Patty O'Brien

	Class: RS Junior
	Hometown: Maplewood, Minn.
	High School: North St. Paul HS

	Birthdate: 02/17/1996
	Experience: 2 Letters

08/03/2017

Minnesota Names 2017 Captains

Amelia Barczi, Bailey Ness, Patty O'Brien, Paige Peschel and Madeline Strandemo have been selected to lead the team.

12/12/2016

Gophers Hand Out Team Awards

Minnesota celebrated the 2016 cross country season with its annual team awards banquet Sunday

12/07/2016

Gophers Honored as Academic All-B1G

Thirteen Gophers have been honored by the Big Ten Conference for academics this fall

11/23/2016

2016 Cross Country Season in Review

Minnesota wrapped up the 2016 season with Madeline Strandemo representing the team at the NCAA Championship

11/11/2016

No. 26 Gophers Place Fourth at Regional

Three Gophers placed among the top-12 individual finishers to lead Minnesota at the Midwest Regional

12/12/2016

2016 W Cross Country Banquet

Photos from the Gophers' end-of-season banquet celebrating the 2016 cross country season.

10/30/2016

Gopher Women Run B1G Championships

Gophers take 4th

05/26/2015

Patty O'Brien

Photo gallery for women's cross country student-athlete Patty O'Brien.

Photo Gallery

2016 • Redshirt Sophomore Season: Named Minnesota's Big Ten Cross Country Sportsmanship Award recipient, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, and Academic All-Big Ten honoree • competed in six meets this season • finished among Minnesota’s top seven runners at all six meets • ran a career-best 5k time of 17:37.8 to finish fourth on the team and 90th overall at the Notre Dame Invitational • ran a season-best 6K time of 21:53.5 to place 97th as the sixth Gopher at the NCAA Midwest Regional • made Big Ten Championship debut, placing 61st as the seventh Gopher in 22:45.3.

2015 • Redshirt Freshman Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten honoree • ran five races • ran a career-best 21:39.2 as the eighth Gopher in 63rd place at the Big Ten Championship • placed 18th overall as the second Gopher in the open race at the Wisconsin adidas Invitational (21:39.3) • finished sixth on the team and 16th overall at the Oz Memorial (22:58.4) • placed eighth on the team at both the Griak Invitational (23:25.8) and the Greater Louisville Classic 5K (18:10.63) • served as an alternate at the NCAA Midwest Regional and NCAA Championship.

2014 • Freshman Season: Competed in five races as an unattached runner.

High School: A 2014 graduate of North St. Paul High School • four-year track & field letterwinner and two-year cross country letterwinner • joined cross country as a junior after playing soccer for two years • two-time state qualifier in cross country, finishing sixth at the 2013 Minnesota Class AA state cross country championships as a senior after placing 24th as a junior • 2013 Classic Suburban Conference champion in cross country • two-time all-state and all-conference honoree in cross country • placed 12th in the 3,200m at the 2014 Minnesota Class AA state track & field championships as a senior • 2013 and 2014 Classic Suburban Conference champion in the 1,600m • holds North St. Paul school records in 800m and 3,200m • also played soccer and hockey in high school • National Honor Society member.

Personal: Born February 17, 1996 • daughter of Peter and Diane O'Brien • has six siblings, Tom, Jim, Joe, Mary, Petey and Cathie • sister Mary played soccer at the University of Minnesota from 2010-11 • brother Jim played hockey at the University of Minnesota and in the NHL with the New Jersey Devils • enjoys skating, playing hockey and soccer, dancing and watching movies • elementary education major.

O'Brien's Postseason Appearances
Year	Big Tens	Midwest Regional	NCAA Championship
2014	Redshirt	Redshirt	Redshirt
2015	63rd, 21:39.2	Alternate	Alternate
2016	61st, 22:45.3	97th, 21:20.6	DNC