TUBA CITY, Ariz. — Shenaira Sloan, 18, a 2017 graduate of Tuba City High School, has signed with Ottawa University for a full-ride basketball scholarship to play this coming fall.

Sloan, Navajo, is the daughter of Elsie and Emerson Sloan of Tuba City.

Sloan credits both of her parents for spurring her on to better basketball playing. Her father created their own family team to compete locally and also had Sloan practice her dribbling and shooting on home basketball court for two to three hours a day.

Sloan has been playing basketball since she was about nine years old.



Sloan’s high school basketball coach, Kim Williams, has also encouraged her to play aggressive ball and helped guide Sloan to a college competition level.

“My mom was always pretty strict about my grades, she was the one to keep me in line on my academics,” Sloan said. “I knew I had to stay on top of my grades to be able to stay on the eligibility list, so that made the motivation easy. My dad encouraged me every day to focus on the ball and to stay in shape. It’s pretty much every day that I go running or playing some ball with my friends.”



Sloan is interested in overall physical fitness and will pursue a career in healthcare management when she gets to Ottawa.

Ottawa University is a private, nonprofit Christian liberal arts university located in Ottawa, Kansas.

Ottawa was founded in 1865 and is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches of America. Total student enrollment is currently 630, including a small population of Native tribal students.

The newest satellite campus for Ottawa University is located in Surprise, Arizona, where Sloan will attend this fall.