00:27 - Joined by basketball player

00:29 - basketball coach and Women's

00:30 - Basketball Hall of Famer Susie

00:32 - McConnell Serio.

00:34 - Grew up in the city of

00:35 - Pittsburgh and the name

00:37 - McConnell has become legendary

00:39 - in the city of Pittsburgh and

00:40 - well beyond.

00:41 - Susie I'm going to take you down

00:42 - memory lane a little bit and

00:43 - going all the way back to your

00:44 - high school days where the name

00:46 - Susie McConnell first kind of

00:47 - hit noteworthy beyond the city

00:49 - of Pittsburgh and that was when

00:50 - you were a senior at Seton

00:52 - LaSalle High School in 1984.

00:54 - Your team got to the state

00:55 - championships but even before

00:58 - that mean the first basketball

00:59 - state championship for girls was

01:00 - 1973.

01:01 - So I'm just curious when you

01:03 - were growing up going through

01:06 - the evolution of your your

01:08 - basketball pedigree.

01:10 - Nowadays there are girls

01:11 - basketball just like the boys

01:13 - are starting with elementary

01:14 - school level programs and going

01:16 - up to the junior high programs.

01:17 - But I got to think when you were

01:18 - growing up you probably didn't

01:20 - have as good a competition as

01:21 - you might have expected and in

01:23 - what people might expect based

01:25 - on the game the way it is today.

01:28 - It was a lot different for me

01:29 - back then when I started playing

01:31 - basketball in grade school.

01:32 - We didn't even have a girls

01:33 - basketball team so for two years

01:36 - when I was in fifth in fourth

01:38 - and fifth grades I played on our

01:40 - boys basketball team.

01:42 - So there were it sparked a lot

01:45 - more interest.

01:46 - And then we ended up having a

01:47 - girls team when I started in

01:48 - sixth grade but it was so

01:50 - different back then a year was

01:52 - so different.

01:53 - High school basketball it was it

01:56 - was a lot different than it is

01:57 - now with the opportunities that

01:59 - these players have to play year

02:01 - round.

02:02 - I mean we were basically you

02:03 - played in the summer you played

02:05 - during your winter season you

02:07 - didn't see you know players just

02:10 - focusing and becomes a single

02:12 - sport athlete like you do today

02:14 - because of big players being

02:16 - able to play year round.

02:17 - Now two things about that 1984

02:19 - championship game you beat

02:20 - Strath Haven in overtime to win

02:22 - that state championship two

02:23 - things about it to me.

02:25 - What was that your sister Kathy

02:26 - was a part of that team she was

02:27 - a junior at the other piece of

02:29 - it was you didn't get to see the

02:31 - end of it well you got to see

02:32 - the end of it,

02:32 - You got to see it from the bench

02:34 - because you're fouled out so

02:35 - maybe a precursor to your

02:36 - coaching career because you got

02:38 - to watch the end of that state

02:39 - championship from the bench that

02:41 - had to be a very difficult

02:42 - scenario for you.

02:44 - Thanks Bob for that reminder.

02:46 - It's so funny because we talk

02:48 - about it all the time.

02:49 - Believe it or not I did foul out

02:51 - before the end of the game and

02:54 - the player that was put in for

02:56 - me,

02:56 - Pam Wiseman is still a good

02:57 - friend of my sisters and my

02:59 - family.

03:00 - And we talk about her hitting

03:02 - the winning shot all the time

03:04 - and we reminisce about being in

03:07 - the huddle at the end of the

03:07 - game and her looking at everyone

03:10 - saying please don't pass me the

03:11 - ball.

03:12 - Don't pass me the ball.

03:14 - And sure enough she was wide

03:16 - open hadn't played a minute in

03:18 - the game prior to and she hits

03:20 - the game winning shot for us to

03:22 - win the game in overtime.

03:23 - But you know playing in a state

03:25 - championship plate playing high

03:26 - school basketball.

03:28 - Those were great memories.

03:29 - And you know it's probably why I

03:31 - got into coaching earlier in my

03:32 - career at the high school level

03:35 - just because of the excitement

03:37 - around it.

03:38 - What players are trying to do in

03:42 - high school looking to play at

03:43 - the next level and being able to

03:44 - help them and in a way in my way

03:47 - was giving back to the game of

03:48 - basketball that had been so good

03:50 - to me and had given me so many

03:52 - incredible opportunities and I

03:54 - really enjoyed coaching high

03:55 - school basketball but being a

03:56 - player and playing at that at

03:59 - that level and on that stage is

04:01 - just it's just an unbelievable

04:03 - experience.

04:04 - I could not agree with you more.

04:06 - Your opportunities then took you

04:08 - to Penn State University.

04:09 - I'm just curious when you were

04:10 - coming out of Seton LaSalle what

04:12 - options did you have or what

04:13 - made Penn State the right choice

04:14 - for you?

04:16 - I mean I was pretty highly

04:18 - recruited you know throughout my

04:20 - junior senior year of high

04:22 - school and like I said things

04:24 - were different back then.

04:25 - So it was AAU was just the

04:27 - national championship you didn't

04:29 - travel and play in all of these

04:30 - tournaments.

04:31 - It was just the national

04:32 - tournament in the summertime and

04:33 - it was the best of the best.

04:35 - And that's where a lot of the

04:37 - recruiting had happened for me.

04:38 - But when I was looking at what I

04:41 - wanted where I wanted to play

04:44 - who I wanted to play for you

04:46 - know back then you did so many

04:48 - calls with coaches you still

04:51 - only had five visits back then

04:52 - but I didn't do on official

04:53 - visits back then so it was

04:55 - really getting to know the

04:57 - coaches and then we did so many

04:59 - home visits I allow a lot of

05:00 - coaches to come into my home for

05:02 - my family to get to know them

05:03 - for me to get to know them see

05:05 - what they were all about and

05:06 - what it was all said and done

05:07 - playing for really Portland

05:08 - being a Penn State.

05:10 - I did an official visit there.

05:12 - I planned on taking all five

05:13 - visits and once I came back from

05:15 - my visit at Penn State it was

05:17 - just an unbelievable weekend.

05:19 - It felt like home.

05:20 - It felt like family atmosphere

05:21 - that I was looking for.

05:23 - And so I decided to commit early

05:26 - and went to Penn State and I

05:28 - have no regrets.

05:29 - It was a great decision for me I

05:31 - loved being at Penn State I

05:33 - loved being in that environment.

05:35 - It was just some of the

05:37 - It was probably the best four

05:38 - years that I could have asked

05:40 - for.

05:40 - There was a great career you

05:41 - scored over 1800 points and

05:44 - assist one thousand three

05:46 - hundred and seven assists.

05:47 - I say that for a very specific

05:49 - reason that still remains the

05:51 - all time record for career

05:54 - assist that has to be a huge

05:56 - badge of honor for you to still

05:58 - hold the record for career

05:59 - assists.

06:01 - You know for it to stand this

06:02 - long is pretty unbelievable

06:04 - because of all of the great

06:05 - players that have played the

06:08 - game of basketball in college

06:10 - and I really thought someone

06:11 - like Sabrina Enesque would have

06:13 - broken that record in her season

06:16 - was cut a little short this

06:18 - season but there have been so

06:20 - many great players so many great

06:21 - point guards and playmakers but

06:23 - it is pretty crazy that that

06:25 - record still holds and it's a

06:27 - credit to my teammates that I

06:28 - was able to accomplish that

06:31 - record because I had to be a

06:32 - playmaker and they had to.

06:34 - Obviously I was getting them the

06:35 - basketball but they had to

06:36 - convert they had to hit shots

06:38 - and you know my goal as a point

06:40 - guard was always to make the

06:42 - players around me better and

06:44 - that was I felt my primary job.

06:46 - Somebody may always score more

06:47 - points somebody may ultimately

06:49 - get that assist record but one

06:50 - thing they'll never take away

06:51 - from you you have the

06:52 - distinction of being the first

06:53 - ever women's basketball player

06:55 - named a first team All-American

06:57 - 1988 your name first team

06:58 - All-American they can never take

07:00 - that distinction away from you

07:02 - that also has to be something

07:03 - you can be very proud of.

07:06 - You know I thank Reenie Portland

07:08 - playing for her you know the

07:10 - system that she implemented the

07:13 - players that I played with that

07:14 - they recruited to Penn State

07:15 - that I was surrounded by the

07:16 - great players that I was

07:17 - surrounded by.

07:19 - You know when I think back of

07:20 - playing for Reenie Portland and

07:22 - she really helped me figure out

07:24 - what I wanted.

07:25 - You know I didn't know what it

07:27 - would take to be on an Olympic

07:28 - team and play for USA Basketball

07:30 - and you know she guided me.

07:32 - She you sat down we talked about

07:34 - my goals and what opportunities

07:36 - I would to have play play

07:38 - basketball other than at Penn

07:39 - State and you know she really

07:41 - helped me accomplish the goals

07:43 - and in my future of trying to

07:45 - becoming an Olympian and

07:47 - representing our country and

07:48 - have some of the greatest

07:49 - experiences that I could ever

07:51 - have as a basketball player.

07:52 - Well I'm glad you mentioned that

07:53 - is exactly what I was thinking

07:54 - next is that you graduate from

07:55 - college in 1988 and that summer

07:58 - happens to be an Olympic year

08:00 - and you were selected for

08:01 - tryouts.

08:02 - You don't get selected for the

08:04 - for the Olympic team.

08:05 - You had to try out to make the

08:06 - Olympic team.

08:07 - And I'm sure that was a bit

08:08 - nerve racking for you to try to

08:09 - make that team but ultimately

08:11 - you got the opportunity to play

08:12 - in the Seoul Games in 1988 and

08:15 - the U.S. women's basketball team

08:16 - comes home with a gold medal.

08:17 - Again a huge accomplishment for

08:19 - you.

08:20 - That's something I know that you

08:21 - are very proud of.

08:23 - You know that experience leading

08:25 - up to the Olympics was brutal

08:27 - but it you know like I said it

08:29 - started the foundation was

08:31 - started after my freshman year

08:32 - of college of being able to play

08:33 - for USA Basketball and represent

08:35 - our country each summer leading

08:36 - up to the Olympics and then the

08:39 - process of choosing the Olympic

08:41 - team was different than it is

08:43 - today because you know with the

08:45 - WNBA players involved you can

08:48 - have professional players back

08:49 - then you could not.

08:50 - So it started with 53 players

08:53 - and then they continued to make

08:55 - cuts the entire summer.

08:57 - And I just continued to work

08:58 - hard and survive and try to do

09:01 - what I could do to make the team

09:03 - and the beginning of the process

09:05 - the trials were in April in

09:07 - Colorado Springs and then we

09:08 - train throughout the summer and

09:09 - it wasn't until August 18th that

09:12 - the team had been selected and

09:14 - finalized and the Olympics were

09:16 - in September so it was a brutal

09:19 - process.

09:20 - And it was nerve racking but it

09:22 - was exciting at the same time

09:23 - because of the opportunity that

09:25 - was ahead of me of being able to

09:27 - eventually make the Olympic

09:28 - team.

09:29 - But it was an unbelievable dream

09:31 - come true on August 18th 1988

09:33 - when I sat with Kay Yow in a

09:35 - meeting and she told me that I

09:37 - was one of the 12 players

09:38 - selected for the Olympic team.

09:39 - I mean it was just unbelievable

09:41 - I can't even describe it because

09:42 - it's it's just it was emotional

09:44 - it was exciting and you know

09:47 - moving forward obviously playing

09:48 - for my country winning a gold

09:50 - medal in Seoul Korea in 1988 was

09:53 - the highlight of my basketball

09:54 - career.

09:55 - Well you weren't done because

09:57 - you decided to try to do it

09:58 - again in 1992.

10:00 - That was a little bit of a

10:01 - different scenario because in

10:02 - the interim you had gotten

10:03 - married and you had your first

10:05 - child.

10:05 - Peter was born a few months

10:07 - before those Olympic trials in

10:08 - 1992 but the Olympic trials

10:12 - notwithstanding getting to that

10:14 - Olympic team and making the

10:15 - Olympic team with it within just

10:16 - a few months of having your

10:18 - first child obviously was a

10:20 - monumental occasion for you and

10:22 - an accomplishment for you but

10:24 - the other piece of that was 1992

10:26 - in Barcelona you won the bronze

10:28 - medal but the men's team kind of

10:30 - stole most of the spotlight what

10:31 - was it like in Barcelona where

10:33 - the United States men's team

10:34 - better known as the Dream Team.

10:36 - It was a lot different in 1992.

10:40 - You know we had some great times

10:41 - with the men with a dream team

10:44 - being a part of the Olympics.

10:46 - You know we traveled with them

10:47 - on airplanes we had special

10:49 - dinners with them you know

10:51 - throughout the process of

10:53 - leading up to the Olympics.

10:55 - However we went to the Olympics

10:57 - and we were still staying in the

10:59 - Olympic Village.

11:00 - The men were in a hotel and I

11:02 - think it created some separation

11:05 - with some of our players and

11:08 - them trying to fight for some of

11:11 - the same things that the men

11:12 - were receiving at that time.

11:14 - But you know being a part of

11:17 - that was just so exciting.

11:18 - You know any time you represent

11:19 - your country in an Olympic event

11:22 - or any event it's just an

11:24 - unbelievable feeling.

11:25 - And I was excited to be a part

11:26 - of it.

11:27 - Disappointed that we didn't win

11:29 - the gold medal.

11:29 - You know that's what motivated

11:31 - me to come back to be a part of

11:34 - the Olympics again because it

11:35 - was an unbelievable experience

11:37 - and as disappointing as it was

11:39 - it was still an honor to be a

11:41 - part of that team and represent

11:42 - our country and and just be a

11:44 - part of that entire experience

11:46 - of the Dream Team and and having

11:47 - watched the last dance and

11:49 - seeing some of the moments with

11:51 - Michael Jordan and the dream

11:53 - team and the Olympics and it

11:55 - just also brought back a lot of

11:56 - memories of how special that

11:57 - was.

11:58 - We've talked about the evolution

12:00 - of women's basketball just in

12:01 - the time that you've been a part

12:02 - of it and obviously one of the

12:03 - things that was not a part of

12:05 - the women's game at the time you

12:07 - graduate from college was the

12:08 - WNBA.

12:09 - It actually didn't come into

12:09 - existence until 1997.

12:11 - So you had your first

12:12 - opportunity to play the WNBA.

12:14 - You played with the Cleveland

12:15 - rockers for three years.

12:16 - Your memories of playing

12:18 - professional basketball and how

12:20 - far the game and WNBA has come

12:22 - the League has called it

12:23 - monumentally far since that

12:24 - time.

12:27 - You're right.

12:27 - Coming out of college there was

12:29 - not a professional league a lot

12:30 - of players when they were

12:32 - finished their college careers

12:33 - had gone overseas to play

12:35 - professionally not having a

12:37 - league here.

12:38 - I had retired after 80 the 88

12:40 - Olympics and then I retired

12:41 - after the 92 Olympics again and

12:44 - then had three more children I

12:46 - had my son.

12:47 - As you said in between the two

12:48 - Olympics and then I ended up

12:49 - having three daughters.

12:51 - So in 1997 I was taking care of

12:54 - my fourth child and watching the

12:57 - WNBA on TV.

12:59 - I felt envious of the

13:01 - opportunities players were

13:02 - having and my husband and I were

13:04 - sitting there watching the games

13:05 - and you know crazy notion we had

13:08 - was to try to make to come back

13:09 - in and see if I could play at

13:11 - that level.

13:12 - And coming back after having my

13:13 - fourth child I thought you would

13:15 - think I was crazy trying to get

13:17 - back in that sort of shape and

13:19 - making a comeback was an

13:20 - unbelievable experience to be

13:22 - able to walk out on that floor

13:24 - in a rocker's uniform.

13:25 - In 1998 I had the opportunity to

13:27 - play for three seasons and to

13:28 - have my family be a part of it

13:30 - was something special.

13:31 - But the WNBA is an unbelievable

13:34 - league and it's an opportunity

13:35 - for these women to be able to

13:36 - play at home to play in front of

13:40 - their fans that have followed

13:41 - them throughout their college

13:42 - careers.

13:43 - And it's the best of the best.

13:44 - You know you have players from

13:45 - all over the world coming to

13:46 - play in the WNBA and it's just

13:49 - something to be a part of.

13:51 - And it's exciting to see how far

13:53 - it's come in in that it has

13:55 - lasted this long and the backing

13:57 - of the NBA has been very

13:59 - important for that to be able to

14:02 - last as long as it has and you

14:04 - know it's it's something that

14:05 - all these little girls that

14:06 - watch basketball and follow

14:08 - basketball and play the game of

14:09 - basketball they aspire to be a

14:11 - WNBA player and it's a great

14:13 - dream to have because it's it's

14:15 - an unbelievable thing to be a

14:16 - part of.

14:17 - While all of this was going on

14:19 - while you were quote unquote

14:20 - retiring from playing basketball

14:23 - at or beginning to raise your

14:24 - family you decided to become a

14:26 - basketball coach as well.

14:27 - Oakland Catholic came looking

14:28 - for a head coach in 1990 91

14:30 - season was your first.

14:32 - And by 1993 you won a PIAA

14:34 - championship so three years in

14:36 - Oakland Catholic with Susie

14:37 - McConnell Serio as its head

14:39 - basketball coach wins a state

14:41 - championship three years in.

14:42 - Were you thinking this is this

14:43 - game pretty easy.

14:44 - I got this thing down pat.

14:45 - To win a chased state

14:46 - championship that quickly.

14:49 - You know honestly I really never

14:51 - saw myself coaching.

14:52 - I worked basketball camps in the

14:54 - summer.

14:55 - Throughout my career but I never

14:57 - imagined that I would coach I'll

14:59 - be honest with you.

15:00 - I was always shy when it came to

15:03 - public speaking.

15:04 - I never wanted to be out in

15:05 - front of people.

15:07 - So to be a coach I really never

15:09 - expected that to happen.

15:11 - Fran Manny was the athletic

15:12 - director in Oakland Catholic was

15:14 - fairly new because two schools

15:15 - had merged St. Paul's Cathedral

15:17 - and Sacred Heart had merged to

15:19 - become Oakland Catholic and they

15:21 - were looking for a new coach and

15:22 - I was pregnant at the time and I

15:25 - really didn't know if I wanted

15:26 - to get into coaching but it was

15:28 - an opportunity that presented

15:29 - itself and it was again my way

15:31 - of giving back to the game of

15:33 - basketball that I would be able

15:36 - to help these young girls maybe

15:38 - have some of the experiences

15:39 - that I would have.

15:41 - But to be able to go to a state

15:42 - championship three years later

15:43 - was was crazy but it was you

15:47 - know the commitment of the

15:48 - players we drew players from all

15:50 - over.

15:51 - They were committed.

15:52 - These are players that were

15:53 - highly motivated that wanted to

15:54 - play at the next level.

15:56 - And it was it was something

15:58 - special that I was proud to be a

15:59 - part of being at Oakland

16:01 - Catholic the community there.

16:03 - It was an all girls Catholic

16:04 - school.

16:05 - It was I had gone to 12 years of

16:07 - catholic school so I felt very

16:09 - much at home in that

16:11 - environment.

16:11 - But you know just being able to

16:14 - work with those young ladies

16:15 - that were driven that were

16:16 - motivated and and did whatever

16:19 - you asked I mean they believed

16:20 - in me as a young coach.

16:22 - You know very young age and it

16:24 - was just something that I really

16:26 - enjoyed and I and I coached

16:28 - there for 13 years and really

16:30 - didn't never thought I would

16:32 - leave to go to another job and I

16:34 - end up going from there to coach

16:36 - in the WNBA.

16:38 - And before you did that you got

16:39 - a chance to take that team the

16:41 - Oakland Catholic to four

16:42 - straight state championships two

16:43 - thousand two thousand three

16:45 - Oakland Catholic was in the

16:46 - final all four years that's an

16:48 - incredible accomplishment you go

16:49 - back to the mid 80s with Billy

16:51 - Owens and Carlisle That's the

16:52 - two legacies of four straight

16:54 - championships but the Oakland

16:56 - Catholic won it in 2000 and won

16:58 - in 2003.

16:59 - You were runner up in 2000 2002

17:02 - I talked with one of your former

17:03 - players who happens to be part

17:04 - of our broadcast team Meg Bulger

17:06 - she was a part of all four of

17:07 - those she was a freshman in

17:09 - 2000.

17:10 - But her big sister Katie was a

17:11 - part of that you had Bulger's

17:12 - for seven years as a coach at

17:14 - Oakland Catholic.

17:15 - But I asked Meg give me some

17:17 - things about what made Suzy

17:19 - McConnell Serio so good for you

17:20 - as a coach you know two things

17:22 - that she said one was the fact

17:24 - that she saw how good Katie

17:26 - became from the time she was a

17:28 - freshman to the time she was a

17:30 - junior and ultimately a senior

17:31 - and she wanted that same

17:32 - experience to get that kind of

17:34 - improvement and the other thing

17:36 - that I thought was really the

17:37 - X's and O's from Meg was that

17:39 - she said that you didn't just

17:41 - tell players what they should do

17:43 - not how to come off of a screen

17:45 - and where to rub off of this cut

17:47 - or that cut but explain to them

17:49 - why you would do it and so it

17:51 - became a little bit more

17:52 - instinctual and I thought that

17:53 - was pretty good insight.

17:55 - And one of the reasons why maybe

17:56 - they were such good players but

17:57 - ultimately what you were able to

17:59 - communicate probably more so

18:01 - from your playing days and that

18:03 - communicate that as a head

18:04 - coach.

18:07 - I think Meg's giving me way too

18:08 - much credit.

18:09 - I think coaching Katie and Meg

18:13 - were they were special players.

18:15 - I mean you have good players you

18:16 - have great players and you have

18:18 - special players.

18:19 - And those two were very special.

18:22 - They just they had a knack for

18:23 - the game they had instincts that

18:26 - as a coach you can't teach.

18:28 - They both could shoot the ball.

18:29 - They were smart they picked up

18:31 - things so quickly and they made

18:33 - my job easy and they were two

18:36 - players that on the floor they

18:39 - made everyone around them

18:40 - better.

18:41 - They saw things happen before

18:43 - other players saw them happen.

18:45 - I mean they wanted the ball in

18:46 - their hands.

18:47 - They wanted to be the go to

18:48 - player and at times they would

18:50 - put their team on their

18:51 - shoulders and we would be

18:53 - successful because of them.

18:55 - And it was so much fun having

18:56 - them together for that one year.

18:58 - But they also had great

19:00 - teammates around them and they

19:01 - were so much fun to coach not

19:03 - just on the court but off the

19:05 - court.

19:05 - I mean they were great people

19:07 - kind of came from a great family

19:09 - you know a very athletic family.

19:11 - But I just really enjoyed them

19:13 - as people as much as I did

19:14 - coaching them as players.

19:16 - While speaking of families let's

19:17 - talk a little bit about the

19:18 - McConnell family and the

19:19 - McConnell family name and the

19:21 - nickname of basketball is pretty

19:22 - much synonymous.

19:23 - We mentioned your sister Cathy.

19:25 - She was a head coach at the

19:27 - University of Tulsa.

19:28 - She was a head coach at the

19:29 - University of Colorado.

19:30 - She spent time as an assistant

19:31 - coach with Tulsa.

19:33 - The Tulsa Shock of the WNBA and

19:35 - now comes back to the Pittsburgh

19:36 - area as because back to the high

19:39 - school game and she in their

19:40 - first year at Trinity area high

19:42 - school this year takes them to

19:43 - twenty five and one and to the

19:46 - PIAA quarter finals before it

19:47 - was shut down.

19:48 - Your oldest brother Tom is the

19:49 - head women's coach at IUP all

19:52 - he's done is take the Crimson

19:53 - hawk to the Elite Eight of the

19:55 - division two national

19:56 - championships in 2018 and 2019

19:59 - was hoping for another run in

20:00 - 2020 unfortunately.

20:02 - Obviously the Division 2

20:03 - tournament was shut down just

20:04 - like all of basketball was shut

20:05 - down.

20:06 - And then there's brother Tim who

20:07 - was at Chartiers Valley and a

20:09 - boys basketball coach for twenty

20:11 - five years and a very successful

20:13 - one took Chartiers Valley to a

20:14 - couple of state championship

20:16 - games in 2010 with his son T.J.

20:19 - almost knocked off Newman

20:20 - Guretti and then made a very

20:22 - surprising decision to some and

20:24 - that was the switch from the

20:25 - boys coach to the girls coach

20:27 - and all he's done.

20:28 - As the girls coach is go 57 and

20:30 - 0 he took them to a state

20:31 - championship as the girls coach

20:33 - with his daughter Meghan as a

20:34 - part of it.

20:35 - Last year in 2019 it was alive

20:37 - in 2020 for another run again 30

20:40 - and 0 of his first year as the

20:41 - girls coach and now twenty seven

20:43 - and 0.

20:44 - So I guess my biggest question

20:45 - would be this if Dr. Naismith

20:47 - hadn't hung up peach basket up

20:48 - back in the 80s 90s what would

20:50 - the McConnell family talk about

20:52 - without the game of basketball?

20:55 - That's a loaded question because

20:58 - every time we get get togethers

21:00 - the conversation.

21:02 - Ninety nine percent of time

21:05 - comes around to basketball just

21:06 - because all of us have coached

21:08 - and you know we've all played

21:12 - the game and then my brother Tom

21:15 - you know he set the tone as a

21:16 - player and we all followed his

21:17 - footsteps and then he got into

21:19 - coaching and then we all had

21:20 - started to become coaches once

21:22 - we were done playing.

21:24 - So a lot of we have a lot of

21:26 - conversations about basketball

21:28 - but Cathy having her back in

21:31 - Pittsburgh has been great.

21:32 - We were together at Pitt and

21:34 - then she stayed in the

21:35 - Pittsburgh area.

21:36 - It was the first time that she

21:37 - had been back living in

21:38 - Pittsburgh.

21:39 - And you know she had never

21:41 - coached high school basketball

21:42 - and so when the Trinity job you

21:44 - know when they had contacted her

21:46 - and that opportunity presented

21:47 - itself I told her that she would

21:49 - love coaching high school

21:50 - basketball and she absolutely

21:52 - has and has done a great job

21:53 - with that program and you know

21:55 - ironically she had to coach

21:57 - against my brother Tim at

21:58 - Chartiers Valley three times

21:59 - this year would have been a

22:01 - fourth I think had you know the

22:03 - season not ended but Tim he just

22:07 - continues to win.

22:08 - It is unbelievable what he has

22:10 - done at Chartiers Valley with

22:12 - the girls program I've just

22:13 - disappointed you know that the

22:15 - season ended.

22:16 - To see if he could have gone

22:17 - undefeated two years in a row

22:19 - and had won another state

22:20 - championship.

22:21 - But those games when you coach

22:23 - against family are not fun

22:25 - because going to those games

22:27 - when Tim and Cathy had coached

22:28 - against each other you know we

22:30 - coach against Cathy I've coached

22:32 - against Cathy.

22:33 - I've played against her.

22:34 - And when you have those sibling

22:37 - match ups they're just not fun

22:39 - to be a part of.

22:40 - Or to watch when you're not

22:41 - involved in them.

22:42 - But and then Tom he's done

22:45 - unbelievable job at IUP couldn't

22:47 - be happier for him and the

22:48 - success that he has had with

22:49 - that program as well.

22:51 - But I think it's just in our

22:52 - blood.

22:53 - We've all coached and you know

22:55 - I'm back helping my husband Pete

22:57 - at Upper St. Clair High School

22:59 - as his assistant and I love just

23:01 - being back on the court working

23:03 - with these high school kids

23:04 - again.

23:05 - I'm going to go back to 2008 and

23:07 - I remember that we hear a piece

23:09 - yeah.

23:09 - We were doing a basketball game

23:10 - and there was this skinny 10th

23:11 - grader playing at Chartiers

23:13 - Valley who people were saying

23:15 - was getting some division I

23:16 - looks and I'm looking at this

23:17 - T.J. McConnell kid and thinking

23:20 - he's OK but he's pretty small.

23:22 - And everybody said well he's

23:23 - Suzy McConnell's nephew.

23:25 - And then by 2010 he took

23:28 - searchers valley to a state

23:29 - championship and he was a bona

23:30 - fide visual player.

23:31 - By that point time went on to

23:32 - play at Arizona T.J. McConnell

23:34 - if you don't know his story ends

23:36 - up as a free agent tries out

23:37 - with the Philadelphia seventy

23:38 - six years Brett Brown loved him

23:40 - the fans loved him and now he's

23:41 - playing for the Indiana Pacers.

23:43 - And so T.J. McConnell went from

23:45 - being Susan McConnell's nephew

23:46 - to Susie McConnell being T.J.

23:48 - McConnell's aunt which

23:50 - technically is the same thing

23:52 - but coming from a large family

23:54 - as I do and you do I know it

23:56 - doesn't mean the same thing when

23:57 - you get in the family and you

23:59 - get into sports.

24:00 - The roles have been reversed.

24:03 - I am very proud to be T.J.

24:04 - McConnell's aunt I couldn't be

24:06 - more proud of him and you know

24:08 - he just had that underdog

24:09 - mentality all the time.

24:11 - He started out in Duquesne and

24:13 - when Ron Everhart offered him a

24:15 - scholarship.

24:16 - People were shocked because he

24:17 - was this skinny little kid.

24:19 - No one ever imagined that he

24:20 - would be able to play Division 1

24:22 - basketball and you know he just

24:24 - made himself into a great

24:26 - player.

24:26 - He was determined he was driven

24:28 - and his dream was to play in the

24:30 - NBA.

24:31 - And I couldn't be more proud.

24:33 - And it was an opportunity for

24:35 - him because of all of the

24:37 - injuries in Philly.

24:38 - He basically was in the right

24:39 - situation at the right time and

24:42 - he was a fan favorite.

24:43 - We went back when he played his

24:45 - first game with the Indiana

24:47 - Pacers against Philadelphia last

24:49 - year and the welcome he got from

24:52 - the fans the video tribute.

24:54 - It was it was really something

24:57 - special be a part of it and into

24:59 - witness and watch him play and

25:00 - you're right Brett Brown did

25:02 - love him but he's very happy

25:03 - with the Indiana Pacers and has

25:05 - been doing very well for them

25:06 - and hopefully as this season

25:08 - resumes he can he can make a run

25:11 - for the Indiana Pacers right now

25:12 - in the playoffs.

25:13 - Well I imagine that the first

25:14 - time I got to see T.J. play was

25:16 - back in 2008 2008 happened to be

25:17 - a pretty special year for you

25:19 - because you were selected for

25:20 - the women's basketball hall of

25:21 - fame.

25:22 - There is no greater honor than

25:23 - being nominated by your peers

25:25 - for the Hall of Fame and so the

25:27 - honor for you.

25:28 - Is that to be inducted into the

25:31 - Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

25:33 - Another tremendous career

25:34 - accomplishment.

25:36 - Thank you that was completely a

25:39 - surprise for me.

25:40 - Never what I imagine you know

25:43 - being in a hall of fame in the

25:44 - Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

25:45 - and what it what a an

25:47 - unbelievable event that was you

25:49 - know being a part of that and I

25:50 - was escorted by my father onto

25:52 - state onto the stage and to be

25:55 - there with all of my family and

25:57 - friends in the Hall of Fame just

25:59 - does an unbelievable job that

26:00 - entire weekend to make you feel

26:02 - very very special and you know

26:05 - to me it's a tribute to all of

26:07 - the players that I've ever

26:08 - played with all the teams that

26:10 - I've been a part of all the

26:11 - coaches that I have played for

26:14 - because the success I've had it

26:16 - did not come alone.

26:17 - I mean there were so many people

26:19 - that I give credit to for you

26:21 - know the people that I've been

26:22 - on the court with people in my

26:25 - life my husband my four children

26:27 - my family who have supported me

26:30 - throughout my entire career have

26:32 - helped me make them make me the

26:33 - player I was and allow me to

26:35 - have the opportunities I've had

26:36 - in the game of basketball.

26:38 - The coaching world for you.

26:40 - Ultimately that took you to the

26:40 - college level you had.

26:41 - You were offered the job as the

26:43 - head women's coach at Duquesne

26:45 - had some great seasons at

26:46 - Duquesne and then ultimately

26:48 - Pitt came along and offered you

26:50 - a job at Pitt.

26:51 - It ultimately did not work out

26:52 - for you at Pitt.

26:53 - Some of it I'm sure had to do

26:54 - with the transition in terms of

26:56 - the athletic directors the

26:58 - athletic position there but what

27:00 - was the difference between the

27:01 - level of success you were able

27:02 - to have a Duquesne that you

27:03 - couldn't quite duplicate at

27:05 - Pitt?

27:06 - Well you know getting into

27:08 - college coaching I think the one

27:09 - thing that I shied away from

27:13 - with college coaching was the

27:15 - recruiting aspect of it.

27:17 - I didn't know if I would enjoy

27:18 - it.

27:18 - I know it was time consuming my

27:20 - sister Cathy had always been a

27:21 - college coach and you know just

27:22 - watching her go through all of

27:24 - that.

27:25 - I love coaching the game of

27:26 - basketball I love being in

27:27 - practice I love teaching and I

27:30 - love games.

27:31 - And so just that that part of it

27:33 - I was able to do at the high

27:34 - school level and the WNBA level

27:38 - that that is your primary focus.

27:39 - And then when you're at the

27:40 - college level it's all about

27:42 - recruiting.

27:43 - And when I was in Duquesne You

27:45 - know obviously got my first

27:46 - taste of it and really enjoyed

27:48 - the recruiting process it's you

27:50 - know getting to know the players

27:51 - convincing them that this is the

27:52 - right program for you what we

27:54 - how we can help you and you know

27:56 - we were able to have success at

27:58 - Duquesne and I really really

27:59 - enjoyed coaching at the at the

28:02 - college level.

28:03 - And then after being there for

28:05 - six years you know Steve

28:07 - Peterson had reached out and the

28:09 - opportunity came along to be

28:11 - able to now coach at a BCS

28:13 - school and they were moving into

28:14 - the ACC so it was an opportunity

28:18 - to be able to coach at the

28:20 - highest level in a power 5

28:22 - school.

28:22 - So I you know I took that

28:24 - challenge I took the opportunity

28:26 - and you know we ended up having

28:28 - success early in our second year

28:30 - we went to the NCAA tournament

28:32 - and you know had success but you

28:35 - know in my five years while I

28:37 - was at Pitt I've worked for four

28:39 - A.D. and I had you know the

28:41 - interim was there twice with the

28:43 - transition.

28:44 - And that's very difficult when

28:46 - your leadership changes

28:47 - constantly and you know I

28:49 - understand the fact that people

28:51 - want their own people in there

28:53 - you know they're trying.

28:54 - They have a different vision

28:55 - than you may have as a coach and

28:58 - you know obviously we didn't

28:59 - have success in my last year.

29:01 - And you know obviously they

29:03 - wanted to make a change.

29:04 - But I have no regrets.

29:05 - People always ask me Do you

29:07 - regret leaving Duquesne and the

29:08 - success that you have had there

29:10 - and going to Pitt.

29:12 - I have no regrets.

29:13 - It was an opportunity to coach

29:15 - at a high level.

29:16 - I love being a part of Pitt.

29:18 - I love being a part of the ACC.

29:20 - Unfortunately it didn't work out

29:21 - but you know I'm back again

29:22 - coaching.

29:24 - I did take a year off.

29:25 - I needed a break from you know

29:27 - from basketball where I could

29:29 - see where I wanted to be

29:30 - following that and I'm very

29:32 - happy right now I can't say that

29:34 - I'm very happy being an

29:36 - assistant coach for my husband

29:37 - because all I have to do and

29:39 - what I get to do is teach the

29:41 - game of basketball to these

29:43 - young girls and that's the part

29:44 - of the game I enjoy the most.

29:45 - Well that was my going to be my

29:46 - last question for you.

29:47 - You are now back at the the high

29:50 - school level.

29:50 - Your husband Pete had been the

29:52 - head coach at Upper St. Clair

29:54 - and ultimately now made an

29:56 - interesting decision for some

29:57 - I'm sure and that was to bring

29:58 - you on the staff.

29:59 - Some people might assume that's

30:01 - a no brainer but maybe not for

30:02 - others to think about a husband

30:04 - and wife tandem as the coach.

30:06 - So you who's used to being the

30:08 - head coach is now the assistant

30:09 - coach with your husband

30:10 - ultimately having the final

30:11 - decision as the head coach.

30:13 - So you're saying it's you're

30:14 - you're enjoying it.

30:15 - I assume your husband Pete would

30:17 - have the same answer if we asked

30:19 - him that question as well.

30:21 - I would think he does.

30:23 - I we we worked together when I

30:26 - was at Oakland Catholic.

30:27 - We actually coached together.

30:28 - He was my assistant at Oakland

30:29 - Catholic when we won our first

30:31 - state championship and then he

30:33 - had moved on he was coaching it

30:35 - a few other high schools that we

30:37 - had moved to Minnesota and then

30:39 - now we're back in Pittsburgh and

30:40 - he had become the Upper St.

30:41 - Clair coach and he just happened

30:44 - to have an opening for an

30:45 - assistant and he didn't have a

30:47 - female on his staff full time

30:49 - and I just you know it was an

30:51 - opportunity to get back into it

30:53 - he asked me if I would help him

30:54 - out and I was a little reluctant

30:58 - to get back into coaching at the

31:01 - high school level.

31:02 - Just coaching period.

31:04 - But once I got there and I

31:05 - started doing summer workouts

31:06 - with them and working with his

31:08 - players and you know helping him

31:10 - and I said from day one Pete is

31:13 - the head coach I am just here to

31:14 - help him help help with his

31:16 - players help him win.

31:17 - I will make suggestions but he

31:19 - makes all of the final decisions

31:21 - and and I've been good with

31:23 - that.

31:23 - You know at times you know I my

31:26 - head coaching personality

31:27 - sometimes would probably come

31:28 - out but we've worked really well

31:31 - together.

31:32 - I mean he we haven't had any

31:33 - issues and he's asked me back

31:35 - for a second year so I couldn't

31:37 - have been that bad.

31:39 - Well that's good.

31:40 - Peace at home and peace at work

31:41 - at the same time.

31:42 - I whether it was as a player

31:44 - whether it was a coach whether

31:46 - it's as being TJ's aunt Susie

31:47 - McConnell Serio

31:49 - The name is synonymous with

31:50 - basketball in Pittsburgh all

31:52 - around the state of Pennsylvania

31:53 - and we'll be on as well.

31:54 - Susie thanks for taking the time

31:55 - out.

31:56 - Enjoyed very much having a

31:57 - conversation with you.

31:58 - Best of luck wherever the

31:59 - basketball continues to bounce

32:00 - for you Thank you Bob appreciate

32:02 - it.