West Virginia University Athletics

Steve Slaton was one of the top play-making running backs in the nation from 2005-07, earning consensus All-America honors in 2006.
           
The Levittown, Pennsylvania, native rewrote the WVU and Big East record books during his three-year career as a Mountaineer, helping the Mountaineers to bowl wins in the 2005 Sugar Bowl, 2006 Gator Bowl and 2007 Fiesta Bowl.
           
For his WVU career, he ranks first in rushing touchdowns (50), total touchdowns (55) and total points by a non-kicker (330), and ranks second in total 100-yard rushing games (21), all-purpose yards (4,775), all-time receiving yards by a running back (805) and second in Big East history in total touchdowns with 53. Slaton left WVU third all-time in rushing yards with 3,923 for his career. He and Pat White became the third duo in FBS history to rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons.
          
In the WVU season record books list, Slaton posted the most rushing yards in a season with 1,744, most all-purpose yards in a season with 2,104, tied for the most consecutive 100-yard rushing games with six and most rushing yards in Big East history by a true freshman with 1,128 yards. He ranks first (19) and third (18) for most touchdowns (rushing and receiving) in a season, and ranks second for most receiving yards by a running back with 360.
           
Slaton scored the most touchdowns by a WVU player when he posted six against Louisville on Oct. 15, 2005. Against Pitt, he became the first Mountaineer to ever have 100 yards rushing (215) and 100 yards receiving (130) in the same game. Slaton and White became only the third tandem in NCAA Division I history to both rush for 200 yards or more yards in a single game against the Panthers. The 215 yards rushing and the 130 yards receiving against Pitt were both career bests for Slaton.  
           
In 2005, Slaton emerged as WVU's lead tailback as a true freshman, rushing for 1,128 yards in 10 games and scoring 19 touchdowns. He was the 2005 Big East Rookie of the Year while earning first team freshman All-America honors by Rivals and second team honors by The Sporting News, CollegeFootballNews and Scout. He was one point shy of setting the school record for points in a game when he posted 36 against Louisville. WVU finished the regular season 10-1 and 7-0 in the Big East. Slaton ended the season as the Sugar Bowl MVP with 204 yards rushing in the win over Georgia, highlighted by a pair of 52-yard touchdown runs. His 204 yards were not only a Sugar Bowl record, but the second most rushing yards ever in a BCS game.
           
As a sophomore, Slaton earned consensus All-America honors when he set a WVU record with 1,744 yards rushing in a season and ranked fourth in NCAA rushing. He was one of three Doak Walker finalists, finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting and was a Maxwell Award semifinalist. Slaton earned First Team All-America honors by the AFCA, FWAA, Walter Camp, The Sporting News, AP and Scout. His season rushing total was a WVU rushing record for a season, breaking Avon Cobourne's record of 1,710 yards. Slaton and White combined for 2,963 yards and 34 rushing touchdowns. They also combined for 4,978 total yards and 49 total touchdowns together.
           
In his final season as a Mountaineer, he accumulated 1,051 yards and scored 17 touchdowns, posting his third straight year of 1,000 or more yards rushing. He led WVU to another Big East title and a Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma. Slaton broke Ira Rodgers' WVU record in career rushing touchdowns with 50. He left WVU as the No. 1 active points per game leader (9.4), No. 1 in touchdowns (50), No. 5 in yards per game (109.0) and No. 3 in rushing yards (3,923). 
           
Slaton entered the 2008 NFL Draft after his junior season and was selected in the third round by the Houston Texans. He played four years for the Texans (2008-11), one for the Miami Dolphins (2011) and finished his career in the Canadian Football League with the Toronto Argonauts (2014). He finished his NFL career with 1,896 rushing yards, averaging 4.3 yards per carry and scored 13 touchdowns. Slaton had 99 catches for 809 yards and five touchdowns. Slaton was just the second WVU running back to rush for more than 1,000 yards in an NFL season as a rookie (1,282 yards) in 2008, along with Adrian Murrell (1993).
           
Slaton and his wife, Kimberly, have two children, Brennan and Darla. After retiring from football, Slaton enrolled in culinary school in Houston and is a personal chef and kitchen consultant.