Football: Slaton Philadelphia Athlete of the Year
November 30, 2006 03:59 PM | General
November 30, 2006
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Steve Slaton, West Virginia's record-setting sophomore running back, has been chosen as the Outstanding Amateur Athlete for 2006 by the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association.
Slaton began the year in spectacular fashion when his record 204 yards rushing led the Mountaineers to a 38-35 victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl last January 3, earning him MVP honors for the game. He was voted the Big East's 2005 Rookie of the Year after he rushed for 1,128 yards and scored 17 touchdowns in nine games. His breakout game as a freshman came during a 46-44, three-overtime victory over Louisville, when he scored six TDs, three during OT, and rushed for 188 yards.
This season, with one regular season game (Saturday with Rutgers) and a bowl game remaining, Slaton has already carried the ball 222 times for 1,621 yards, scoring 14 TDs; he's been over 100 yards in nine of 11 games.
This will be a homecoming for Slaton, who is a 2004 graduate of Conwell-Egan High School in Levittown, PA. As a four-year starter, he rushed for 5,998 yards, the third highest total ever in a Philadelphia city league, and second all-time in Philadelphia's Catholic League.
Steve Slaton will be one of the major award winners when the Sports Writers Association gathers for its 103d annual banquet on Monday evening, January 22, 2007 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (the former Hilton Hotel) on Route 70 in Cherry Hill, NJ. Tickets can be reserved by contacting Robbie Kenney at 609-702-7473.
