Franny O'Brien '18

RCS: How did athletics at RCS play a part in your lacrosse career?

FO: RCS definitely helped me prepare for high school athletics. Having the ability to play every sport I loved in middle school not only prepared me for the high school level but also made me a more dynamic athlete. I stuck with each sport that I played at RCS and lettered in soccer, basketball, and lacrosse at Sacred Heart. Coach [Max] Moise was my basketball coach and he was easily one of my favorites! I remember his easygoing manner and confidence in every one of his players. The best memories I have from RCS don’t consist of a particular win or goal scored but just the overall fun and good times that I had with my best friends. Running around after school and laughing with my teammates was the best part of my day, every day. I’m so grateful to have learned to love sports in such an encouraging and positive environment. 

RCS: Your senior year at Sacred Heart sounds like the perfect way to end a high school athletic career.

FO: My senior year season was by far the best. I was blessed to have an incredible coaching staff and teammates; both supported me throughout the entire season. We had some amazing games, traveling all over New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York to play the best competition. But once again, it isn’t the memories of specific games or big wins that come to mind when I think of that season, it’s the people. (Although beating Penn Charter in triple overtime and beating Hotchkiss on our Senior Day are for sure highlights!) 

RCS: Why Notre Dame?

FO: Growing up in a very, very large Notre Dame family [11 other family members have attended the school], I always had the mindset that I wanted to be “different” and attend another university. Despite attending numerous hockey and football games in my childhood and making constant visits to South Bend, Indiana, I held on to this belief that I would branch out — until my sophomore year of high school. When Division 1 recruiting began on September 1 of my junior year, it only took me about 24 days to conclude that there was never any place for me other than Notre Dame. I still believe this, and I’m so thankful that the 17-year-old me made the right decision. Committing to Notre Dame has given me amazing friends, role models, and teammates, who I now call my sisters!

RCS: Your late father, Frank O’Brien, played hockey and lacrosse for the Irish wearing #14. How meaningful is it to wear #14 at the alma mater of your father?

FO: Proof of the incredible bond with my teammates was the decision of Grace Weigand to offer up #14 to me. She was a junior last fall, but she gave me #14 to wear for the rest of my college career. So after a year of being #41 for the Fighting Irish, I made the switch to #14 this year. Even though wearing #41 in my dad’s honor meant the world to me, I feel even more grateful that I can now wear #14. 

RCS: How is it going for the Fighting Irish?

FO: We had an incredible season last year, making it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. I can say with ease that the highlight of our season was beating #3 University of North Carolina at home in April. We snapped their 27-game winning streak in the Atlantic Coast Conference to stay undefeated at home at that point in the 2023 season. Another amazing memory was upsetting Florida in the Sweet 16 at their home field. We scored with 10 seconds left in the fourth when the game was tied at 15 to advance in the tournament. It was the most exciting moment I’ve ever experienced playing sports.