CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – University of Illinois wrestling head coach Mike Poeta announced Wednesday (July 26) the addition of assistant coach Austin O'Connor.

"When you think of Illinois wrestling at the youth, high school, and collegiate level one name stands out and that's Austin O'Connor," said Poeta. "Beyond what he brings to the mat his character, leadership and passion will help bring U of I wrestling to another level. There was an immediate jolt of excitement from the Illinois wrestlers and coaching staff with the announcement of him coming home."

O'Connor, a Lockport, Ill. native, enters his first year of coaching after he finished his collegiate wrestling career for the University of North Carolina (UNC) in 2023. He became the second Tar Heel in school history to win multiple NCAA Championships and he's the program's first five-time All-America honoree.

He finished his final campaign in the 2022-23 season a perfect 23-0 at 157-pounds. In his wins he secured his third ACC Championship and was named ACC Wrestler of the Year. He's the second wrestler in UNC history to win this honor multiple times. He was awarded the top seed at the 2023 NCAA Championships where he outscored his opponents 30-9 enroute to his second national title.

A year prior in the 2021-22 season he went 21-3 overall and passed the century mark in career wins at the Appalachian Open. This was his first year wrestling at 157-pounds; he earned All-American honors and was a runner-up at the ACC Championships.

In his last year at 149-pounds he went a perfect 13-0 for the 2020-21 season. He earned his first ACC Wrestler of the Year award and earned All-ACC honors. He won his first NCAA Championship as the two seed when he knocked off No. 1 seed Sammy Sasso of Ohio State.

O'Connor still saw success during the shortened 2019-20 season due to the COVID-19 crisis. He went 25-1 with a perfect 13-0 dual record and won his first ACC Championship at 149-pounds. The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) named him to First-Team All-American honors after the pandemic canceled the 2020 NCAA Championships.

He broke through as the starter at 149-pounds in his redshirt freshman year during the 2018-19 season. He compiled a record of 34-6 and placed third at the NCAA Championships. This made him the seventh freshman All-American in UNC history and it's the highest a freshman has ever placed in school history.