PITTSBURGH — To no one's surprise, Tony Grenek is on the verge of breaking the career wins record for a Point Park University women's basketball coach.

It's the quickness in which he's breaking it that's shocking.

Grenek, a Butler graduate and former coach at Union High School and Butler County Community College, is 81-20 in just his fourth season with the Pioneers. He currently shares the victory record with Ed Meena, who needed nine seasons to accumulate his 81 wins.

“I got the job here at the right time,” Grenek, 43, said. “They were coming off back-to-back winning seasons, barely (14-13). I inherited a group of four seniors starving for success.

“They were knocking on the door a little bit in terms of breaking through.”

With Grenek, that break-through came. He has posted three consecutive seasons of 23 or more victories. Point Park had never before realized a 20-win campaign. Meena's 1993-94 squad was 19-12.

In fact, Point Park's all-time winning percentage in women's basketball before Grenek's arrival was approximately 35 percent. Under Grenek, the program is winning at an 80 percent clip.

“You are only as good as your seniors,” Grenek said. “A coach needs their leadership. Fortunately, they bought into what I was trying to do right away.”

The Pioneers have produced records of 23-7, 25-7 and 29-5 under Grenek, reaching the NAIA Division II national tournament each time. This year's team is off to a 4-1 start.

Grenek can break the school's victory record with a win Monday at Washington & Adventist.

“Honestly, that record means nothing to me,” Grenek said. “I'm coaching to win a national championship and to try to be a positive role model for the players, whether I'm coaching men or women.

“I just try to take it day-by-day. My attitude is to get my team prepared for the next game.”

Grenek's two assistant coaches, Brittany Dunmire and April Austin, both played for him at Point Park. Dunmire played on Grenek's first two teams at the school, then joined the coaching staff last year.

“Before he's a coach, he's a person,” Dunmire said of Grenek. “He has an ability to relate to his players.

“I was a role player here, but I bought into the system and my role because Coach Grenek treats every single player on the team like she is a superstar. He pushes every player to reach her potential.”

Dunmire's father coached boys basketball for 16 years at Steel Valley. “so I've always been around it,” she said of the sport.

“But not until I started playing for (Grenek) did I realize coaching might be something I'd like to do. I know the impact he's had on me and others on the team.”

Austin, a former Pioneer point guard, is in her first year on Grenek's staff.

“Tony's a great leader and he's very knowledgeable about basketball,” Austin said. “He;s been coaching the game for about 17 years.

“Because he's family-oriented, he's made our team that way. There's a fellow bond among us that makes everyone want to win for each other.”

Austin won three WPIAL championships as a point guard at North Catholic. Point Park's current point guard, Kelly Johnson, won state championships at Mt. Lebanon.

Grenek believes the pieces are in place for the Pioneers to make a run at the national title this year.

“Our (KIAC) conference has gotten tougher with the additions of Rio Grande and IU-East, but if we make it through our own league this year, we can make a run,” Grenek said. “The talent us here.”

Grenek hopes to one day wind up as a head collegiate men's basketball coach at the Division I level. He said his ideal job would be Duquesne.

“I love the Pittsburgh area and my family loves the Pittsburgh area,” he said. “I love the atmosphere here.

“They allow me to make my own schedule here and I'm able to run the program the right way. I get plenty of family time at home. My daughter's 7 and my son's 4, so that structure is perfect for me.”

Here is how Point Park University women’s basketball head coach Tony Grenek’s career won-loss record compares to the program’s previous coaches:Coach W LTony Grenek 81 20Ed Meena 81 177S. Kosanovich 53 71Luke Ruppel 30 21Pat Wallace 24 22Kathy Ridilla 20 43Dan Kail 16 12Jim McKinnon 16 22Jay Banaszak 15 39Earl Burnham 12 39Kevin Iole 11 12Tom Welch 10 17Debbie Caban 8 10Ben Hartman 8 15Karen Hall 6 19Dwight Clay 5 19