Hall of Fame
Kelly O’Connor Jordan ’91 was inducted into the 13th Hall of Fame class in 2003.
Kelly O’Connor began swimming at Notre Dame her sophomore year, and her teammates recognized her as the Most Improved Swimmer. That was the first of many honors she would received in her athletic career.
Over the course of the next two years, O’Connor helped rewrite the Notre Dame record books. She left Notre Dame in 1991 as the school and pool record holder in seven events: 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly, and the 200 individual medley.
O’Connor was also a member of four record-setting relay teams- the 200 and 400 medley relays and the 200 and 400 freestyle relays. The 200 and 400 freestyle relay records still stand. O’Connnor was a two-time team captain and named the team’s Most Valuable Swimmer as a junior and a senior, an award she won over Julie Gesker, a fellow Hall of Fame inductee who is regarded as the top swimmer in Notre Dame history.
O’Connor’s character, determination, and commitment were honored when she received the Mary Laverty Funke Award as a senior in 1991. Aside from swimming, O’Connor was a Resident Assistant, involved in Student Government, and worked in the career center. She had an internship at Mount Washington Elementary School and also studied abroad in Spain.
