Former Big East player of the year Oliver (O.J.) Farrell is being honored as a member of the ‘M Club’ Hall of Fame induction class of 2026, joining Mike Van Sickle as the only other former men’s golfer in the Hall of Fame.

A native of Worcestershire, England, Farrell was a member of the men’s golf program from the 2015-16 season through the 2018-19 season, collecting his fair share of hardware during his time with the program.

On top of his player of the year honor as a senior, he was a member of the All-Big East teams all four years as a Golden Eagle. Aside from his second-team nod his first year, he was a first-team honoree the other three seasons. The Golden Eagles also won the Big East Championship title twice, in 2017 and 2019.

“Marquette has been such a big part of my life, I had four amazing years here,” Farrell said. “To be able to represent Marquette both when I was at college and now professionally, it’s meant a lot.”

Farrell is also in elite company with Van Sickle as the only two Marquette alumnus to compete in one of golf’s four Major championships. Farrell outlasted local qualifiers to secure his position in the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush last summer.

Farrell took a great honor in being able to represent the university on the world’s biggest stage.

“From the moment I had to turn pro, I had the MU logo on my golf bag along with all sort of bits and pieces,” Farrell said. “No matter where I’m playing, I’m representing it because it’s such a great university, great institution and I want people to know that I’ve been there but also let people know what Marquette’s about.”

Farrell’s head coach Steve Bailey said his former golfer’s legacy of accolades and Major appearances is a byproduct of the daily work Farrell put in during his four years on campus.

“He was someone that, from day one, or it spans long ago when he was a little kid, that was like, ‘I want to be a professional golfer,'” Bailey said. “He’s been driven since a young age. It’s no surprise to me that he’s had the success, and I know he’s going to continue to move his way up the ladder in what he’s doing because of what has gotten him to this point.”

Farrell said that competitive edge throughout his ‘stacking bricks’ mindset, which Bailey and Co. have indoctrinated into the program, helped to set him apart.

“My goal coming to campus was that I wanted to be the hardest working athlete on campus, not just in golf, but in all sports,” Farrell said. “I always wanted to be the first person in the gym, and those qualities helped me improve year over year.”

Bailey said that on top of his discipline, Farrell’s commitment to moving across the world to join Marquette for college helped him pursue his dream.

“So many people who have played in the UK or internationally know that the States provide the best opportunity to elevate their careers,” Bailey said. “He’s been so appreciative of everything that he experienced here and all those people who’ve helped him along the way, that allowed him to get to where he is today.”

Farrell was honored along with the rest of the induction class during the men’s basketball game Saturday against the Villanova Wildcats.

“It’s hard to put into words how much Marquette means to me,” Farrell said. “Thank you to everyone who was here when I was and is still currently here. It is truly an amazing honor [to be in the M Club Hall of Fame].”

This story was written by Trevor Hilson. He can be reached at [email protected] or @hilsontrevor on Twitter/X.