University of Connecticut Athletics
McCaffery-O'Brien with husband, Mike, and sons, Aidan, Liam and Donovan at the Little League World Series.
McCaffery-O'Brien Grateful for UConn Experience
7/18/2018 2:27:00 PM | Softball
Pitching Standout Among UConn's Greatest All-Time Players.
STORRS, Conn. - As the summer months roll on, UConn softball looks to catch up with some of the people who have laid the groundwork to make the team what it is today – reviving its "UConn Softball: Where Are They Now?" feature series to highlight the accomplishments of some of our proud alumnae.
Talent and production is what Bridgett McCaffery-O'Brien brought to the pitching circle when she played with the Huskies from 1994-97. As outstanding a pitcher as the UConn program has ever seen, McCaffery-O'Brien aced her college career – both on the field and in the classroom.
A native of Pennsville, N.J., McCaffery-O'Brien pitched during one of the most successful periods of UConn softball in the mid-1990s. The Huskies won a pair of Big East Championships (1995, 1996) under Hall of Fame head coach Karen Mullins, including a 37-win campaign in the 1995 season.
By the time McCaffery-O'Brien graduated in 1997, she was mentioned on nearly pitching record list in program history: second in appearances (126), third in starts (96), first in victories (67), second in complete games (71), second in innings pitched (673.1) and sixth in strikeouts (373).
Throughout her stellar career, which landed her on the NFCA All-Region First Team (1997) and Second Team (1995, '96), McCaffery-O'Brien had three 20-plus win seasons in the circle for the Huskies. In each of her last three seasons, she was named Big East Pitcher of the Year.
She won a career-best 22 games as a pitcher in 1996, the same year she was selected to the All-ECAC Conference Team. McCaffery-O'Brien was also a three-time All-New England First Team player.
McCaffery-O'Brien excelled in the classroom, graduating with a bachelor's in physical therapy and being named a UConn Club Senior Scholar-Athlete. She earned a spot on the NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete Team in 1996, adding to her NFCA All-Region Second Team nod that season.
She currently lives back in her hometown of Pennsville with her husband, Mike, and three sons, Aidan (15), Liam (13) and Donovan (13). Catch up with Bridgett below by reading her responses and stay updated on our alums by visiting our "Where Are They Now?" homepage HERE.
Where do you live?
I live back in my hometown of Pennsville, N.J.
What was your major at UConn?
I graduated with a Bachelor's of Science with a degree in physical therapy.
What is your current occupation?
I am a self-employed pediatric physical therapist! I see kiddos from birth-3 in their homes and then children 3-21 in the public school setting.
What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment since graduating from UConn?
My greatest accomplishment has to be marrying my husband Mike of 19 years and being a mom to my three boys Aidan, Liam and Donovan.
What's your favorite UConn softball memory?
My greatest softball memory has to be winning the Big East Championship Tournament at Boston College, as well as all the travel and bus trips which allowed me to cultivate some pretty amazing friendships!!!
How did your time at UConn help prepare you for life after graduation?
I was so fortunate that the coaches as well as the PT department at UCONN were very understanding. Since I was a pitcher many times I had to come earlier in the day to do my workouts because I had classes that could not be changed during our practice times. I also had a really good friend in the PT program who was awesome at taking notes and recording lectures for me so I wouldn't get behind!! The physical therapy program was very demanding as was softball so I really had to work my butt off to make it work!!
Softball was such a huge part of my life. It opened so many doors for me, allowed me to travel all over the country to play a game, and really taught me so many life lessons; how to handle tons of pressure (being on the mound in really close important games), how to manage so many commitments, classes, softball, and studying. I can honestly say life in the real world seemed pretty easy after college, so I'm so thankful for that preparation I received from UCONN!!!
Talent and production is what Bridgett McCaffery-O'Brien brought to the pitching circle when she played with the Huskies from 1994-97. As outstanding a pitcher as the UConn program has ever seen, McCaffery-O'Brien aced her college career – both on the field and in the classroom.
A native of Pennsville, N.J., McCaffery-O'Brien pitched during one of the most successful periods of UConn softball in the mid-1990s. The Huskies won a pair of Big East Championships (1995, 1996) under Hall of Fame head coach Karen Mullins, including a 37-win campaign in the 1995 season.
By the time McCaffery-O'Brien graduated in 1997, she was mentioned on nearly pitching record list in program history: second in appearances (126), third in starts (96), first in victories (67), second in complete games (71), second in innings pitched (673.1) and sixth in strikeouts (373).
Throughout her stellar career, which landed her on the NFCA All-Region First Team (1997) and Second Team (1995, '96), McCaffery-O'Brien had three 20-plus win seasons in the circle for the Huskies. In each of her last three seasons, she was named Big East Pitcher of the Year.
She won a career-best 22 games as a pitcher in 1996, the same year she was selected to the All-ECAC Conference Team. McCaffery-O'Brien was also a three-time All-New England First Team player.
McCaffery-O'Brien excelled in the classroom, graduating with a bachelor's in physical therapy and being named a UConn Club Senior Scholar-Athlete. She earned a spot on the NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete Team in 1996, adding to her NFCA All-Region Second Team nod that season.
She currently lives back in her hometown of Pennsville with her husband, Mike, and three sons, Aidan (15), Liam (13) and Donovan (13). Catch up with Bridgett below by reading her responses and stay updated on our alums by visiting our "Where Are They Now?" homepage HERE.
Where do you live?
I live back in my hometown of Pennsville, N.J.
What was your major at UConn?
I graduated with a Bachelor's of Science with a degree in physical therapy.
What is your current occupation?
I am a self-employed pediatric physical therapist! I see kiddos from birth-3 in their homes and then children 3-21 in the public school setting.
What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment since graduating from UConn?
My greatest accomplishment has to be marrying my husband Mike of 19 years and being a mom to my three boys Aidan, Liam and Donovan.
What's your favorite UConn softball memory?
My greatest softball memory has to be winning the Big East Championship Tournament at Boston College, as well as all the travel and bus trips which allowed me to cultivate some pretty amazing friendships!!!
How did your time at UConn help prepare you for life after graduation?
I was so fortunate that the coaches as well as the PT department at UCONN were very understanding. Since I was a pitcher many times I had to come earlier in the day to do my workouts because I had classes that could not be changed during our practice times. I also had a really good friend in the PT program who was awesome at taking notes and recording lectures for me so I wouldn't get behind!! The physical therapy program was very demanding as was softball so I really had to work my butt off to make it work!!
Softball was such a huge part of my life. It opened so many doors for me, allowed me to travel all over the country to play a game, and really taught me so many life lessons; how to handle tons of pressure (being on the mound in really close important games), how to manage so many commitments, classes, softball, and studying. I can honestly say life in the real world seemed pretty easy after college, so I'm so thankful for that preparation I received from UCONN!!!
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