“My initial thoughts are that it’s a great honor to be recognized for doing a job and playing a game that I love,” Slobodnik-Stoll said.

The honor symbolizes the long, prestigious history of the program. The only preceding coach to Slobodnik-Stoll, Mary Fossum, earned her nod into the hall in 2002.

“It feels great,” Slobodnik-Stoll said. “I feel like Mary is someone that I aspire to and have learned so much from and (am) still learning from.”

Midway through her 20th season, Slobodnik-Stoll has garnered a long list of accomplishments. She’s been to NCAA Regionals 17 different times along with the honor of five Big Ten championships. In between the regular season, her teams have also won a total of 33 tournaments.

Despite all of her accolades on and off the green, Slobodnik-Stoll said she still strives to carry her vision as a mentor.

“There’s a lot on my bucket list,” Slobodnik-Stoll said. “To start with coaching, just to continue the tradition that we’ve set here at Michigan State, which is being in a position to win a Big Ten championship or to win more, putting ourselves in a position to get into the match play portion for the National Championship.”

During her career, Slobodnik-Stoll has credited both Fossum and former Indiana University head coach Sam Carmichael as some of the biggest influences on her career.

However, the hall of famer said the two individuals who have shaped the way she thinks and feels out the world are the ones she’s closest to — her parents.

“Your parents are your parents,” Slobodnik-Stoll said. “As you get older you really start to realize again what they taught you. How you became, how you are, truly is because of your parents and the influences and opportunities they gave you.”

Traveling all the way from Spain, freshman Paz Marfa Sans admitted she had a tough time acclimating to the college life in a new country.

Amid the struggles, she said the strong relationship with Slobodnik-Stoll aided her as the newcomer aims for a reinvigorating spring.

“She’s been helping me a lot,” Marfa Sans said. “I didn’t have a good fall, being alone. She helped me a lot. Having a good relationship with her, I feel like, is the most important part.”

While the news spread — eliciting an almost overwhelming response from past and current alumni — it came during the middle of the season for the team. Gearing back and heading into a 10-day spring break trip, Slobodnik-Stoll said the team has a goal, which is to get back to the NCAA Regional Tournament.

“My immediate goal is to get this team back in a place where we’re going to make the NCAA Regional Tournament,” Slobodnik-Stoll said. “We’ve battled some unforeseen injuries this year. There are no excuses, there’s no asterisk by Michigan State, I’m not using that ... we need to really step our game up the next couple months and see if we can get back in that position. I believe we can.”