California University of Pennsylvania Athletics

Exemplifying Cal U’s Core Values of integrity, civility, and responsibility, Jan McConnell oversaw the Vulcan athletic program’s move from NAIA into NCAA Division II status.

A health and physical education professor who began her Cal U teaching career in 1963, McConnell served as the university’s athletic director from 1982 to 1991. After handling a wide range of coaching and administrative duties working extensively with the women athletic programs, McConnell was named associate athletic director in the fall of 1979

During her tenure as athletic director, Cal attained NCAA Division II varsity status in 1982 and began its rise as a state, national, and regional collegiate athletic power. Several of the many noteworthy team championships Cal U achieved under McConnell’s guidance were the school’s first three women PSAC titles that all came in 1991 by the softball, tennis, and volleyball teams. Other team championships during McConnell’s tenure as athletic director included the 1982 Pennwood Conference women’s basketball title, the 1984 PSAC football championship, the 1985 and 1988 PSAC men’s basketball championships and PSAC runner-up showings in baseball (1983, 1990) and softball (1990).

Both the men’s and women’s soccer teams were started and attained NCAA II varsity status under McConnell. Always innovative and dedicated to gender-equity long before Title IX came into existence, she also designed and made the “Cal” script into a pin that was used in many of the athletic teams’ uniforms and later incorporated by the Student Association, Incorporated (SAI). Her passion for even playing conditions for women and men remains evident today.

“I felt the women had as much a right to have a good program as the men and I worked hard and tried to see that the women got a fair shot,” said McConnell. “These student-athletes and their coaches worked just as hard as their male counterparts and gave the same commitment. They were entitled to have the same opportunities to be put in a position to be successful.”

Understandably, the tri-fecta of women state crowns in 1991 is a fond memory.

“Absolutely it made me feel good,” said McConnell of the women’s teams coming to fruition. “I will never forget after we won the PSAC tennis title that the current coach Rich Sacanni gave the team trophy to Peg Martin, who had coached that team for so many years. I thought that was an extraordinary thing to do. She worked so hard to keep that program going for years and it was special that Rich showed his appreciation. I certainly take pride in what we accomplished.”

Along with teaching, she served as an assistant coach with the women’s basketball, volleyball and tennis programs and was the head coach of the 1976 and 1977 softball teams that compiled a 11-3 cumulative record. Some of the head coaches/faculty members she coached and worked with included Peg Martin, Donna Johnson (fencing), Carol McMahon , Carol Biddington, and Doris Nevin.

“I believe my fondest memories are of the years when all of us worked and coached in Herron Hall,” said McConnell. “We had great camaraderie and all became good, trusted colleagues and good friends. I also enjoyed working with (emerita faculty member) Marcy Blout on the athletic council. She was super and a real breath of fresh air.”

During the McConnell years as athletic director, the Cal varsity sports programs also produced many All-Americans and individual NCAA national champions in cross country, track and field, and wrestling. Respected throughout the state, she chaired the women’s division of the PSAC in the early 1980s and was the conference’s president from 1980-1981 as well as serving as the liaison for PSAC tennis coaches. Besides initially coordinating women’s athletics on the Cal campus, she served as director of equal opportunities in sports and was instrumental in forming intercollegiate athletics for women at Cal. McConnell retired in the fall of 1991 with emerita faculty status and is the first athletic director ever inducted into the Cal U Athletic Hall of Fame.

McConnell lauded many of the coaches that worked tirelessly with limited resources in Cal’s early years in the highly competitive NCAA Division II. In particular she praised emeritus faculty member and longtime former track and field and cross country head coach Marty Uher, who came back two years ago to assist current coach and two-time Olympic gold medalist Roger Kingdom.

“We had a lot of clever and talented of coaches who did very well with very little,” McConnell said. Marty Uher, who I know came back to help with the programs for a couple of years recently, is as dedicated to his sports and kids as anyone could be. There’s no question he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.”

Originally from Gary, Indiana, she was grew up in Edgewood, Pa., and is a graduate of Edgewood High School, McConnell earned his bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Pittsburgh and then her Master’s of Education from the University of Washington.

Going to school in an era where support for women’s athletics was virtually non-existent, McConnell competed in numerous area tennis tournaments and she and her friends made their own athletic competition. McConnell also participated in field hockey for several clubs during her collegiate days until knee troubles forced her to stop.

“We just wanted to play and compete,” McConnell said about her active, if unheralded playing days. “I was fortunate to compete with and against many outstanding female athletes and it’s too bad they did not have the advantages that now exist but that’s just how things were back then. All of us took great pride however.”

She began her distinguished career as a health and physical education teacher at New Trier High School in Winneaka, IL, and then taught at Kittanning High School before coming to Cal U.

Since retirement, McConnell does volunteer work with the West Newton Senior Center where she assists in the production of that organization’s monthly newsletter and assists in many other projects. She was an avid tennis player until some recent orthopedic challenges and resides in West Newton with her two cats.