PITTSBURGH — When it comes to constructing a basketball program, Tony Grenek isn’t being paid by the hour.

Good thing. He wouldn’t be making very much.

In only his third year as head coach of the Point Park University women’s basketball team, the Butler graduate and former Butler County Community College coach has the Pioneers on the verge of becoming a national contender,

Grenek inherited a program that had put together just seven winning seasons in 33 years. Yet he has won 51 of his first 65 games there.

All Grenek has done thus far is break the school record for wins in a season twice (23 and 25), win two conference championships and produce the first two NAIA national tournament appearances in the program’s history.

“Our recruiting has gone to another level because our name has gotten out there,” Grenek said. “This is the deepest team I’ve ever had. We dress 16 players when we’re completely healthy.”

A healthy team hasn’t been the case so far this year.

Ja’Nia McPhatter, a New Castle graduate, the Pioneers’ center and best player, has yet to play this season due to injury. Butler graduate and Point Park senior Katresa Savisky missed the team’s last game with a concussion and was not expected to play this weekend.

Savisky, despite standing only 5-foot-9, had been moved to center to replace McPhatter in the lineup.

“This is my 13th year of coaching, men and women, and I’ve never coached a player tougher than Katresa Savisky,” Grenek said. “She’s one of the hardest working players I’ve been around in basketball. She’s a 4.0 student, too.”

In a 77-74 win over Madonna (Mich.), Savisky had 19 points and six rebounds from the post position. The effort was enough to land her Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) Player of the Week honors.

“I’m happy to be moved around, anything to help the team,” Savisky said. “I didn’t think I’d enjoy the post position as much as I have.

“It takes pressure off from having to handle the ball so much at guard. You can get inside and mix it up a little bit. I like it.”

With Savisky out of the lineup, Karns City graduate and Point Park senior forward Ashley Campbell stepped in off the bench and scored 10 points in another win.

Point Park took a 3-0 record into play this weekend.

“Ashley has been to nationals in volleyball and basketball at BC3 and she’s a 3.75 student here,” Grenek said. “She’s just a winner. We know we can count on her.”

Point Park is starting three freshmen this season, including shooting guard Celina DiPietro and power forward Carly Forse from last year’s state championship Bishop Canevin squad, and forward Samantha Weir, a 1,000-point scorer at Riverside High School and a transfer from Seton Hill.

The point guard is Kayla Kiriau, a transfer from Sheridan College in Wyoming. Kiriau is from New Zealand and is the girlfriend of former Pitt center Steve Adams, now with the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder.

“I’m good friends with one of Pitt’’s coaches and he steered me over to her,” Grenek said. “Kayla has been a great addition.

“I think we can make some noise nationally this season. The only thing going against us is that we’re so young.”

The Pioneers were bounced from the NAIA Tournament in the first round the last two years, losing a 61-31 decision to eventual national champion Indiana Wesleyan last year.

“That was a good experience for us. It showed us where we want to be,” Grenek said.

Savisky likes the team’s chances this time around.

“We’re going to make a run. We’re primed for it,” she said. “Our freshman class is immensely talented. This program is going to do great things.

“Just being part of the beginning years of turning this program around, having my name attached to it ... It’s special. I’ll always remember this.”