Pull Back the Plaid Curtain on Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach David Sloan

Get to know assistant men’s basketball coach David Sloan in this addition of "Pull Back the Plaid Curtain!"

1. What drew you to being a coach – why the path to intercollegiate athletics?

Legend has it that my affinity for coaching started as a 10-year old playing baseball… and I never looked back. It was only after my experiences through college, and the life-changing effect of those four years, that I cemented my interest in coaching at the collegiate level. I want to help people grow while winning games in the process!

2. What is your favorite memory about being a coach/employee at Carnegie Mellon?

On the court, there are two games that stand out: 2018-19 home win against Chicago and 2019-20 win against Penn State Behrend. Both games were hard fought, exemplified perfectly what we now talk about with GRIT, and had incredible energy & influence.

Off the floor, it is seeing the absolute joy on a player’s face as he tells you that he locked up a job after graduation. I got into coaching for reasons beyond simply wins and losses and this moment encapsulates the incredible journey each player endures.

3. What is your favorite thing about campus at Carnegie Mellon University?

I love the way our campus has created a distinctive “Campus” feel with green space, outdoor gathering areas, and campus activities. Our students get all of the benefits of being in Pittsburgh without the concrete campus feeling that you often see in a city.

4. Who has been the most influential person in your career?

There are a ton of people that have helped me get to where I am today – from my coaches as a kid, to the coaches that gave me my first job in coaching and the chance to jump into the collegiate level. However, my last boss at Maine Maritime Academy, Dan McNeely, has really shaped the way that I see the game and my philosophy on coaching. He continues to be a sounding board for ideas and someone that I look to for advice.

5. What is the most memorable athletic event you have witnessed / been a part of outside of Carnegie Mellon Athletics?

Winning the MAC Championship my senior year at Alvernia University on a buzzer-beater by Charles Cooper that made SportsCenter Top 10.

6. If you weren't coaching, what would you see yourself doing?

I’d be a Certified Athletic Trainer at the collegiate level, something I did for four and a half years before coming to Carnegie Mellon.

7. What is one thing that no one knows about you?

When I was younger I was a competitive rifle shooter and competed on the national level.

For other department member responses, visit Pull Back the Plaid Curtain.