NEW ORLEANS – App State’s Emily Carver finished week three of conference action with a pair of standout performances and has been named the Sun Belt Women’s Basketball Player of the Week.

Carver netted a career and team-high 22 points against James Madison on Thursday before earning a double-double on Saturday in App State’s win against Georgia Southern, scoring the second-most points for the Mountaineers with 21 as well as pulling down a team-high 10 rebounds. The Asheville, N.C. native sunk 5-of-6 treys and 6-of-8 free throws against the Eagles.

Carver checks in at fourth in the conference for 3-pointers per game (averaging 2.8 per game), fifth for 3-point field goal percentage (.405), and ninth in rebounding (averaging 2.3 per game) in league-only play. Carver has been the Mountaineers’ top rebounder in seven games and top scorer in three games this season.

Sun Belt Women’s Basketball Players of the Week
Week 1 – Kiki Jefferson, James Madison
Week 2 – Kiki Jefferson, James Madison
Week 3 – Domonique Davis, Southern Miss
Week 4 – Aja Blount, Coastal Carolina
Week 5 – Amari Young, Old Dominion
Week 6 – Domonique Davis, Southern Miss
Week 7 – Kseniia Kozlova, James Madison
Week 8 – Terren Ward, Georgia Southern
Week 9 – Emma Merriweather, ULM
Week 10 – Emily Carver, App State

Special Report from App State Sports. BOONE, N.C. — App State has hired Frank Ponce to rejoin head coach Shawn Clark’s staff as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Clark announced Monday.

Ponce served as the Mountaineers’ co-offensive coordinator (passing game) and quarterbacks coach for six seasons from 2013-18 and then as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2021. He was the passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Miami Hurricanes in his hometown during the 2022 season.

Over the course of his two previous stints in Boone, Ponce helped the Mountaineers win three Sun Belt Championships and reach another Sun Belt title game, as well as lead offenses that broke several school records.

“We’re excited to welcome back a man that is very familiar to everyone in our program,” Clark said. “Frank’s resumé speaks for itself, and he knows what it takes to win championships at App State. I’m glad to have him back directing our offense and quarterback room.”

As App State’s offensive coordinator in 2021, Ponce oversaw quarterback Chase Brice set a single-season program record for passing yards (3,337) as the Mountaineers extended their FBS-leading streak of consecutive years with a 1,000-yard rusher to 10 while averaging 34.5 points per game. The offense helped App State post a 10-win regular season and win the Sun Belt’s East Division title.

“I’m incredibly grateful to Coach Clark, Doug Gillin and Chancellor Everts for welcoming me back,” Ponce said. “I’m truly excited to be back on the mountain. Boone holds many wonderful memories and moments for me, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to make more. Ready to give my all for Appalachian State.”

After helping lead App State to a 48-16 record and three consecutive Sun Belt championships during his first five FBS seasons in Boone, Ponce followed Scott Satterfield to Louisville after the 2018 season and spent 2019 and 2020 as the Cardinals’ quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator.

The detail-oriented Ponce oversaw the 2019 development of Louisville quarterback and new full-time starter Malik Cunningham, who set the school record with a passing efficiency rating of 194.45 — a number that would have ranked No. 2 nationally with one more pass attempt.

Cunningham threw for 4,682 yards with 42 touchdowns, rushed for 1,091 yards with 13 touchdowns and completed 63.6 percent of his throws in his two seasons with Ponce, becoming the only Louisville quarterback to ever have four touchdown passes of at least 75 yards.

Three-year App State starter Zac Thomas was a relatively unknown commodity replacing record-breaking quarterback Taylor Lamb back in 2018, and Ponce helped Thomas make an immediate splash as a first-year starter who developed into the Sun Belt’s Offensive Player of the Year with 2,039 passing yards, 504 rushing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, 10 rushing touchdowns and just six interceptions during an 11-2 season.

Ponce excelled as a high school coach in his home state of Florida from 1992-2006 before joining Mario Cristobal’s staff at FIU as the wide receivers coach from 2007-12, with Satterfield working alongside both of them from 2010-11 as FIU’s offensive coordinator. When Satterfield became App State’s head coach in 2013, he hired Ponce to coordinate the Mountaineers’ passing game and coach quarterbacks.

Under Ponce’s mentorship, Lamb finished his App State career as the school and Sun Belt record holder with 90 touchdown passes. The only FBS quarterbacks in 2017 with career totals of at least 9,000 passing yards and 2,000 rushing yards were Lamb, Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett and Louisville’s Lamar Jackson.

With 27 touchdown passes and six interceptions as a senior, Lamb had the third-best season for an App State quarterback in terms of touchdown-to-interception ratio, and he led the conference in passing efficiency during three of his four seasons.

As a first-year App State assistant, one season before Lamb became the starter as a redshirt freshman, Ponce directed the Southern Conference’s second-ranked passing attack (271.8 yards per game). He helped quarterback Kameron Bryant set a school record for single-season completion percentage (71.2) and throw for 2,713 yards even though Bryant came into the season with just 13 snaps under his belt.

Ponce is also renowned for his recruiting ability, as he was named the Sun Belt’s top recruiter by ESPN.com in 2010.

He coached six of the top 10 receivers in FIU history during his six seasons with the Golden Panthers. His most notable pupil at FIU was three-time All-American T.Y. Hilton, who has played 11 years in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys.

Prior to FIU, Ponce was one of the top high school coaches in football-rich south Florida, serving as the head coach and offensive coordinator at tradition-laden Miami Senior High from 2004-06 and the head coach at Coral Reef High from 2002-03. He began his coaching career with stints as an assistant at La Progresiva Presbyterian School (offensive coordinator – 1992), Coral Gables High (quarterbacks/wide receivers – 1993-96), Miami Northwestern High (quarterbacks – 1998), Miami Central High (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks – 1999-2000) and Miami Killian High (offensive coordinator – 2001). As a coach at Miami Central, he mentored Willis McGahee, who went on to become an All-America running back at the University of Miami and a two-time NFL Pro Bowler.

A native of Miami, Ponce enjoyed a decorated playing career as a quarterback at Miami Senior, where he was the team MVP and a finalist for the 1988 Miami Herald Hispanic Athlete of the Year Award. He went on to become the starting quarterback for two years at Arizona Western College, where he earned an associate’s degree in arts in 1990. He earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Florida International in 1997.

Ponce and his wife, Christine, are the parents of two daughters, Isabel and Leah, and a pair of sons, Frankie and Lucas.

PONCE AT A GLANCE

Coaching Experience

1992: La Progresiva Presbyterian School (Offensive coordinator)
1993-96: Coral Gables H.S. (Quarterbacks/Wide receivers)
1998: Miami Northwestern H.S. (Quarterbacks)
1999-2000: Miami Central H.S. (Offensive coordinator/QBs)
2002-03: Miami Coral Reef H.S. (Head coach)
2004-06: Miami Senior H.S. (Head coach/Offensive coordinator)
2007-12: Florida International (Wide receivers)
2013-18: App State (Co-Offensive coordinator, Passing game/QBs)
2019-20: Louisville (Passing game coordinator/QBs)
2021: App State (Offensive coordinator/QBs)
2022: Miami (Passing game coordinator/QBs)

Playing Experience

1989-90: Arizona Western (QB)

Personal

Alma Mater: Florida International, 1997
Hometown: Miami, Fla.
Birthdate: April 3, 1971
Wife: Christine
Sons: Frankie, Lucas
Daughters: Isabel, Leah
Twitter: @CoachFrankPonce

By Bret Strelow for App State Sports. CHARLESTON, S.C. — Two days after hosting a top-10 team, App State Wrestling hit the road to face an unbeaten conference opponent.

Short on rest — and with two wrestlers making only their second dual starts of the season — the 22nd-ranked Mountaineers were up to the task in a 34-6 win at The Citadel on Sunday afternoon.

Squaring off against the Bulldogs, who were 4-0 overall and 3-0 at home, App State (5-2, 2-0 SoCon) won nine of 10 matches. Luke Uliano’s six-point pin in the second match produced the first of four bonus-point victories, with the other three coming in the final three matches from Jon Jon Millner (18-7 major decision), Tommy Askey (15-7 major decision) and Will Formato (19-0 tech fall).

App State’s five decisions (worth three team points each) came from Will Miller (9-4 win), Carson Floyd (11-9), Caleb Smith (6-3), Ethan Oakley (4-3 in his second career dual start) and Heath Gonyer (6-0).

App State returned to action after putting up a strong fight Friday night in a 23-11 loss to No. 9 Virginia Tech and improved to 53-5 in its last 58 conference duals.

Two takedowns, plus back points, gave Miller an 8-1 lead after one period of his dual-opening win against Benjamin Haubert, who took third place at last year’s SoCon Championships.

Uliano followed that with a second-period pin of Will Rogers, and Floyd jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first period of his tight win against Mark Chaid, who made six starts for North Carolina last season. Chaid had one reversal and three takedowns over the final two periods, but Floyd’s four escapes and a riding time point were enough to prevail.

After The Citadel picked up its lone win with a pin in the heavyweight matchup, Smith overcame a 2-0 deficit by finishing all three periods in strong fashion against Penn transfer Blair Orr. Smith totaled five of his six points in the last seven seconds of periods, with an escape late in the first period and a takedown late in each of the final two periods. His takedown to end the second period broke a 2-all tie, and he led 4-3 before his last-second takedown in the third.­­

Oakley produced an early takedown against George Rosas and technically trailed 3-2 entering the third — although Oakley had more than two minutes in riding time at that point and would be starting the final period on bottom with a chance for an escape. He got one in less than 15 seconds, and the one point for riding time exceeding a minute made the difference.

Gonyer had a takedown in each of the first two periods against Dillon Roman, and Millner only allowed points on conceded escapes as he totaled eight takedowns in his win.

Askey gave up the first takedown to Thomas Snipes but delivered the next two to lead 6-3 entering the third period. Chasing bonus points, Askey conceded an escape that allowed Snipes to briefly pull within 6-4, but Askey used four takedowns to win by eight points and claim a major decision.

Formato’s takedown and two four-point near falls in the opening period propelled him to a tech fall in the final match.

The Mountaineers return to action Friday night with a SoCon dual at VMI and are back in Varsity Gym for a Jan. 24 home dual against Duke on that Tuesday night. The 2022-23 season is presented by Hungry Howie’s and Penn Station.

No. 22 App State 34, The Citadel 6

174: #32 Will Miller (APP) def. Benjamin Haubert (CIT), 9-4 dec.
184: Luke Uliano (APP) def. Will Rogers (CIT), fall (3:43)
197: Carson Floyd (APP) def. Mark Chaid (CIT), 11-9 dec.
Hwt: Jonathan Chesser (CIT) def. Jacob Sartorio (APP), fall (6:13)
125: #21 Caleb Smith (APP) def. Blair Orr (CIT), 6-3 dec.
133: Ethan Oakley (APP) def. George Rosas (CIT), 4-3 dec.
141: Heath Gonyer (APP) def. Dillon Roman (CIT), 6-0 dec.
149: #8 Jon Jon Millner (APP) def. Ethan Willis (CIT), 18-7 maj. dec.
157: #31 Tommy Askey (APP) def. Thomas Snipes (CIT), 15-7 maj. dec.
165: #26 Will Formato (APP) def. Brodie Porter (CIT), 19-0 tech fall

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Both Appalachian State and Troy had averaged close to 75 points in offensive scoring coming into their Jan. 14 game at the Holmes Convocation Center. And yet, what evolved as a defensive battle did not come as a surprise to Mountaineer head coach Dustin Kerns. App State took the lead early, with 15:39 remaining in the first half — and kept it, emerging with a convincing, 58-45 victory.

“Troy’s game against Georgia State, they were in the 50s,” said Kerns in the postgame press conference. “They have been winning in the 50s and low 60s. They force 16 turnovers a game and they score on a lot of them. Their guard, Nelson Phillips, set a record with 12 steals in a game. It was a big deal for us tonight to take care of the ball and deal with the pressure. I thought our guys handled that really, really well. So yeah, we expected this to be an old-fashioned fist fight.”

While there were no actual fisticuffs, it was a defensive battle royale, to be sure. Disruptive defensive play by both teams resulted in 16 turnovers committed by Troy, 13 by App State. Neither team was able to muster much scoring from the perimeter, each only successful on five 3-point shots.

Troy came into the game atop the Sun Belt Conference standings at 4-1 in league play, 12-6 overall. In App State, the Trojans were meeting a team that was 9-9 overall, 2-3 in Sun Belt play.

According to historical records kept by the Mountaineers’ sports information department, App State allowing only 45 points to a Sun Belt opponent was the fewest by a Mountaineer team since 2015, when App State defeated Louisiana-Monroe, 68-43. In that game, too, the opponent came into the game with a first-place standing in the Sun Belt.

Notes published by the sports information department prior to the game reported that the Mountaineers were the league’s leaders in field goal percentage defense — and they didn’t disappoint against Troy. Keeping the Trojans off-balance and making shots difficult, App State held the visitors to just a 26.7 percent field goal percentage, including just 16.1 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.

In his opening statement at the post-game press conference, Kerns was quick to thank the students and fans who provided a lot of energy in the Holmes Center. “You guys helped us get a win,” said Kerns of the 2,377 spectators, the vast majority of which were supporting the Mountaineers on this cold, blustery Saturday afternoon.

“Our guys were really well connected and we were tough,” said Kerns of the Mountaineers’ performances, individually and as a team.

Nine Mountaineers took to the hardwoods against Troy, none more impactful offensively than Terence Harcum, Donovan Gregory, and C J Huntley, with 15, 11 and 9 points, respectively. Xavion Brown and Christopher Mantis added 8 points each and freshman Justin Abson contributed 7 points to the team’s balanced scoring effort.

Abson, Huntley and Brown were the leading rebounders, with 8, 7, and 7, respectfully. Altogether, the Mountaineers collected 40 rebounds on the night, 33 on defense to put an end to Trojan opportunities.

Abson continued to be among the nation’s leaders in blocked shots, adding two more to bring his season long total to 41, the 13th-highest total, nationwide.

Now 10-9 overall and 3-3 in Sun Belt play, the Mountaineers next go on the road next week for a Jan. 19 rematch with Coastal Carolina in Conway, S.C., then a Jan. 21 venture up to Old Dominion.

With the loss, Troy falls into a six-team knot at the top of the conference standings at 4-2, with Louisiana, Southern Miss, Georgia Southern, Marshall and Louisiana-Monroe all sharing identical conference records. App State, Texas State, and James Madison are all close behind at 3-3.

By Katherine Jamtgaard. STATESBORO, Ga. — Matching its highest scoring total ever in a Sun Belt Conference victory, App State Women’s Basketball got at least 15 points from all five of its starters in a 96-88 road win Saturday against a Georgia Southern team that took the floor with an 11-3 record.

With the score tied at 75-all entering the fourth quarter, the Mountaineers (7-10, 3-3) limited Georgia Southern to 13 points over the final 10 minutes and turned a tie game with 7:45 remaining into a 92-80 advantage thanks to a 12-0 run over the next five minutes.

Starters accounted for every App State point as the Mountaineers went 11-for-21 from 3-point range and 21-for-28 from the line while shooting 50 percent from the field.

“I’m extremely proud of our group,” App State head coach Angel Elderkin said. “I thought we showed a tremendous amount of fight, specifically in that fourth quarter just locking in defensively and holding a tough Georgia Southern team on their home court to 13 points. Just really great effort where it’s hard to really put your finger on one thing. I think the team is coming together and playing well right now.”

Janay Sanders scored a career-high 26 points, and Emily Carver fell one point shy of her career high in a 21-point outing that included 10 rebounds for her second double-double in the last five games. Faith Alston tied her season high of 18 points, matched her career high of seven assists and grabbed six rebounds.

Brooke Bigott also filled up the stat sheet with 16 points, seven rebounds and five steals, while A’Lea Gilbert contributed 15 points with six rebounds.

The 96 points equaled App State’s output from a 96-81 league win at Troy on Jan. 28, 2016 — the Mountaineers’ second season in the Sun Belt. The last time App State scored more points in a win against a Division I opponent was early in the 2010-11 season, when App State had 98, 100 and 99 points in consecutive victories against Gardner-Webb, Elon and UNC-Asheville.

Bigott, Carver, Sanders and Gilbert were a combined 10 of 12 from 3-point range, as Carver went 5 of 6 and Bigott was 3 of 4. App State last shot better than 50 percent from 3-point range while reaching double figures in made 3s in an 81-78 win against Georgia Southern two seasons ago.

Bigott’s offensive rebound set up a tiebreaking 3-pointer from Sanders with 7:16 remaining, and Bigott doubled the lead on a 3-pointer assisted by Alston to push App State ahead 86-80 with 5:50 left. Two layups from Sanders, sandwiched around a Georgia Southern turnover, increased the margin to double figures before Bigott recorded a steal and Taylor Lewis blocked a shot to extend the Eagles’ scoring drought.

Another turnover by the Eagles (11-4, 3-3) preceded two free throws by Alston for a 12-point lead with less than three minutes remaining. Georgia Southern cut its deficit to 92-88 with 1:04 left, but Alston drilled a pullup jumper with 39 seconds left and Carver stole a pass nine seconds later to help ¬seal the win.

The Mountaineers led by as many as 11 points in the first half before Georgia Southern rallied to take a 55-53 lead into the break. Neither team increased the margin to more than four points in the second half until App State’s decisive 12-0 run.

UP NEXT
The Mountaineers return to action Thursday at home against Southern Miss and remain in Boone for a Saturday home game against Coastal Carolina. Both games will be on ESPN+.

By Bret Strelow for App State Sports. BOONE, N.C. — App State Wrestling head coach JohnMark Bentley clapped his hands and flashed an impressed smile when Will Miller briefly flipped his high-profile opponent — the one with an NCAA championship and two NCAA finals appearances to his credit — onto his back with a first-period escape.

The action was just getting good at 174 pounds, and there was plenty of it throughout a top-25 showdown between the 22nd-ranked Mountaineers and ninth-ranked Virginia Tech on Friday night.

App State won three matches, earning bonus points in two, and three other matches were decided by one point in regulation or in overtime. The Hokies finally inched ahead halfway through the dual and won 23-11 in front of 946 fans in a frenzied, packed Varsity Gym.

With wrestling starting at 149 pounds, back-to-back bonus-point victories gave App State an 8-3 lead after three matches, as No. 31 Tommy Askey won a 12-4 major decision over Clayton Ulrey at 157 pounds and No. 26 Will Formato pitched a shutout in a 12-0 major decision against Ty Finn at 165. No. 21 Caleb Smith improved to 3-0 in duals against ranked or NCAA-experienced foes from the ACC with an 8-3 decision against No. 20 Eddie Ventresca at 125 pounds.

The other three ranked showdowns went down to the wire, as No. 11 Caleb Henson rallied to win a 6-4 overtime decision against No. 8 Jon Jon Millner in the opener at 149 pounds and No. 6 Sam Latona used a Sudden Victory takedown to win a 3-1 overtime decision against No. 24 Sean Carter at 133.

The crowd erupted when Miller used an explosive takedown to put 2019 national champion and 2022 runner-up Mekhi Lewis on his back and tie their match at 5-all in the final 30 seconds. During the next stoppage with 15 seconds left, there was a video review of App State’s challenge that additional near-fall points should have been awarded to Miller, but no back points were given, and Lewis’ escape with seven seconds left gave him a 6-5 win.

After winning a matchup of top-11 wrestlers to begin the dual, Virginia Tech (6-2) erased its 8-3 deficit with a run of four straight victories that started with Lewis’ victory at 174. The Hokies closed the dual with their wins at 133 and 141.

Millner struck first against Henson with a first-period takedown and moved ahead 3-2 (with a minute-plus of riding time on his side) early in the third period. After Henson delivered a takedown with 33 seconds left, a Millner escape likely would have translated to a 5-4 victory, but Henson stayed on top to force overtime, then got a takedown 23 seconds into the Sudden Victory period to win 6-4.

Millner had won 34 straight dual matches for the Mountaineers. It was the second win this season against a returning top-six NCAA finisher for Henson, a talented true freshman.

Askey produced one first-period takedown and added two more in the second, getting one with 13 seconds left to lead 7-2 entering the third. He added two more takedowns in the final period to secure an extra team point thanks to the major decision.

Formato rode out the end of the opening two periods after recording takedowns with 51 seconds left in the first and 56 seconds left in the second. He added a third-period takedown and earned four points on a late near fall.

Smith, like Formato, maintained an unbeaten dual record this season. A second-period takedown and escape early in the third period pushed him to a 3-2 lead over Ventresca. A takedown with 1:28 left increased the lead, and Smith sealed the victory thanks to another takedown with 15 seconds remaining.

App State is back in action Sunday for a SoCon dual at The Citadel (4-0). After a Friday dual at VMI, the Mountaineer­­­s return to Varsity Gym for a Tuesday night dual against Duke on Jan. 24.

No. 9 Virginia Tech 23, No. 22 App State 11

• 149: #11 Caleb Henson (VT) def. #8 Jon Jon Millner (APP), 6-4 dec. (SV)
• 157: #31 Tommy Askey (APP) def. Clayton Ulrey (VT), 12-4 maj. dec.
• 165: #26 Will Formato (APP) def. Ty Finn (VT), 12-0 maj. dec.
• 174: #3 Mekhi Lewis (VT) def. #32 Will Miller (APP), 6-5 dec.
• 184: #7 Hunter Bolen (VT) def. Luke Uliano (APP), 5-1 dec.
• 197: #23 Andy Smith (VT) def. Carson Floyd (APP), 13-3 maj. dec.
• Hwt: #23 Hunter Catka (VT) def. Mason Fiscella (APP), 12-2 maj. dec.
• 125: #21 Caleb Smith (APP) def. #20 Eddie Ventresca (VT), 8-3 dec.
• 133: #6 Sam Latona (VT) def. #24 Sean Carter (APP), 3-1 dec (SV)
• 141: #15 Tom Crook (VT) def. Heath Gonyer (APP), 9-4 dec.

Special Report from App State Sports. BOONE, N.C. — Scot Sloan, who helped App State Football rise to prominence in its unprecedented transition from the FCS to FBS ranks, is returning to Boone as defensive coordinator, head coach Shawn Clark announced Friday.

Sloan will oversee a Mountaineer defense that was annually rated among college football’s best during his time on staff from 2010-17.

“We are excited to welcome Scot and his family back to Boone,” Clark said. “Scot played a key role in our championship success and recruiting during his first stint here. He has coordinated successful defenses with multiple programs, and he will instill a tough, sound, disciplined approach for our defense moving forward.”

Before spending last season as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach for an Army team that ranked third nationally in passing yards allowed, he was the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Georgia Southern from 2018-21.

“I would like to thank Coach Clark, Doug Gillin and Chancellor Everts for this opportunity to return to App State,” Sloan said. “The eight years that my family and I spent at App State earlier in my career were very special years. My wife Stephanie and I are very excited to rejoin the Mountaineer family. I am looking forward to meeting all of the players and to building a relationship with them. I can’t wait to take the field again at The Rock!”

A veteran defensive coach with 30+ years of experience, Sloan has served as either defensive coordinator or co-defensive coordinator in 15 of those seasons. He also spent seven years as App State’s recruiting coordinator from 2011-17, with App State’s 2017 class being hailed as the nation’s No. 13 haul in The Athletic’s re-rank four years later.

Sloan’s defenses at Georgia Southern included a 2020 squad that was No. 1 in the country for interceptions (18) and ranked 14th in total defense, 14th in rushing defense and 12th in red zone defense. The 2019 Eagles were tops in the Sun Belt in tackles for loss and fumbles recovered, while the 2018 team led the FBS with a +22 turnover margin in large part thanks to 15 interceptions by Sloan’s defense.

Among his standout pupils in Statesboro were All-Americans Kindle Vildor and Raymond Johnson III as well as Freshman All-American Derrick Canteen. Vildor was selected by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft and has enjoyed NFL success along with Sloan-coached defenders Johnson, Joshua Moon and Donald Rutledge Jr.

Sloan spent eight seasons as App State’s secondary coach and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator in the spring of 2017. During that time, Sloan mentored the Mountaineers’ first FBS Freshman All-American in Clifton Duck in 2016, two NCAA Division I FCS All-Americans (Mark LeGree in 2010 and Demetrius McCray in 2011) and 16 all-conference honorees.

Sloan mentored one of the nation’s top secondaries and pass defenses during his last three seasons at App State, helping lead the Mountaineers to a pair of Sun Belt titles and three bowl wins (in their first three bowl eligible seasons – an FBS record). App State had 53 interceptions in his last three seasons, second-most nationally behind San Diego State during that span.

In 2017, seven defensive players earned first-team All-Sun Belt honors, including three from his secondary, as the Mountaineers were ranked in the top 20 nationally in interceptions, sacks and turnover margin en route to capturing the Sun Belt title.

App State allowed only 10.8 points per game and went 7-1 in league play en route to its first Sun Belt title in 2016, a season that saw the Mountaineers finish with 20 interceptions (the sixth-highest total in the FBS) and rank 11th nationally in pass efficiency defense.

In 2015, the Mountaineers intercepted 18 passes, good for 12th in the nation, and won the Camellia Bowl in the school’s first bowl appearance in its first eligible season.

During his first eight years in Boone, Sloan coached two NFL Draft picks (LeGree and McCray), while former safety Doug Middleton played six years in the league and cornerback Tae Hayes has spent four years in the league. Safeties Alex Gray, A.J. Howard, Austin Exford and Josh Thomas have also spent time on NFL teams.

As the program’s recruiting coordinator, Sloan helped nail down several highly regarded signing classes, the first in 2012 coming despite him not taking over as recruiting coordinator until just six weeks prior to National Signing Day. The Mountaineers’ 2014 recruiting class — its first as an NCAA Division I FBS program — was ranked No. 1 in the Sun Belt by 247Sports while Sloan was tabbed as the Sun Belt’s top recruiter by Scout.com.

Sloan spent three years at Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, Ga., culminating with him serving as the program’s head coach in 2009. During his three-year stint at Riverside, which included two seasons (2007-08) as defensive coordinator, he helped lead the Eagles to three playoff berths and an 18-15 overall record. He was also the school’s athletics director for two years (2008-09).

Prior to his stint at Riverside, Sloan was the defensive coordinator at Griffin (Ga.) H.S. in 2006, when his squad posted an 11-1 record and advanced to the second round of the Georgia state playoffs. The team’s lone loss came at the hands of future Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro Eric Berry.

Before spending four years in the high school ranks, Sloan was a successful assistant at Georgia Southern (defensive backs, 2002-05), Georgia Military College (defensive coordinator/recruiting coordinator/defensive backs, 1996-2001) and Clemson (graduate assistant, 1992-95).

He played defensive back at Clemson from 1989-91, was a member of three bowl teams and helped lead the squad to the 1991 Atlantic Coast Conference championship.

Sloan holds a pair of degrees from Clemson and one from Lincoln Memorial University. He is married to the former Stephanie Crisco. They have two sons: Seth and Samuel.

SLOAN AT A GLANCE

Coaching Experience

1992: Clemson (Video graduate assistant)
1993-95: Clemson (Graduate assistant)
1996-99: Georgia Military College (Defensive coordinator/Recruiting coordinator/Defensive backs)
2000-01: Georgia Military College (Assistant head coach/Defensive coordinator)
2002-05: Georgia Southern (Defensive backs)
2006: Griffin (Ga.) High School (Defensive coordinator/Defensive backs)
2007-08: Riverside (Ga.) Military Academy (Assistant head coach/Defensive coordinator/Athletics director)
2009: Riverside (Ga.) Military Academy (Head coach/Athletics director)
2010: App State (Secondary)
2011-16: App State (Secondary/Recruiting coordinator)
2017: App State (Co-defensive coordinator/Secondary/Recruiting coordinator)
2018-21: Georgia Southern (Defensive coordinator/Safeties)
2022: Army West Point (Co-Defensive coordinator/Safeties)

Playing Experience
1989-91: Clemson

Personal

Alma Mater: Clemson, 1992 (Master’s – Clemson, 1994)
Hometown: Woodruff, S.C.
Birthdate: August 25, 1970
Wife: Stephanie (Crisco)
Sons: Seth and Samuel
Twitter: @coach_sloan

College Bowl/Postseason Experience

as Coach:
1993 Peach (Clemson vs. Kentucky)
1995 Gator (Clemson vs. Syracuse)
2002 NCAA FCS Semifinals (GS)
2004 NCAA FCS First Round (GS)
2005 NCAA FCS First Round (GS)
2015 Camellia (App State vs. Ohio)
2016 Camellia (App State vs. Toledo)
2017 Dollar General (App State vs. Toledo)
2018 Camellia (GS vs. Eastern Michigan)
2019 Cure (GS vs. Liberty)
2020 New Orleans (GS vs. Louisiana Tech)

as Player:
1989 Gator (Clemson vs. West Virginia)
1990 Hall of Fame (Clemson vs. Illinois)
1991 Citrus (Clemson vs. Cal)

By Bobby Neal for App State Sports. BOONE, N.C. — Donovan Gregory capped a season-best performance with a pull-up jumper to tie the game with five seconds left, but Jalen Finch lifted Georgia Southern over App State at the buzzer, 67-65.

Gregory scored 21 on 10-16 shooting, to go along with four rebounds and four assists. He tied his season-high in scoring, dating back to his 21-point performance against Campbell in November.

The Mountaineers (9-9, 2-3 SBC) and Eagles (11-7, 4-1 SBC) were knotted up at 33 at the end of the first half, highlighted by 11 points for Tyree Boykin in the first eight minutes of action.

After Georgia Southern got out to to a 58-49 lead midway through the second half, the Mountaineers responded by holding the Eagles to two points over a six-minute stretch. App State climbed up during this period, finally tying it before Finch hit the game-winner.

The visiting team could not find a way to stop Gregory in the second half, who scored or assisted on 18 points in the final period, including eight in the final three minutes.

The Mountaineers had several outstanding defensive performances, including Xavion Brown who earned three steals and Justin Abson who blocked four shots. Abson’s block total increases to 39 on the season, ranking him 17th in the nation.

Half of the Mountaineers’ games this season have had a final difference of five or less.

App State welcomes Troy on Saturday at 4 p.m. as the squad seeks to even its conference record.

BONUS PHOTOS by Josh Floyd for High Country Sports