O'Neil Inducted Into UMass Hall of Fame

O'Neil Inducted Into UMass Hall of Fame

Feb. 23, 2004

On January 23rd, 2004 Laura O'Neil, Endicott's head women's lacrosse and field hockey coach was inducted into the UMass Hall of Fame. O'Neil joins Dina Gentile as Endicott's only other coach inducted into their respective College's Athletic Hall of Fame. Gentile was inducted into the Adelphi University (Garden City, NY) Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993.

O'Neil is part of the 2003 class to receive the prestigious honor. The Hall of Fame currently consists of 67 members, and this is the seventh class to be inducted.

O'Neil (B.S., UMass 1981 & M.S., Lesley College, Cambridge, MA) was a standout field hockey and lacrosse player for the Minutewomen from 1977 through 1980. She received a total of six letters, earning first team All-America honors as a senior in both sports.

In field hockey, she still ranks among the school's all-time leaders in career points (87, sixth-tie), goals (34, eighth tie) and assists (19, ninth), and single-season points (57 in 1979, fourth), goals (20 in 1979, seventh-tie) and assists (17 in 1979, sixth). At the time of her graduation O'Neil ranked first in single-season assists and second in career points, single-season points, single-season goals and third in career assists.

O'Neil was the captain of UMass' field hockey team that finished fourth nationally, she led the Minutewomen to a 44-15-6 record in her three years as a member and a pair of fourth-place finishes at the AIAW national tournament. During O'Neil's playing career she was a member of the United States Field Hockey National Squad and participated in the U.S. Olympic Sports Festival.

Named defensive MVP of the 1979 AIAW Lacrosse National Championship, O'Neil helped the Minutewomen to a 48-5-2 three-year record, including a USWLA semifinal appearance (1978) a USWLA runner-up appearance (1979) and an AIAW semifinal appearance (1980). She was a member of the United States Lacrosse Team in 1980 and 1981 and toured Australia with the Team in 1981.

Under her guidance, she has led the field hockey team to two CCC Championship matches, each time finishing as runner-up. The team has also made two ECAC appearances in the past two years. As a result of her continual recruiting efforts, the lacrosse team looks to towards 2004 CCC Championship appearance. Along with her coaching duties, O'Neil is the Assistant Athletic Director.