Joe O'Neill is one of the most dominant two-sport athletes in Walsh Jesuit history. In a program know for producing the very best, Joe was one of the very best wrestlers in school history and sits at the top of many lists for WJ wrestling, most notably pins in a season with 17 in his senior year and wins in a career at 110. Joe also finished 2nd in the state his sophomore year at 145 pounds and after missing his junior season, he came back his senior year finishing the job with an individual state championship at 189 pounds. Jor helped the team claim state championships in both of those seasons.
As dominant as he was in wrestling, he might have been even more so on the football field. Known for his sideline-to-sideline speed and his aggressive demeanor, Joe is one of the most decorated defensive players in WJ history. At the time of his graduation, Joe had the all-time record in tackles in a season with 73 and solo tackles in a career with 148. He also graduated among the school leaders for assists in a season with 72 and assists in a career with 112.
Joe was a captain and was named MVP of the 1994 team that went 11-2 with state tournament wins over Maumee and Defiance.
In his dominant season of 1994, Joe was named Akron Beacon Journal and Plain Dealer All-District, as well as Plain Dealer Best of the Best for 1994 and was named to the North-South All Star Team after his Senior Year. In addition to these accolades, Joe was named First Team All-State after being named Special Mention All State as a Junior.
After initially committing to wrestle at Purdue, he realized his true passion was on the football field, and when the opportunity was presented to play with his brother Kevin at Bowling Green State University, he decided to follow that passion and went on to become an All-Conference linebacker at BGSU.
Joe continued his career with the Detroit Lions and Berlin Thunder in NFL Europe where he was the defensive MVP Iin the 2001 World Bowl.
Joe O'Neill goes into the Hall of Fame posthumously as he left us far too soon in August of 2022 at the young age of 45.
