Upper St. Clair girls making progress
Lady Panthers overcoming inexperience, injuries
Upper St. Clair wrapped up the first half of Section 2 girls basketball action with a 38-35 win over arch rival Mt. Lebanon on Jan. 12 and looked forward to the start of the second half of action by hosting Canon-McMillan at 7 p.m. Jan. 22 with optimism.
In her first season at the helm, having replaced her husband and his half dozen seniors, four of them starters from last year’s championship club, Suzie McConnell-Serio envisions plenty of improvement for the Lady Panthers. They finished the first round of section action with a 3-2 record and in third place in the section. Overall they were 6-7 with nine games remaining.
McConnell-Serio said she “blamed” her husband, Pete, for USC’s start. He retired after leading the Lady Panthers to their first WPIAL Class 6A title since 2008 and to the PIAA state finals.
“Before the year started, Ryan (Prunzik) was the only player on my entire team with experience,” McConnell-Serio said. “So every game that we have played has been about getting them game experience, which is very valuable. Our players are learning as they go and I think they’re starting to figure things out.”
To date, the Lady Panthers have experienced it all.
“We’ve lost some close games. We’ve had leads and given them away. We missed free throws and almost tried to give it away with a turnover,” said McConnell-Serio of the team’s misfortune.
Mt. Lebanon was a microcosm of the season. The Lady Panthers fell behind, 9-0, at the start but trailed, 15-14, at intermission. They took their first lead, 16-15, two minutes into the third quarter. After widening the margin, they allowed the Blue Devils back into the contest but escaped with the three-point triumph.
“Oh that was tough,” McConnell-Serio sighed. “We make it very difficult on ourselves sometimes.
“Both teams played hard and had their share of runs. This is a big rivalry so it’s no surprise that it came down to the final possession of the game.
“I am just so proud of the way our kids continue to fight.”
Since the start of the 2025-26 season, the Lady Panthers have battled not just their inexperience. They have been plagued by injuries and absences.
Against Lebo, the Lady Panthers played without Anelise Castrodale because she was in California due to a soccer commitment.
Alexa Dumas has missed the entire season due to an injury. Alexis Ingram suffered an injury during a holiday tournament and is in a walking cast.
Plus, Prunzik incurred an injury that contributed to a five-game losing skid. She suffered bone bruises on both sides of her legs and cartilage damage to her knee.
“We’ve had a different starting line-up pretty much every game,” McConnell-Serio said. “Every game we never know what our line-up will look like.
“These kids have stepped up. We talk about the next person stepping up and finding a way. We continue to fight, trust each other and believe. We’re getting better and better.”
Prunzik continues to round into the shape that saw her average six points per game and lead the Panthers in assists and steals last season. She also ranked second on the team in rebound despite her 5-foot-4 stature.
“Ryan is the heart and soul of this team,” McConnell-Serio said. “She does a nice job of creating the offense. She’s our playmaker, a scorer, a rebounder and she’s guarding the other team’s point guard. She has her hand in every play that we run. She’s an unbelievable player.
McConnell-Serio continued by defining Prunzik as a “special” player because she elevates the play of every single person on the floor. Plus, she has a fiery spirit.
“She wants to win. She is competitive and her teammates feed off her. She finds a way to get it done.”
A two-time all-section performer, Prunzik is attracting attention of colleges from Division I through III. Prunzik’s pick will not be disappointed, predicts McConnell-Serio.
“Whoever gets her at the next level is getting a diamond because she is so special.”
Although she is only a sophomore, Ekaterina (Kat) Polystanko is developing into a player with similar star power. The 6-foot-1 forward led USC in scoring against Lebo, tossing in 14 tallies.
“She runs the floor like a deer and that’s where a lot of her opportunities come from playing with Ryan in transition,” McConnell-Serio said. “With Ryan at the perimeter and Kat inside, we need that inside-outside presence.
“Kat is still developing. Her game is still growing and we’re working with her. She’s playing 32 minutes a game and doing a great job. She’s not afraid to be on the block and mix it up and as her game advances and she progresses so will her perimeter play because we shoot a lot of threes.”
USC has benefited from the play of Caroline Barnard, Kenzie Pop and Claire Birmingham as well as Audrey Brown, Evelynn McDermott and Nadia Vetere.
“I’m excited for the development of our team and the progress that we’re making with each game. We’re getting better,” McConnell-Serio said. “We got a good win against Lebo. It’s a section win, which means everything.
“It’s amazing that we have a month or so left of this season and this is where you talk about starting to play your best basketball. We are just going to continue to take it one game at a time and prepare for every game the same way.”