Description
This episode of PCN Profiles features Suzie McConnell-Serio, a 2008 inductee of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. Suzie's basketball career has been marked with success throughout her more than thirty years on the court. Born in Pittsburgh, her first taste of victory was in high school, bringing the 1984 PIAA State Chamionship back to Seton-La Salle. She then moved on to college ball at Penn State, leading the Lady Lions to four straight NCAA tournament appearances. Suzie McConnell was named the school's first First-Team All-American while setting NCAA Division I records for career assists (1,307), assists in a season (355 in 1987) and season assist average (11.8 in 1987). Many of the records she set have yet to be broken.
After college, she coached basketball at Oakland Catholic High School in Pittsburgh for 13 years, from 1991-2003. She lead Oakland Catholic to three PIAA State Championship wins as a coach, in 1993, 2001, and 2003. In 1998, she joined the Cleveland Rockers in the WNBA, playing for three years. Her WNBA career continued in 2003, when she was introduced as the head coach of the Minnesota Lynx. She has since also coached collegiate ball at Duquense and the University of Pittsburgh.