Chris O'Connor

Coach O’Connor begins his 6^th season at Bellevue High School with an overall record of 115-28.  In his inaugural season the team went 22-7, won the Kingco tournament Championship, and took 4^th in the 3A state championships.  It was the first time BHS basketball had been to the state tournament since 1963.  For the 2008-09 season the team finished 26 – 3, were Kingco champs, and placed 3^rd in state.  The team also won the 2008 Nike Torrey Pines National Division Holiday tournament, one of the top holiday tournaments in the country.   Last year the team finished 24-6 and advanced all the way to the final game of the 3A State Tournament, placing 2nd, their highest finish in school history.

Prior coming to BHS, Coach O’Connor was the head varsity coach at Sammamish High School for 4 years (02’-06’).  Chris started his coaching career at the University of New Hampshire where he was an assistant coach for 3 years (93’-96).  Following coaching at UNH, Chris spent 3 years (96’-99’) as a regional scout, for the then, Vancouver Grizzlies before getting into high school coaching.

Chris has been around basketball since the day he was born.  His father, Bill O’Connor, was an assistant coach at Providence College and head coach at Seattle University.  Chris played high school basketball at Sammamish H.S. where he was fortunate to play for Bruce Brown for two seasons and learned the importance of being a great teammate.  At SHS Chris earned 1^st team all-conference and earned all-state honors.  Chris accepted a scholarship to play at the University of New Hampshire and started as a point guard and had a successful career.

Chris graduated from UNH with a B.S. in Sports Communications and a minor in Psychology.  He has been married to his wife Shilo for 12 years and they have two boys, Cole 11, and Bennett 7.  Besides coaching basketball, Chris enjoys family & friend gatherings, watching college basketball, and trips to Lake Chelan and Del Mar with the family in the summer!