Heart & Hustle: Coach O'Connor's Legacy and Pollard's Future
In this piece, Robbie reflects on two decades of UVA Baseball, the impact of Coach Brian O’Connor, and what his departure means to fans and coaches alike. He also shares hope for the future under new head coach Chris Pollard. A must-read for any Wahoo who bleeds orange and blue.
Robbie Ballard
7/9/20252 min read
First off, let me introduce myself. My name is Robbie, and I’ve been a lifelong Virginia fan. I love sports — I played basketball, football, and baseball — but baseball is my passion.
That being said, I’ve been blessed to be able to watch UVA Baseball over the last two decades. When football has been hard to watch, I get to remember baseball is coming. And while basketball and Tony Bennett are great — and winning that national title was probably… no, definitely the best moment in my UVA history — I just love baseball, and Coach O’Connor was amazing.
Losing Coach O’Connor really hurt because he came to UVA at a time when I was still young and striving to play college baseball myself. He arrived in 2004 and set the tone, putting the nation on notice that UVA is for real. While I surely wasn’t that caliber of player to play D1 baseball, that push lit a fire in me to be my best. That’s why coaches like him inspire young men to be their best — just like Tony Bennett — trust the process, play your role, and know your worth.
Now, as an adult, I strive to coach like O’Connor. I want to build up the kids I coach and get the best out of them by preaching that your team is your family, and you do your job while leaving it all on the field. When I heard the news of Coach O’Connor leaving, my heart literally sank. As if Tony Bennett was not enough — now baseball, the one thing I could count on, was gone too.
Thank you, Coach O’Connor, for your years of leadership — not only to the players and the school, but to the countless coaches and kids you never even knew you impacted.
As for the future — I would say Coach O’Connor is irreplaceable — but after the hiring of Coach Chris Pollard, and listening to him talk, I feel like he’s a great fit. Not only for the school, but for the young men who remain in the program and those coming in. Pollard comes from a rival ACC school, and he knows how to recruit and get the most out of his players.
With NIL, you can’t fault a young man for looking to build his future while he can — because one day, we’re all told we can’t play anymore.
All this being said — best of luck, Coach O’Connor, and welcome to the family, Coach Pollard.
Hopefully UVA and Mississippi State can meet in Omaha one day.