 at the age of 26, to become Adelphi's first full-time men's basketball coach and assistant athletic director. He made an immediate impact, ending a streak of three Brown and Gold losing seasons. During his seven-year tenure, O'Connor produced five Adelphi Hall of Famers and guided the Panthers to an ECAC DII title and the school's first NCAA berth in nearly 20 years.

A native of Hyde Park, New York and a 1984 graduate of Cortland State, O'Connor had previous stints as an assistant coach at Manhattan College (1986-88), New Hampshire College (1985-86), Fairfield University (1984-85), and Cornell University (1983-84).

In his first season as head coach, despite inheriting a roster of seven sophomores and no seniors, his team finished with an 18-10 overall record and a 7-5 regular season mark in the Mideast Collegiate Conference. The Panthers' 18 wins was the most in the past four seasons and their first winning season since 1984-1985.

In the 1990-91 season, his team finished with a 20-10 overall record earning an ECAC Division II Tournament bid, which was Adelphi's first postseason appearence in a decade.

The major highlight of the 1991-92 season was Adelphi's return to Madison Square Garden after almost four decades. The Panthers took on the Pace University Setters as part of a doubleheader card that featured Indiana (Coach Bob Knight) vs. St. John's (Coach Lou Carnesecca).

Adelphi had appeared in Madison Square Garden in 1953 and under coach George Faherty upset Rio Grande and its star, Bevo Francis. Thirty-seven years later the Panthers "Played the Garden" again. O'Connor spearheaded the effort that had to guarentee the sale of 1,000 tickets. They brought back Coach Faherty with the members of that team and honored them at halftime and a special after the game function. In all, Adelphi managed to sell 1,200 tickets for the game. The Panthers parlayed this success into four straight appearences in Madison Square Garden (1991-95).

The rebuilding process continued in the 1992-1993 season and O'Connor's work was recognized in his selection as the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association Division I Coach of the Year. That season, O'Connor's team took on Seton Hall. In 1993-94, they would make one of the longest regular-season road trips in Adelphi University history to face one of the perennial powerhouses in college basketball, playing UNLV in Thomas & Mack Center. That same season, the Pantherswould not only be back in the ECAC Tournament, but win it.

The 1994-95 season was O'Connor's final season at the helm his team was selected to the NCAA Division II National Tournament, the school's first NCAA bid in nearly 20 seasons. O'Connor's efforts were again recognized as the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association Division Coach of the Year.

O'Connor also served as the director of the Adelphi University Basketball Camp and the Cliff Robinson Basketball Camps. He was also the Head Coach of the Long Island Open team in the Empire State Games.