A native of Parnell, Iowa, Molly O’Brien becomes the first volleyball student-athlete inducted into the MVC Athletics Hall of Fame.
Competing as a middle blocker at UNI from 2000 to 2003, she was a four-time, first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference choice -- one of only two players in league history to accomplish that feat.
For three-consecutive seasons (2001-02-03), she was the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year and an all-district selection by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
Named a third-team AVCA All-American in 2002, O’Brien was recognized as a second-team Academic All-American in 2003.
In all, she earned All-MVC Tournament laurels four times and MVP honors in 2001 and 2003.
Three times, O’Brien was named to the MVC’s first-team scholar-athlete squad.
Saluted 10 times as the MVC Player of the Week -- a Valley career record, she received Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year honors in 2000.
O’Brien continues to rank second on MVC career charts in block assists (653) and third in kills (1,779).
Her career hitting percentage of .315 is the second-best mark in school history.
During her UNI career, teams earned three MVC regular-season titles (2000-2001-2002) and four MVC Tournament crowns (2000-2001-2002-2003).
In fact, UNI teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament all four of her years, with two of her teams (2001-2002), making it to the Sweet 16.
O’Brien was a member of teams that posted a cumulative record of 122-16 over four seasons, including 68-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference and a perfect 47-0 mark at home.
The 2002 team was ranked as high as sixth in the country and finished with a 34-3 record.
O’Brien was inducted into the UNI Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010.