SLIPPERY ROCK— Winning and Courtnay Rattigan have become synonymous.

The 2000 Karns City graduate was the post player on the Gremlins girls basketball team that won the Class AAstate championship that year.

She returned to Karns City as an assistant coach and helped the Gremlins win District 9 titles in 2006 and 2007.

The only time Rattigan didn't win consistently was as a player at Indiana (Pa.)University — and now she's righting that score.

A first-year assistant coach with the Crimson Hawks, Rattigan is part of an IUPteam that is 23-2 this season, leading the PSACWest and ranked ninth in NCAADivision II.

"I'm having so much fun and I'm getting paid for something I love to do,"Rattigan said. "Not many people can say that."

Rattigan joined IUP's program when it was coming off two of its best seasons — 26-6 and 24-5 — and figured on starting for two or three seasons.

She did become a team captain for two years, but injuries limited her to 94 games, 401 points and 251 rebounds. The team was 50-55 during her four years, 19-9 during her redshirt season of 2002-03.

"It was disappointing. I felt like I was never healthy,"Rattigan recalled.

Graduating with a degree in psychology in 2005, she returned home and joined the staff of Karns City girls basketball coach Dave Kerschbaumer. She coached the seventh grade team as well.

Shortly after taking the Gremlins to a summer basketball camp at IUP, Rattigan received a job offer from her college alma mater.

"Two days after we got back, an assistant's position opened up,"Rattigan said. "They called and asked if I'd be interested.

"I had a day to think it over and jumped on it. I'm still young and not tied down. ... If I was ever gonna go for it, this was the time."

While Rattigan left Karans City, the Gremlins kept winning, wrapping up a third straight district title Wednesday night — the same night IUPtied the school record of 23 wins in a season with a 71-59 triumph at Slippery Rock.

"I still follow those girls,"Rattigan said of Karns City. "We text message each other all the time."

Rattigan became the first IUPgraduate to return to the program as a coach. Neither Rattigan nor third-year head coach Cindy Martin has regretted the move.

"Courtnay's personality is so positive and uplifting,"Martin said. "She's great for recruiting because she's someone who has gone through the player experience here.

"Before her arrival, I worked with the post players in practice. It's nice having a post player doing that now, as well as lending thoughts to strategy during our office meetings."

Rattigan played for Sandy Thomas and Justin English at IUP, when the team played more of a steady halfcourt game.

Under Martin, it's high-pressure, quick-paced basketball.

"(Martin) played at the University of Florida and was an assistant coach at West Virginia, two great women's basketball programs that play the fast-paced game. And she brought that to IUP,"Rattigan said.

The Crimson Hawks were ranked fifth when the first Division IInational poll was released and have remained in the top 10 despite having no seniors on the team.

Rattigan has worked with junior Jahzinga Tracey, who is on her way to becoming the program's all-time leading scorer.

"I'm impressed with the talent we have here,"Rattigan said. "Staci Heberling (junior averaging 9.7 ppg) and Hillary Shope (sophomore at 7.9 ppg) are among those I've worked with more regularly."

Having won a state championship as a player, Rattigan is chasing a national championship as a coach.

"This team has this year and next year to take a shot at it,"she said. "I think we're good enough. We're ranked ninth now, but all that matters is where you are at the end of the year."

Where Rattigan winds up in coaching remains to be seen.

"This is going to open some doors for me,"Rattigan said. "Maybe I'll coach at the Division I level someday, maybe I'll stay at Division II.

"I could stay in this position for the next few years and be fine with it. I'm having a ball."