UTEP MINERS
Hole In One: Miner Greats Roger & Casey Sloan Giving Back By Mark Brunner Strategic Communications Miner greats Roger Sloan (men’s golf) and Casey Sloan (McAnelly) (volleyball) met at UTEP while both were competing for their respective sports, and life has never been the same. They went on to get married and have a growing family of two kids while Roger continues to live out his dream of being a professional golfer. He turned pro in 2009, and still appreciates what he gets to do for a living. “It’s pretty cool to do something you’re passionate about,” Sloan said. “I love golf. It gave me the opportunity to go to El Paso, and now it’s giving me the opportunity to travel across the country and play this crazy sport for a living. I’m excited that I have a pretty cool job.” Roger starred on the links for the Orange and Blue from 200509, going to the NCAA Regionals as a senior. He knows that the opportunity he received at UTEP afforded him the chance to go on to the professional circuit. “I had a great coach, Rick Todd, who was also a Canadian,” Sloan said. “He recruited me out of Canada, and it was love at first sight when I came down to El Paso. There was a great sense of community in El Paso. I really enjoyed being able to learn from my coach and develop my game. It really spurred me on to get better and play at the highest level in the world.” He’s earned 3.3 million according to PGATour.com, and he and his wife Casey want to give back and support UTEP so that others will have the chance to follow in his footsteps. “We’re at a point in our career now where it’s important to give 42
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back to that next generation of kids so they can experience the same things that we did,” Sloan said. “UTEP just hired a new men’s golf coach, and the possibility of getting the program back to a top50 program in the country is right at our finger tips. “It was essential for me (to give back to UTEP),” Sloan said. “UTEP has a lot of meaning for us. It gave me the opportunity to play golf at a collegiate level, but more than that it was an opportunity for Casey and I to meet. Having two young kids, and a growing, loving family, it wouldn’t have happened without the support of UTEP Athletics and the community in El Paso.” Alongside Roger Sloan for his entire journey has been his wife, Casey, who competed with UTEP volleyball from 2006-08. “Being a collegiate athlete has definitely helped being the spouse of a professional athlete,” Sloan said. “I can kind of understand what’s going on. I get the grind. I get that there’s going to be highs and there’s going to be lows. I’m able to be by Roger’s side the whole time and work through that. I’m a part of the PGA Wives’ Association, and we’re a chari-
table, giving group. At UTEP I remember specifically doing a lot of giving back opportunities through athletics. UTEP was a good foundation and stepping stone for both of us for where we are now.” Roger and Casey are a team, and teamwork is a valuable part to everything they do according to Casey. “Teamwork is so important for us,” Sloan said. “From having to figure out where are we this week to next week and being able to work with all the people that are a part of our team. From Roger’s caddie to our coaches and everyone else. Having a team background definitely benefits us.” So when they were presented the chance to participate in Paydirt’s Rally in August by donating a high-ended auction for the PGA Tour experience to Houston, to play along Roger, dine with him and his family, it was a no brainer. “It’s important for me to give back,” Sloan said. “We knew there’d be some people in El Paso that would like the opportunity to come to Houston, play a great course (Houston Oaks) and have a great time.” Roger and Casey know that everything they have now wouldn’t have happened without all of the support and the opportunity in UTEP, so they were happy to give back. “That’s our job to give back because El Paso gave us that opportunity,” Roger Sloan said. “We’re just trying to do our small, little part.”
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