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Kevin O’Connell is in his 12th year at South Carolina and his fifth year as the chief operating officer for Gamecock Athletics. O’Connell serves as the sport administrator for baseball, men’s and women’s soccer and men’s basketball, while he also oversees new athletic construction, facilities and game operations. O’Connell has focused his concentration with facilities on the “Athletic Facilities Master Plan.”
O’Connell came to South Carolina after spending six years at TCU as the associate athletics director of external operations. He was responsible for the Frogs’ marketing and promotions, the TCU Sports Network, media relations, ticket operations, the community outreach program and served as the primary liaison with ESPN Regional Television. Additionally, he oversaw the TCU men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s swimming & diving and men’s and women’s track & field programs.
O’Connell moved to TCU from Miami (Ohio) University, where he spent four years as an associate athletics director. Prior to his stint at Miami, O’Connell served as president and chief operating officer of the ITG Travel Companies in Raleigh, N.C.
Before assuming his duties with ITG in 1989, the Falls Church, Va., native served eight years at North Carolina State, the last three as associate athletics director. O’Connell began his professional career with the Washington (D.C.) Diplomats of the North American Soccer League in 1977, working in various positions.
A 1975 graduate of Virginia Tech, O’Connell earned a master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University in 1977. He and his wife, Becky, have three children and four granddaughters. Daughter Becca, a 2014 graduate of South Carolina and currently a graduate student at UT-Arlington, son Brent who lives in Columbia, and daughter Shannon, who earned her undergraduate degree from Furman and her graduate degree from Oklahoma State University.
