BROOKLINE'S SHINING STAR

Brookline has had it's share of sport's legends, but none have come close to achieving the level of fame and success as Suzie McConnell. They say the sky's the limit. Suzie has redefined limitations, pushing the boundary ever higher in her pursuit of the stars. And in the universe of basketball legends, Suzie's star is shining bright and on the rise.

Suzie McConnell grew up in Brookline on Dunster Street, one of eight children of Sue and Tom McConnell. Early on, she showed signs of athletic prowess, choosing to play baseball with the boys in the Brookline Little League as a member of Bill Zeker's Boulevard Lounge team.

But basketball was in her blood from an early age. Oldest brother Tom introduced the family to the game of hoops, and along with Tim, younger brother Mike, and sisters Patti, Eileen, Kathy and Maureen, Suzie learned early on how to compete at a higher level, and soon enough, she was showing the boys a thing or two.

Suzie's star began to glimmer in grade school, as a member of the 1980 Out Lady of Loreto Varsity team. Along with sister Kathy, she led the Lady Lions to a udefeated record and a state championship. That was just the beginning. She moved on to Seton-LaSalle High School where in 1984 she again combined with Kathy to lead the Lady Rebels to a 35-1 record and the PIAA state championship. Also, in 1983, Suzie played in the World Cup games in Stockholm and helped her Ozanam 16-Under team to a championship. She was named tournament MVP.

After a sparkling career with the Lady Rebels, Suzie went on to Penn State University's Lady Lions, where she embarked on a stellar collegiate career. In her first year, our hometown hooper was named the Atlantic 10 conference's Freshman of the Year after averaging 12.6 ppg and 9.7 assists per game. By the time she graduated in 1988, Brookline's shining star finished as the NCAA's all-time career assist leader with 1307, a record that still stands. She averaged 14.9 ppg and 10.2 assists, in her senior year, Suzie was named a First Team Kodak All-American after establishing a single-season school record with 682 points, averaging 20.7 per contest. She also set Penn State all-time records for steals (507) and the single-game record for assists (21). A four-time All-Atlantic 10 Conference guard, she led the nation in assists as a junior with 355.

Suzie's basketball career did not end after graduation. In fact, it had really just been warming up for what lie ahead. Immediately after completing her studies, our star was on to Barcelona, Spain, where in 1988 she was a member of the gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic team. She finished her first Olympics among the leaders in several offensive categories and averaged 8.4 ppg. In 1992, she again was a member of the U.S. squad in the Seoul Olympic Games. The U.S. team settled for the bronze medal and Suzie again sparkled, averaging 6.8 ppg and 3.6 assists. Along with the Olympics, she also won a gold medal at the 1991 World University Games.

After her Olympic triumphs, Suzie retired from competitive basketball to start a family with long-time beau Pete Serio, a school teacher and fellow Brookliner. Son Peter was their first born, followed by son Jordan, and daughters Mandy and Madison. Mrs. McConnell-Serio took the coaching position at Oakland Catholic High School, where she set upon teaching a new generation of girls the skills of the trade. Like the true champion she is, Suzie successfully juggled her dual jobs as coach and full-time mother, and the results were up to her high standards of excellence.

In 13 years as coach of the Oakland Catholic girls, a span from 1991-2003, her teams won 3 PIAA state championships (1993, 2001, 2003), were runners-up twice (2000-2002), and won five consecutive district championships (1999-2003). On December 17, 2002, Suzie reached a coaching milestone with her 300th win. She finished her high school coaching career after the 2002-2003 season with a 321-86 record.

This sounds as if it could be the end of the story of an extremely successful amateur athlete and high school coaching legend, but the Suzie McConnell-Serio story does not end here. It's actually only just beginning, the story of her professional career that is.

In 1998, the fledgling Cleveland Rockers of the WNBA drafted Suzie in the second round (16th overall). While still coaching the Oakland Catholic team in the off-season, Suzie came out of retirement at age 31 and led her professional team to the playoffs while winning the Newcomer of the Year and Sportsman of the Year awards. Her 6.4 assists per game were 2nd best in the league and her 40.8% three-point average was third best. She was also named WNBA Player of the Week for games played August 10 through 16. To round off the accolades for this "rookie" sensation, Suzie's performance was grand enough to earn her a spot on the 1st team All-WNBA roster. Not bad for someone who had been retired from competitive play for the past six years.played three seasons.

Suzie completed three seasons with the Rockers before her second retirement following the 2000 season. As a professional, Suzie averaged a respectable 6.4 ppg and 4.6 assists in 81 games. Along the way she won the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award in 1998 and 2000, was recognized as one of Cleveland's 50 Most Interesting People of 1998 by Cleveland Magazine, and as one of "The 10 Gutsiest Women of 1998" by Jane Magazine. In 1999, Sports Illustrated named her one of the Top 50 Athletes of the Century in the State of Pennsylvania.

Suzie went home to Pittsburgh to dedicate her time to her family and her girls at Oakland Catholic. In September of 2000 she was a special guest speaker at the Brookline Autumn Moon Festival. But it's hard to keep a star like Suzie's grounded, and on January 21, 2003, during what was to be her final season at Oakland Catholic, she accepted an offer to be the head coach of the WNBA Minnesota Lynx.

Leaving the Oakland Catholic program and uprooting her family was a difficult decision for McConnell-Serio, but in the end she just had to follow her passion. "I am really excited about this," McConnell-Serio said. "This is such a great opportunity for me that I couldn't pass it up. I have loved every minute of coaching on the high school level. The Minnesota Lynx job will certainly be a challenge for me." Those who know Suzie knew she was up to the challenge.

After her third and final PIAA championship, Dan Kail, who coached Suzie in grade school and was now going to be her assistant at Minnesota, said, "I wish I had her script writer- she had an incredible career. State championship in grade school, state championship in high school - the girl has just gone all the way through. And it's never about her, it's always about the girls."

This down to earth style would suit Suzie well as a professional coach. In her first season with the Lynx, Suzie led the team to their first-ever winning season and a playoff appearance. "I think the players relate very well to her because she is a very down-to-earth person and deals with the players in a pleasant, direct manner," says assistant coach Nancy Darsch.

So far in the 2004 season, the Lynx are off to a 15-11 record and third place in their conference. Suzie's star just continues to shine brighter and brighter. When she's finished with her professional career, wherever and whenever that might be, it is for certain that she will have raised the limits of personal achievement to galactic heights. All of her friends and neighbors here in Brookline just sit back and gaze skyward, watching the star that is our Suzie McConnell light up the sky. We gaze skyward with pride in our hometown girl.

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Again, we could end our story here, but what about the rest of the McConnell hoopers, Tom, Tim, Mike, Patti, Eileen, Kathy and Maureen? We could write a story on each of them, and maybe someday will, but for now, we will give a short recap of their athletic triumphs, both here in Brookline and in their respective coaching careers. If ever there was a family whose stars could brighten up the night sky, it's the McConnell's.

Eldest son Tom went on to coach at the college level, retiring in 1999 from St. Francis to spend time with his family. Tim was a member of the Our Lady of Loreto team that won a diocesan championship in 1978. As a high school coach with the Chartiers Valley Colts, Tim has won WPIAL championships in 1997, 1998 and 2001. Tim also played in the Brookline Recreation Center Men's League, where he guided his team to a title in 1999.

Youngest son Mike doubles as coach and athletic director at Carlynton High School, and after three runner-up finishes in 1999, 2000 and 2003, finally joined Tim and Suzie when his Lady Cougars won the Class AA WPIAL title in 2004. Together, along with their combined ten WPIAL championships, these three McConnell siblings have accounted for and over 750 local scholastic victories. Mike's wife, Sherri Hannon-McConnell is also a high school coach and someday may steer her Pine-Richland girls into a championship game and add another notch to the McConnell legend.

Older sisters Patti and Eileen went on to successful college careers as players, then settled down to raise families. Younger sisters Kathy and Maureen, however, have dedicated their careers to the sport, and have had no less success than their elder siblings. Kathy and Suzy combined to lead their Our Lady of Loreto Lady Lions to a 42-0 record and a state championship in 1980, then Maureen led the Lady Lions to a 42-0 record and a Diocesan championship in 1983, followed by a 36-2 season and a state championship in 1984. Kathy went on to Seton-LaSalle High School and won a PIAA championship in 1984 and was runner-up in 1985. As a youngster in the Brookline Little League, Kathy also led her softball team, Cibrone Bakery to titles in 1979 and 1980. Maureen followed as an All-Star in 1981.

Kathy and Maureen both went on to successful college careers and are now both in the coaching profession. Kathy is head coach at the University of Tulsa, where she has set a record for career victories, and Maureen has taken over Suzie's vacant position as coach of the Oakland Catholic Girls.

What's next for the McConnell's? We know now that the sky is definitely NOT the limit.

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A last note: As I was putting this together I kept thinking that there was something I was missing. As I thought about it, I remembered the pins in the dining room. I have a small collection of pins, ten in all that I've kept for one reason or another. I went downstairs and there it was. An Olympic "Suzie" pin from 1988. Go Suzie! Good luck in the WNBA. I'm sure you will supply us all with many more wonderful memories as your star continues to rise.

* Compiled by Clint Burton, August 23, 2004 *
Photos from Cleveland Rockers and Minnesota Lynx websites, and the Brookline Journal.
Most information retrieved from the Lynx Website, Journal clippings and the Post-Gazette.