Duquesne Dukes Caravan Visits South Hills Village

The Duquesne University basketball teams both hope to reach new heights this season, no pun intended.

The women's program, joined this year by freshman guard and 2011 graduate , is primed and ready to take a big step forward.

"We are highly motivated and excited to make the NCAA Tournament," said senior guard , formerly of .

The Dukes women felt snubbed last season by reaching only the NIT Tournament and have set lofty goals for this coming 2011-12 campaign.

"It left a salty taste in our mouth last season," Head Coach Suzie McConnell-Serio, originally of Pittsburgh's Brookline neighborhood, said. "Our goal this year is to make the big (NCAA) tournament." 

The Dukes men have reached a postseason tournament (but not the NCAA one) for three straight seasons. That's the first time that the Dukes have made three straight postseason trips since the late 1960s and early '70s.

"We expect to compete for an Atlantic Ten (Conference) championship," Head Coach Ron Everhart said, which would automatically put Duquesne in the NCAA Tournament.

Both coaches' entire rosters converged at  in Bethel Park on Saturday afternoon to get the word out about their local NCAA Division I teams.

"It's so important to meet the fans," men's senior guard/forward B.J. Monteiro said. "They are a big part of what we do."

It wasn't mandatory for every player to show up, but they all did. Each player seemed excited for this year's season to get under way.

Practice begins on Oct. 2.

"It's been fun today," Nurkic said on Saturday. "I really like doing this."

Nurkic was highly recruited by McConnell-Serio and has enjoyed practicing with the Dukes' juniors and seniors while getting ready for her first season.

"I'm getting used to the up-tempo play," Nurkic said.

Saturday's event included a basketball hoop set up for kids and young adults to test their skills; kids games like a bean bag toss; prizes; and performances by Duquesne's cheerleaders.

There were also autograph sessions for younger kids to meet and take pictures with the Dukes.

Kristi and Dan Bonacci, of Bethel Park, brought their 4-year-old son, Cameron, out to meet his favorite player—the men's team's T.J. McConnell, a graduate and McConnell-Serio's nephew.

"I like when T.J. gets the ball and he passes to another player who then shoots the ball," Cameron said.

It made Cameron's day to take a picture with his favorite player and get an autograph to take home, as well.

"I absolutely love giving autographs to little kids," McConnell, a sophomore guard, said.

"We really didn't know what to expect today," said Gensler, who felt right at ease just over the border of her native Upper St. Clair Township, "but it's been great reaching out to the fans."

Fans had an opportunity to purchase single-game or season tickets from the players themselves. It was the first stop on a brand new Dukes Caravan, and it proved to be a big success.

The women's team returns four of its top five scorers for this coming season, including Gensler, who led the team in 2010-11 with an average of 12.6 points per game.

The men's team loses two key starters from this past season in Bill Clark and Damian Saunders, but Everhart expects McConnell and Monteiro to become the new leaders of the team.

"We are a little deeper and more experienced in the backcourt this year," Everhart said.

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