Tom O'Brien Class: Junior Hometown: Mokena, IL High School: Marian Catholic Height / Weight: 5-11 / 199 Position: Goaltender Birthdate: 04/28/1987 Last Team: Bridgewater Bandits (EJHL)

One of three goaltenders on the Notre Dame hockey roster for the 2008-09 season ... earned his first monogram as a sophomore, serving as a back up to Jordan Pearce ... combines with Pearce and sophomore Brad Phillips to give the Irish one of the top goaltending trios in the nation ... has worked hard in his first two seasons to become a more complete netminder ... will look to get into the mix for playing time as a junior ... comes to play every day in practice while pushing Pearce and Phillips for playing time ... has a solid, all-around game ... technically sound goaltender ... has confidence in his abilities ... is still looking to see his first action for the Irish but dresses as the team's third goaltender ... one of four Illinois natives on the Notre Dame roster, joining junior Dan Kissel (Crestwood), sophomore Teddy Ruth (Naperville) and freshman Billy Maday (Burr Ridge) ... first Notre Dame player to play his junior hockey in the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL) where he tended goal for the Bridgewater Bandits ... also played in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) with the Youngstown/Mahoning Valley Phantoms ... becomes the second Phantom alum to play at Notre Dame as he is joined by freshman defenseman Eric Ringel in `08-'09 ... one of six Notre Dame players to see action in the NAHL, joining senior Erik Condra (Texarkana), junior Brett Blatchford (Texas), sophomore Ryan Guentzel (Southern Minnesota) and freshmen Nick Condon (St. Louis) and Ringel ... joined the Irish in the late-signing period (spring `06) with Brett Blatchford, Stewart Carlin and Dan Kissel ... outstanding student-athlete who is a member of Notre Dame's honors physics program.

AS A SOPHOMORE: Did not play in any games ... dressed as team's third goaltender behind Jordan Pearce and Brad Phillips.

AS A FRESHMAN: Did not play in any games ... dressed as team's third goaltender behind David Brown and Jordan Pearce.

PREP & PERSONAL: Graduated from Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Ill. ... played lacrosse and club hockey ... was team captain and played midget hockey for the Chicago Young Americans in `03-'04 ... was 21-20-10 with a 1.90 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage ... played his first season of junior hockey (`04-'05) in the NAHL with the Youngstown/ Mahoning Valley Phantoms ... was 7-7-1 with a 3.35 goals against and a .898 save percentage in 18 games ... won the NAHL's Academic Achievement Award while with the Phantoms ... moved to the EJHL with the Bridgwater Bandits in 2005-06 and was 13-8-2 overall with a 2.93 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage in helping Bridgewater to a third-place finish ... selected as the starting goaltender for the EJHL all-star game ... was seventh in the league in goals-against average, sixth in wins and third in save percentage ... member of the EJHL Junior Select team that won the Hockey Night In Boston All-Scholastic championship ... selected all-Scholastic tournament MVP ... has Notre Dame in his blood as 10 members of his family are graduates, including his father, Thomas, Sr., (`72) and grandfather, Michael McCaughey (`41) ... full name is Thomas Robert O'Brien ... son of Thomas and Gael O'Brien ... born Apr. 28, 1987 in Chicago, Ill. ... enrolled in Notre Dame's honors physics program.

O'Brien's Career Statistics