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Athlete of the Week: Connor Farrell

Last updated on Apr 17, 2019

By Ida Ynner Lagerqvist

Sports & Photo Editor

Senior business major Connor Farrell is one of the school’s multi-sport student athletes, on the football and lacrosse teams. Since 2015, he has played football as a middle linebacker in the fall and entered the faceoff position for the lacrosse team in the spring. Farrell ended his football college career as NE10 conference champion in fall 2018, and for his last college lacrosse season this spring, his goal is set even higher. He wants to be best in the nation.

Senior middle linebacker and faceoff Connor Farrell

Farrell started playing football when he was 8 years old after being inspired by Lawrence Taylor, a former football player for the New York Giants. “My dad made me watch his VCR tapes when I was little; he locked me in my room and made me watch the tape over and over and over again,” Farrell said. Then he was hooked.

One year later, Farrell started his lacrosse career at the urging of his football coach, who also coached a lacrosse team. “He said I got to hit people with lacrosse sticks so I thought that would be pretty fun,” Farrell said.

Entering college, Farrell was only supposed to play football, but after losing a bet to a friend who lived down the hallway in his freshman dorm, he was standing in the lacrosse faceoff circle. “They needed a faceoff guy, so I told him, I will play lacrosse with you guys if you last more than 10 seconds with me in a wrestling match,” Farrell said. The friend lasted 15 seconds in the match and Farrell’s lacrosse college career begun.

Farrell describes himself as a competitive person. He wants to be best at what he does and is always up to a challenge. Playing two sports combined with college studies have put him up for a real test. “My freshman and sophomore years, I had a little trouble studying. I used to be going from football practice right to lacrosse practice in the spring, but it got better and my coaches really helped me with my studies,” he said. “It was very difficult but I liked the challenge.”

Finding enough time for schoolwork in between practices hasn’t been Farrell’s only challenge. During the summer before entering his junior year, he got a head injury. One day he woke up with blurred vision on his right eye. “I had a minor stroke,” Farrell said. “It was very hard to go through.”

With friends and family surrounding him with positive energy, Farrell had his mind set on a fast recovery to be able to play football in the fall.

“I overcame it. I worked hard to get back to where I was and I became even better, I believe,” he said. When football season came he was ready to go and he played in all 10 games of the season.

Farrell has won the NE10 conference championship with the football team both in 2016 and 2018 and the ECC championship with the lacrosse team in 2016. For his last college lacrosse season, he wants a national championship. “I think we have good weapons,” he said. Individually, he wants to be the best “faceoff guy” in the nation. Currently he has a faceoff percentage of 89.3 percent after two games. “In my mind, I don’t think anyone can beat me,” Farrell said.

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