John O'Connell was an outstanding sprinter for the track & field program. He was the leadoff man of the Jaspers' sprint medley relay team that won the Penn Relays and the Championship of America Relay at the LA Coliseum in 1951 and 1952, while also setting a world record with a time of 1:52.7. O'Connell was victorious in the 1952 IC4A 60-yard dash with a record-tying mark of 6.2 seconds, and was the national AAU 60-yard champion, with both triumphs coming at Madison Square Garden. He also was a member of Manhattan's 440-yard and 880-yard relay record-setting teams.