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Council Bluffs Native Coaches Virginia to College World Series Title

Greg Echlin

Brian O’Connor finally got to enjoy a national championship close to his roots.  The head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers orchestrated a surprising result with a clinching 4-2 victory over Vanderbilt.

Virginia had been knocking on the door with three previous trips under Brian O’Connor to the College World Series.  Last season was a bitter end in the third and deciding game, also against Vanderbilt.  But this season, O’Connor orchestrated an upset with plenty of support from the Grandstands.

“I’ll always be proud of where I grew up and where I’m from,” said O’Connor.  “Certainly Charlottesville is home now.  But the roots that I had here growing up, going to high school, going to college at Creighton had so much to do with who I am and how I coach."

In a season filled with injures and other bumps in the road, O’Connor had to hold the team together enough to gear up for a push for this time of year.

He did it masterfully.

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