June 17, 2021
Brendan Connolly loves basketball. When he came to MPA in fourth grade, it marked the start of an eight year basketball journey, that in the end, brought him to places even he couldn’t have imagined. During his four year career as a varsity starter for the Panthers, Connolly became something truly special.
A four year letter winner, two time team MVP and team captain, two time IMAC all-conference honorable mention, IMAC all-conference as a senior, and IMAC Conference athlete of the month (December 2016), Connolly checked off all the boxes to be considered a great player at MPA.
Yet, Connolly went above and beyond just great. He transformed his love for basketball into a deep desire to improve, and improve he did. Becoming a deadly three point shooter, potent slasher and ambidextrous finisher around the basket, just like his basketball idol, longtime NBA superstar Dwyane Wade, Connolly racked up an incredible 1237 points in his MPA career, becoming the all-time leading scorer and just the third Panther boys basketball player to top 1000 career points.
Connolly wasn’t just a great basketball player, however. On the soccer field, he was a two time letter winner, team captain, and the team’s defensive MVP as a senior. He played on MPA’s 2015 boys soccer team that played in the section 4A championship game. In baseball, Connolly was a four year letter winner, rookie of the year, coaches award winner, two time captain, and part of the section 4A all-section team. For his impressive accomplishments across three sports, Connolly was named the 2017 Panther Award winner, given to the senior athlete who has demonstrated excellence across multiple athletic pursuits.
Connolly appreciated the opportunities given to him at MPA. “From a young age, MPA encourages its students to engage in the community and enables students to participate in a wide array of activities,” Connolly says. “My experience at MPA allowed me to be a three sport athlete and captain, a member of three choirs, and an honor roll student. The work ethic, leadership, and time management skills I developed through MPA have helped me feel prepared and confident for college athletics and academics. In fact, the leadership skills that I developed at MPA were the single largest factor in preparing me for college basketball.”
After applying to over a dozen colleges and universities, Connolly chose to continue his athletic pursuits at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. For him, the academic experience, athletics, and overall fit made St. Olaf stand out. “St. Olaf has a strong political science and pre-law program, as well as an incredible career center, and I was able to continue my basketball career,” Connolly says. “During my campus visits, I felt very comfortable on campus and fit in well with the students and professors I met.”
In his first year as an Ole, Connolly appeared in five games as St. Olaf amassed a 20-8 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III championship.
As a sophomore, Connolly appeared in seven games and scored his first collegiate points in the Oles’ win over Macalester College in January, 2019. He also traveled with the team on a weeklong competition trip to Italy to play Italian college basketball teams throughout the country.
While Connolly was in Northfield, St. Olaf made the MIAC playoffs three years along with their trip to the NCAA tournament. “Attending St. Olaf has been a wonderful experience academically and athletically,” he says. As a senior, he served as a team captain for the Oles during a difficult time. Due to COVID, St. Olaf opted out of MIAC competition for that season, but did play a few other games. “Captaining the team during that tumultuous year was an honor. Navigating the unprecedented terrain of playing college basketball in the midst of the pandemic was challenging, but our team made it through the year with no positive cases and we were able to practice full contact for most of the year. While not ideal, I am grateful to have gotten the chance to finish my college basketball career with my coaches and teammates.”
Connolly earned a double major in political science and economics with an emphasis in finance.
