The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Sports

September 6, 2008

MSU retires Sloan’s numbers

By Dan Stillwell

All-conference player of the year in two sports.

NAIA national player of the week.

And best of all, All-America scholar-athlete.

There probably won’t be another player like Jennifer Sloan at Mountain State University for a long time.

“My career has been more than I (dreamed),” the Beckley native and recent MSU graduate said Friday after her numbers in both volleyball and softball were retired at a ceremony before the Cougars’ volleyball match with Bluefield College.

During her senior season, Sloan was NAIA libero of the week nine times, KIAC volleyball player of the week four times and NAIA Region 12 libero of the week seven times.

In softball, she was KIAC player of the week twice, Region 12 player of the week twice and Region 12 player of the year.

The KIAC also named her Female Athlete of the Year.

“I never expected any of this,” Sloan said. “I always set out to do the best I can.”

Sloan graduated after four stellar years with the Cougars.

She set NAIA volleyball records with 1,434 regular-season digs, 9.37 digs per game and 37 matches with 20-plus digs.

“Jennifer is very difficult for us to replace,” coach Tim Berry said. “We had to go to a junior college and bring in an All-American to fill her shoes.”

In softball, Sloan excelled at three crucial positions — catcher, shortstop and center field.

Berry has seen few players work harder to improve themselves.

“She has a dynamic work ethic along with the ambition to be the best,” he said. “Giving 100 percent was good enough. She would work beyond practice, on her own time.”

Sloan, a Woodrow Wilson High School graduate and the daughter of Mike and Maryann Sloan, now works in the vascular lab at Charleston Area Medical Center, doing ultra-sounds.

“I miss playing already,” she said. “I’m going to come watch MSU all season. I want to stay in touch with (sports). I’d love to coach one day.”

Sloan wore No. 16 in volleyball and No. 34 in softball. A shadowbox with her picture and replicas of her uniform will adorn the wall outside the women’s dressing room at Van Meter Gymnasium.

She is MSU’s first athlete to have her numbers retired.

“I’m very honored and touched that coach would do this for me,” she said.

— E-mail:

dstillwell@register-herald.com

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