The Colorado Women’s Basketball team has introduced 10 new players to its roster for the 2025-26 season, consisting of five freshmen and five transfers. As part of efforts to help fans get acquainted with the newcomers, the program is featuring each player in a spotlight series.
Junior guard Claire O’Connor is among those joining the Buffaloes this year. When asked about her decision to come to Colorado, O’Connor said, “I really chose CU because of the people. I love the coaching staff and team culture. I love Boulder, so I wanted to live here.”
O’Connor noted that she appreciates Colorado’s outdoor lifestyle: “I love how outdoorsy it is, how you can just drive 15 minutes and go for a hike. I think that’s super fun. It’s nice to take advantage of on the weekends.”
Reflecting on her athletic background, O’Connor shared that she played several sports as a child but focused solely on basketball by high school. She explained her choice simply: “I just always loved it.”
One of her favorite experiences with her new teammates involved playing pickleball together. “We had a team bonding playing pickleball, that was a lot of fun. Just played a little bit, had fun with everyone. I was playing to win, and I think a lot of other people were,” she said.
In her free time, O’Connor enjoys being active outdoors—hiking, biking, and walking—as well as reading and painting. She describes her reading habits as varied: “Kind of anything, I read in different stages.” For pregame snacks, she prefers bananas: “I love a banana pregame. It’s definitely a go-to. Other than that, it’s whatever.”
Looking ahead beyond college basketball, O’Connor expressed interest in continuing her career overseas but remains open to other opportunities: “I want to keep playing basketball. I’d love to go overseas, but I’m open to wherever it takes me.” She also mentioned Italy as a dream travel destination despite not having specific cities in mind.
As for the upcoming season with Colorado Women’s Basketball, O’Connor said she is looking forward to competing with what she sees as a talented group: “We have a really good group, so it will be fun to go out and compete, get better, and see how good we can be. We’ve got a lot of potential, so just seeing where that takes us.”
For more information about the Colorado women’s basketball team including schedules and results visit CUBuffs.com or follow their social media accounts on Instagram and Twitter @CUBuffsWBB.
