PITTSBURGH — Megan McConnell is from Pittsburgh basketball royalty. Now, the Duquesne standout is adding her own chapter to the family legacy.
The senior guard is bringing national attention to the program as a semi-finalist for Mid-Major Player of the Year.
Even though basketball is in her blood, McConnell tells Channel 11′s Shelby Cassesse she’s had to take on doubters all the way to the top.
“I have these words on my lock screen,” McConnel said. “I wake up every morning. It says ‘prove them wrong.’ I’ve had that on my phone since I got to college.”
Undersized and under-recruited out of Chartiers Valley High School, McConnell is still living by that phrase.
“I’m gonna give 100% each game. I’m gonna go out, and I know I’m gonna leave it all out there, and I think my game will speak for itself.”
Her game has certainly done all the talking this season.
Along with the award buzz, McConnell leads the Dukes in almost every statistic and is second in steals in all of Division I women’s basketball.
It’s a season she could be having elsewhere given the popularity of the transfer portal, but she said her heart is on the Bluff.
“Coach (Dan) Burt was the one that took a chance on me in high school, and I’m very big with loyalty, and I’m going to be loyal to the people that do me right.”
The McConnells have long been loyal to Pittsburgh.
Susie McConnell-Serio, McConnell’s aunt, is an Olympic gold medalist and considered one of the best point guards of all time. She also coached at Pitt and Duquesne. Other aunts and uncles have either played or coached Division I basketball.
McConnell’s father, Tim McConnell, is one of the winningest high school basketball coaches in WPIAL history. He coached his daughter’s Chartiers Valley team to an undefeated season and a PIAA title in 2019.
T.J. McConnell, her brother, is playing in his 10th NBA season with the Indiana Pacers.
It’s an upbringing that all but ensured she grew up with a basketball in hand.
“Just being around my brothers outside playing, I would always play outside with them, but they would never take it easy on me,” she said with a laugh.
What happened on the court rarely stayed there. All of that basketball prowess also made for some interesting family dinners and holiday gatherings.
“We’ll be at the dinner table, and they’ll be talking about a play,” she said. “They’ll be using salt, pepper, ketchup, whatever is on the table. Forks, spoons, and they’ll be like setting the spoon off for a pick.”
McConnell embraces those family ties and sees similarities in her story and her brother’s.
She says she looked to him for inspiration.
“Just seeing the work ethic he put in. He tried out for like 17 NBA teams. He was living in a suitcase for like three months.”
Soon, the siblings could have one more thing in common.
McConnell is getting attention from the WNBA.
It will be another opportunity to do something she has done all her life: prove them wrong.
“You’re gonna have people in your life that tell you or people behind your back say you can’t do things or you’re too small,” she said. “The whole thing with me is just put your head down and keep working. Just never bet against yourself.”
McConnell and the Dukes are the ninth seed in the Atlantic 10 women’s basketball tournament. Their first tournament matchup is Thursday at 11 a.m. against Fordham.
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