Under Slessinger, New Orleans won over 160 games, with two Southland Conference titles and an NCAA Tournament appearance in the 2016-17 season.

Born in Bloomington, Indiana, Slessinger grew up in nearby Ellettsville and graduated from Edgewood High School in 1992.

[3] In July 2000, Slessinger returned to the NCAA Division I level as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Northwestern State under Mike McConathy.

[3] Slessinger would remain at Northwestern State for 11 seasons, during which the team twice qualified for the NCAA Tournament and won three Southland Conference championships.

[6] With Slessinger at the helm, the Privateers re-integrated into full time Division I status for athletics, despite budget challenges following Hurricane Katrina.