Any sports fans in the county who were around in the 1980s remember the pandemonium associated with Waynesburg College basketball and the multitude of great names associated with the Marisa Era and the trips to Kansas City.
At the center of all those teams and great athletes there was always a tough as nails point guard acting as a floor general. Such weighty responsibilities would require fortitude and an uncanny understanding of the game.
That was obviously the case with Tim McConnell, this year’s Waynesburg College representative to the Greene County Hall of Fame.
McConnell attended Seton-La Salle High School, where as a senior in 1982 he was team captain for a WPIAL championship team and helped lead them to a PIAA State Championship runner-up finish.
He came to the Jackets at the height of their glory days and became the starting point guard through the mid-eighties. During those years, he became a fan favorite with his intense defense and an uncanny ability to start the fast break and distribute the ball.
He still holds the school record for both single game (23) and single season (365) assists during the 1985-86 season. During his senior season, he led the team to a 27–2 record, the best single-season winning percentage in school history.
McConnell credits his Waynesburg College years with shaping his understanding of teamwork and unselfish play — lessons that would define his coaching style.
After his playing days, McConnell spent time as a graduate assistant at Canisius College, then returned to Waynesburg as an assistant coach for four years. In 1993, he accepted the head-coach position at Chartiers Valley High School, despite advice from a friend who considered it a “dead end job.”
He spent the next 29 years with the Colts and became a coaching legend. He built perennial contenders, became the fastest coach in WPIAL history to reach 500 wins, and finished his tenure with an impressive career record (662-153) that cemented his status among the area’s coaching icons. His programs were known not only for wins but also for producing players who succeeded at the next level.
After 25 years of leading Chartiers Valley’s boys’ team (1993-2018) and later coaching the girls’ program for four seasons (2018-2022), McConnell finished his three-decade career at Bishop Canevin High School.
Under his guidance, the CV boys won six WPIAL titles, earned 16 section championships, and twice reached the state finals (PIAA runner-up) in more than 20 state tournament appearances. His overall record was 552-146.
Over four seasons coaching the girls, he built an even more impressive record: 110–7. Under his leadership, the girls’ teams reached four district finals, won three WPIAL titles, made three state championship appearances, and captured one state title. His squads also set a state-record with 64 consecutive wins.
His family is deeply woven into Western Pennsylvania basketball across generations. His son T.J. McConnell is CV’s all-time leading scorer with over 2,400 career points, went on to play Division I at Duquesne and Arizona, and is enjoying a very successful career in the NBA.
Another son, Matty also starred at Chartiers Valley and went on to play at Robert Morris. His daughter, Megan led the girls to WPIAL & PIAA championships and played at Duquesne.
His sister Suzie McConnell-Serio was a Penn State All-American, WNBA player, Olympic gold medalist, and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. Another sister, Kathy McConnell-Miller played at the University of Virginia, was a head coach at the NCAA DI level and an assistant coach in the WNBA.
Beyond wins and records, McConnell’s legacy is measured in program stability and mentorship. Former players and fellow coaches note his emphasis on preparation, life lessons delivered from the sideline, and an old-school work ethic that translated into consistent success over decades.
McConnell will join Tammy McIntire-Mandich, Kristen Polosky, Bobby Hathaway, Rodney Wilson, and Frank Vukmanic in this year’s class.
