Reilly has already achieved impressive results this season in the 60-meter dash, taking first place at the Jay Carisella Invitational and the Dartmouth Relays. He was named Athlete of the Week for his exceptional performance at a tri-meet against Yale University and Columbia University on Jan. 20, where he won the 200-meter dash and 60-meter dash.
"I think I've set myself up to run some pretty good times," he said.
Reilly has made an impact on the team since his freshman year, according to coach Sandra Ford-Centonze.
"Connor came in as a freshman and accomplished something that no freshman has done in the program winning an Ivy title," Ford-Centonze said. "Since then, he has always been in the top three in Ivies."
Reilly did not begin running track until the spring of his sophomore year in high school, when various injuries prompted him to stop playing basketball.
"My brother was a sprinter and kind of coaxed me into running with him," Reilly said. "I guess that ended up working pretty well."
In high school, Reilly became acquainted with Dartmouth's campus when he competed in the annual Dartmouth Relays. After visiting Hanover, he decided that Dartmouth would be a good place continue his running and academic careers, and began contacting the track coaches.
"At first, I thought he was very quiet and reserved," Ford-Centonze said. "But I could sense his confidence in knowing what he wanted to do."
Reilly's background forced him to change his running style during his first year with the Big Green.
"He ran like a soccer player and not like a sprinter," Ford-Centonze said. "We worked on some of his mechanics trying to get him to go straight out of the blocks and other things."
Although Reilly's running style may have changed, two of Reilly's constant, and certainly most important, traits as an athlete are his perfectionism and his unfailing work ethic.
"Connor takes his running very seriously," teammate Jacob Evanter '13 said. "He wants to make sure that everything he does is perfect. At times, it can be annoying because it takes a long time, but he always puts the time in for it."
Ford-Centonze agreed that Reilly may push himself too hard.
"It's at a point now where even if I tell him to relax, I know that's not going to happen," Ford-Centonze said.
Although Reilly is serious about running, his teammates have discovered his playful side.
"He can definitely be a clown behind the scenes at times," Evanter said.
Reilly encourages his teammates to push themselves just as he pushes himself. As a second-year team captain, he discusses his teammates' goals and how they plan to achieve them.
"This year, I feel like he has taken on more responsibility with looking after his teammates," Ford-Centonze said. "That was something that the upperclassmen did for him, and I now see it with him and some of our younger guys."
Reilly hopes to qualify for the NCAA Regional Championships this season. Last year, Reilly and his teammates were disappointed when he missed qualifying for the Championships due to a tiebreaker.
"That was the hardest part in the season for both of us, and for me in particular, because I felt like it was going to happen," Ford-Centonze said. "You never want to lose by one that one is the hardest to swallow."
In addition, Reilly has set specific time-based goals for himself this season.
"At the end of the day, if I end up running the times I want, I'll place high in the Ivy League Championships and maybe even beyond," Reilly said.
Reilly's teammates and coaches have confidence in his ability to reach new heights this season.
"I look forward to him leaving a strong legacy at Dartmouth and something that his fellow teammates can strive for," Ford-Centonze said. "He wants to make that legacy as thorough as he can."
