VILLANOVA, Pa.—A four-time collegiate All-American who held the BIG EAST meet record in the 1500 meters for 37 years and ran that distance at the 1988 Olympics, Gerry O’Reilly ’87 passed away suddenly on June 11. It is with extreme sadness that Villanova mourns the death of O’Reilly, who was described by his close friends and former teammates as a kind and generous family man who excelled at friendship. O’Reilly was part of Villanova’s Irish Pipeline of track & field stars and a member of the program’s vaunted sub-four-minute mile club.
O’Reilly is one of 13 Irish athletes who competed for the Wildcats and in the Olympics during their careers. He qualified in the 1500 meters for the1987 World Championships in Rome and the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, as well as for the 1989 World Indoor Championships in Budapest. O’Reilly was a seven-time BIG EAST champion and a 17-time BIG EAST medalist who made an impact for Villanova in all three seasons spanning cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field. He is part of the Penn Relays Wall of Fame and the Villanova University Varsity Club Hall of Fame.
Funeral Arrangements…