Suzie McConnell

Suzie McConnell played basketball at Penn State and twice competed for the United States at the Olympics, winning a gold medal in 1988 and bronze medal in 1992. She also won gold medals at the 1986 World Championship, the 1985 William Jones Cup, and the 1991 Universiade. While playing for the Nittany Lions, she set NCAA Division I records for career assists (1,307), assists in a season (355 in 1987) and season assist average (11.8 in 1987).

Even while playing, McConnell started a coaching career, starting at Oakland Catholic High School in Pittsburgh from 1991-2003. When the WNBA began play she played with the Cleveland Rockers from 1998-2000. She was All-WNBA first team in 1998 and was twice given the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award, in 1998 and 2000.

In 2003, McConnell left high school coaching and was named head coach of the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA, being named WNBA Coach of the Year in 2004. She coached in the league through 2006 and in 2007 was named head coach at Duquesne University. In 2013 she became head coach at the University of Pittsburgh.

McConnell is a member of the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, inducted in 2001, and in 2008, she became a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.