Kayla Slovenec recently joined the St. Thomas University men's basketball program as a graduate assistant coach, forging a new path for women in her industry.

"Slovenec; a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native; joins the Bobcats from St. Vincent College (Pennsylvania), where she excelled as a guard for the Bearcats," the university said in a release on its website. "During her time at SVC, Slovenec appeared in 112 games, starting 87, shot 41% from the field and scored 818 career points. In her final season at St. Vincent, Slovenec was named an All-PAC Honorable Mention and a member for the PAC Spring Academic Honor Roll, while winning a PAC Championship and advancing to the National Tournament."

She acknowledged that transitioning from women's basketball to the men's game has presented some challenges, but she is eager to face them head on. 

“Challenges are there in anything we want to accomplish in life, even in basketball,” Slovenec said in the release. “One of the most difficult parts of switching from the men’s to women’s game, and from a player to coach, is fitting into the leadership role straight from college. As a coach, I have to build respect, be relatable to the players, and find my own voice and coaching style.”

She hopes to deserve to be a part of the coaching staff and be viewed as an equal among her male colleagues. 

“I am excited to be a part of the Bobcats basketball program at St. Thomas University, and the season can’t start soon enough,” Slovenec said. “I’m thankful for the opportunity from Coach Harris to assist with the team and develop personally and professionally in basketball.”