Mike O'Brien
Mike O'Brien
  • Title:
    Head Coach
  • Phone:
    315-364-3421
  • Email:
    mobrien@wells.edu
  • Alma Mater:
    Brockport St. '99

Bio

Mike O’Brien was selected as the Head Coach of the revived women's basketball program at Wells College in November of 2009. Prior to the team's very first modern-era game in 2010, O'Brien was charged with constructing a program from scratch after the previous team was removed as an intercollegiate offering in the early 1980's.

In addition to his coaching responsibilities, O'Brien serves the campus community as the Coordinator of Student-Athlete Development and also serves as the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee's Advisor. Additionally, O'Brien serves as a Lecturer and Advisor for the Sport Management minor at Wells.

Entering the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) in the 2009-10 season, O'Brien collected his first victory at Wells on Nov. 23, 2010, a thrilling come from behind victory against the Mustangs of Morrisville State College. From 2010-11 to 2011-12, O'Brien doubled his squad's win total (four to eight) while his team in 2012-13 notched 13 victories and qualified for the NEAC postseason for the first time in team history.

In 2013-14, the Wells College women's basketball team qualified for their first-ever NCAA Division III National Tournament after claiming their team's first North Eastern Athletic Conference Championship. After a 17-8 overall record (12-4 NEAC) in the regular season that saw a program-record nine game winning streak, Wells claimed a spot in the NEAC postseason after the team's first-ever victory against Keuka College on Feb. 22. That victory clinched the NEAC North Division for Wells, the College's first divisional title in any sport since the 2011-12 season.

In the NEAC postseason, the Express knocked off Gallaudet by a 54-51 score before defeating the top-seeded hosts from Lancaster Bible College by a 67-60 final. Earning the league's automatic qualifying bid, Wells faced-off against the eventual NCAA Division III National Champions from FDU-Florham in the First Round. The Devils went on to complete an undefeated season (33-0) after defeating the Express.

On Feb. 19, 2013, the Express knocked off the higher-seeded Wildcats of SUNY Institute of Technology for the first postseason victory in team history. Additionally, O'Brien coached the 2012-13 NEAC Player of the Year, Ashley Roser, who ended her junior year as the NCAA Division III statistical champion in rebounds per game. In 2011-12, O'Brien also coached the league's Rookie of the Year in Jessilyn Artaho-Aki.

Prior to his tenure at Wells, O'Brien was an assistant coach at Mohawk Valley Community College, helping to guide the Hawks to 28-3 record in 2008-09 while capturing the Mountain Valley Athletic Conference Championship and placement in the NJCAA Region III final. Prior to MVCC, O'Brien was an assistant at Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y., qualifying for postseason play both years during his tenure.

A native of Rochester, N.Y., O'Brien has over 15 years of experience coaching at the junior high, high school and collegiate levels. A 1999 gradute of Brockport State, O'Brien earned his master's degree in Exercise and Sport Science from East Carolina University in 2007.

O'Brien resides in Aurora, N.Y. with his four children, Mackenzie, Emma, Danny and Lauren.