Tom McConnell
Episode 170
2 MAY 2022
He is the head women’s basketball coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, with next month marking the nine-year anniversary since he was introduced there to that position. Just over three years ago — during his sixth season — he became the program’s all-time winningest coach. Under his guidance the Crimson Hawks have won two PSAC tournament titles, and back-to-back Atlantic Region crowns and Elite Eight national semifinal berths. He had come to IUP with more than 25 years of coaching, game management and player development knowledge learned after spending time on the coaching staffs of six colleges. At one point during his professional career, he was the Director of Youth and Campus Ministry for the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. In addition, he founded and directed The Word and the Rock Basketball Camp and was the Director of Camp Zacchaeus. As a student-athlete he had played basketball at two different colleges.
Notable guest quotes:
“I am the oldest of eight. We grew up in Pittsburgh, and, Catholic all our lives. We went to Our Lady of Loretto grade school in the Pittsburgh area and then onto Seton LaSalle High School. When I was there it was South Hills Catholic High School. So, it’s just been a big part of our family and (I) just really feel fortunate to have those twelve years of Catholic education.”
“I saw the ability to teach and to motivate, inspire, more than Xs and Os, but just to really impact young people through sports.”
“I was very blessed to have opportunities to go to Marquette University in Milwaukee, then on to University of Dayton, and then eventually as the head coach for seven years at St. Francis in Loretto, Pennsylvania. And I just loved being in that (Catholic) environment.”
“It was probably not until I went to St. Francis and really got close with a lot of the friars there that my faith really began to grow. And it was at that time that I knew that the more that God was working in my life, that I needed to now incorporate my faith into my coaching.”
“As my faith began to grow… I saw what God was doing in my life and I wanted to be able to share this with other players and coaches and so we started The Word and the Rock Basketball Camp.”
“Each morning and each afternoon we set aside time and we had sessions where we now talked about our faith and how to bring that into the sports world.”
“I was getting way, way more out of it than they were because I just saw what God was teaching and doing in my life and able to take those values, those principles, those gospel lessons and bring them into sports and everyday life.”
“When you look back on it you could really see God’s hand at work. I thought I was going to St. Francis to try to win a conference championship and find a good place for my family to live and to raise them, and God put us in a neighborhood with some amazing faith-filled people who were very devoted.”
“Me, him, and two other guys went to Medjugorje for ten days and it was just so impactful. And from that time on – and so moving – I just have tried to really incorporate into my life the five stones of the Medjugorje message of prayer, fasting, the Mass, the Bible, and frequent confession.”
“I just would encourage more Catholics to know the true role that Mary plays in our lives and how she just is a mother to us and just brings us to her son and he refuses her nothing, as we know.”
Related link:
Tom’s bio on IUP Athletics website
