Austin O'Connor (born May 14, 1998) is an American folkstyle wrestler from Lockport, Illinois.[1] During his collegiate career, O'Connor was a two-time NCAA Wrestling Champion for the University of North Carolina. He won his first NCAA Title in 2021 in the 149lb weight class.[2] Two years later in 2023, he followed up with another NCAA title at 157lbs.[3] In total during his collegiate career, O'Connor was a five-time All-American, three-time conference champion and two-time national champion.
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| Nationality | American | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | May 14, 1998 Lockport, Illinois, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country |  United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Wrestling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight class | 154 lb (70 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Freestyle and Folkstyle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | Tar Heels | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Tar Heel Wrestling Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Coleman Scott Tony Ramos Jamill Kelly Mohamed Abdelfatah | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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High school career edit
O'Connor was a four-time wrestling state champion in the state of Illinois for St. Rita of Cascia High School located in Ashburn, Chicago.
College career edit
O'Connor finished his collegiate career as a five-time All-American, three-time ACC Champion, and two-time National Champion for The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a wrestler.
MMA career edit
O'Connor has signed a management deal with American Kickboxing Academy. Other notable wrestlers that are part of AKA include Daniel Cormier, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and B.J. Penn.[4]
References edit
- ^ "Austin O'Connor – Wrestling". University of North Carolina Athletics. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
- ^ "Mission Complete: Austin O'Connor Wins 149-Pound National Championship". University of North Carolina Athletics. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
- ^ "The Champ Again! O'Connor Wins Second National Title". University of North Carolina Athletics. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
- ^ "O'Connor Gearing Up For Dominant MMA Career At AKA | UFC Fight Pass | UFC". www.ufc.com. November 9, 2022. Retrieved March 19, 2023.