Junior - 2019

• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (11/18)
• Registered 41 digs on the weekend for an impressive 6.83 digs per set, while adding four assists and 1.000 reception percentage on 22 opportunities in matches against No. 8 Penn State (11/15) and Rutgers (11/16). 
• Came with one dig of a season-high with 24 digs against No. 8 Penn State (11/15). 
• Notched her sixth 20-dig match of the season with a match-high 21 digs at Michigan (11/9).
• Reached her first-career double-double with 14 digs and a career-high 10 assists at No. 8 Penn State (10/23). 
• Totaled a season-high 23 digs against No. 6 Minnesota (10/9).
• Posted 12 digs and seven assists in a win at No. 17 Purdue (10/6).
• Posted a season-best 22 digs in a win over Pacific (9/20).
• Turned in a career-high nine assists against No. 16 Washington (9/6/19).
• Led the team in digs in both wins over No. 19 Tennessee during the season-opening weekend, posting 20 digs in the season-opening road win (8/30) and 14 in the home opener (9/1).

Sophomore - 2018

• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
• CSU Invitational All-Tournament Team
• Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (10/29)
• Academic All-Big Ten
• iFund Scholar-Athlete of the Week (12/5)
• The mainstay at the libero position, O'Brien started all 36 matches for the Illini.
• Registered a team-high 571 digs for a 4.33 digs per set average, while also posting 28 service aces.
• Along with her passing, the Illini were able to record a .281 hitting percentage as a team.
• Paced all players with 27 digs in the NCAA National Semifinal against Nebraska (12/13).
• Registered 25 digs in wins over No. 12 Purdue (11/24) in the regular season finale and Louisville (12/1) in the NCAA Second Round.
• Totaled a team-high 24 digs in a win over No. 7 Penn State (11/10).
• Posted 20 digs in a win at Ohio State (11/2) for her second-straight 20-plus dig outing to go along with four service aces.
• Turned in a career-high 32 digs - tying for seventh-most in a single match in program history in a win at No. 9 Nebraska (10/27). 
• Notched a team high 22 digs in a win over No. 13 Michigan.
• Tied a career-high with 24 digs in a win at No. 8 Wisconsin (10/13).
• Registered a team-high 13 digs against No. 3 Nebraska (9/29). 
• Served up three aces in a win at Indiana (9/23).
• Notched her second 20-dig performance of the season and third of her career with 20 in a win at No. 16 Purdue (9/21).
• Totaled 42 digs for a 4.20 digs per set mark at the Illini Classic, including 18 digs in a win over No. 10 Creighton (9/15).
• Named to the CSU Invitational All-Tournament Team after pacing the Illini defense with 48 digs for a 5.33 digs per set mark, while adding 10 assists and six service aces on the weekend.
• Served up a career-high five aces in a win at Cleveland State (9/7).
• Led the Illini with 17 digs in a win at No. 13 Washington (9/1).
• Took over libero duties as a sophomore, leading the Illini with 60 digs in Colorado for a 4.62 digs per set average.
• Tallied three-straight double-double dig outings, including posting a season-high 23 at Northern Colorado (8/25).

Freshman - 2017

• Saw action in 31 matches, starting 14 and playing in 115 sets.
• Ranked third on the team with 229 digs for a 1.99 digs per set average.
• Led the Illini with 22 service aces and registered one kill for 23 points, while also ranking third on the team with 42 assists.
• Stepped in as the Illini libero for seven matches (Oct. 7-28) during senior Brandi Donnelly's injury, totaling 101 digs for a 3.74 digs per set average from 
• Registered a career-high with 24 digs at No. 5 Minnesota (10/25).
• Led the Illini with 19 digs at Iowa (10/20).
• Posted a team-high 14 digs to go along with two aces against Maryland (10/14).
• Reached double figures with 12 digs in a win over Indiana (10/7).
• Equaled her season-high with three aces in a win at Rutgers (10/1).
• Totaled 15 digs and two aces against Colorado (9/9).
• Led the Illini with five aces and ranked second on the team with 18 digs at the Cardinal Classic.
• Registered a career-high with three aces at Louisville (9/2).
• Made a strong debut for the Illini with 16 digs at the Bobcat Classic, including a weekend-high seven against Gonzaga (8/25), as well as two aces against Montana State (8/26).

High School

• PrepVolleyball.com All-American Special Mention and IHSA All-State First-Team as a junior.
• Named a Max Preps All-American as a sophomore.
• Two-time North Suburban All-Conference.
• North Suburban All-Conference Honorable Mention as a freshman.
• Two-time Daily Herald/Lake County All-Area.
• Daily Herald/Lake County All-Area Honorable Mention as a freshman.
• Two-time Pioneer Press All-Area Girls Volleyball Team.
• Helped her team to the Illinois State Runner-Up in Class 4A as a sophomore.
• Named the Libertyville High School MVP as a junior.
• Set the school record for digs as a senior.
• Earned the Community High School District 128 Distinguished Student Award and High School Hardest Working Award as a sophomore.

Personal

• Born on May 15, 1999
• Daughter of Tammy and Chris O’Brien
• Has three older siblings, McKenzie, Mason and Madison, and a German Shepherd named Mercy
• Majoring in elementary education