Chuck O’Connell had a long and distinguished career as a coach and administrator at Washington and Lee, serving the University for better than 35 years.
O’Connell arrived at W&L in the fall of 1973 as assistant professor of physical education and assistant coach of football and lacrosse. He spent 10 seasons as the Generals’ top lacrosse assistant, serving as offensive coordinator and goalkeeper coach. During this time, he mentored 15 different All-America offensive players, while two of his goalies earned the C. Markland Kelley Award as the Outstanding Goalkeeper in the Nation. As a team, the Generals earned six trips to the NCAA Division I Tournament, advancing to the semifinals in 1974 and 1975.
O’Connell was heavily involved in the sport of lacrosse, serving as the vice-president (1974-76) and president (1976-78) of the United States Lacrosse Coaches Association. He also was the president of the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) and was the co-chairman for the 1980 USILA North-South Game held at Washington and Lee. He was also a nationally-recognized lacrosse official.
O’Connell was promoted to assistant athletic director in 1983 and he continued in this role, along with coaching the football program until 1990. In his 18 seasons with the Generals, he spent 13 of them as the team’s defensive coordinator. O’Connell helped lead the Generals to ODAC Championships in 1981 and 1985, while also coaching 16 players to First Team All-ODAC recognition.
As assistant athletic director, O’Connell handled the finances for the athletic department, adding additional responsibilities for facilities and operations and serving as director of physical education beginning in 1991. He was promoted to senior assistant athletic director in 2002 and he served as the school’s interim athletic director for the 2006-07 school year, before spending the 2007-08 school year as an athletic department advisor and department point man on the Wilson Field renovation.
Along the way, O’Connell remained active in coaching, volunteered his time for many seasons as a goalie coach with the women’s lacrosse program and as a volunteer coach with the Generals’ men’s lacrosse program even in retirement.
O’Connell was a two-time All-America attackman at Denison University, where he is a member of their Athletic Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Ohio Lacrosse Hall of Fame and the Maryland Lacrosse Club Hall of Fame.
