BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – Derek Sloan has officially been named as the next head coach of the West Virginia Wesleyan men’s basketball program after the interim tag was removed, WVWC Athletic Director Randy Tenney announced on Wednesday (Sept. 15). 

“We are pleased to announce Derek Sloan as our new head men’s basketball coach,” Tenney said. “This creates the best scenario for our men’s basketball program. The players are very familiar with Coach Sloan and we are excited to watch this program move forward with him at the helm.”

Sloan spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach on previous Wesleyan head coach Nick Patella’s staff and was appointed as the interim head coach on Aug. 10. Since then, Anton Vrebac has been added to Sloan’s staff as the assistant coach.

“I’m really excited to be able to coach this team,” Sloan said. “They are a group with a lot of positive attitudes. We want to teach them how sports translate to life. If we have success off the court then that will translate to on the court success.”

In 2018, Sloan served as an assistant basketball coach at Culver Military Academy in Culver, Ind. The Cleveland, Ohio native was a member of the Cleveland State University men’s basketball team from 2013-2018 as he earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

“I want to thank Coach Tenney and President Thierstein for giving me this opportunity. I want to thank all of the coaches I have had and have worked with throughout my life. A lot of things that I do, I take from them and mold into my own. I also want to thank my family for always being there for me.”

The 2021-22 WVWC men’s basketball team will begin play on Nov. 12