Michigan State's Kovan named Rhodes Scholar

• by Soccer America , Dec 1, 2015

Michigan State captain Sarah Kovan has been named one of the 32 Rhodes Scholars for 2016. The midfielder played in 75 games while starting 64 in her career at MSU. She also helped the Spartan backline that went 326 minutes without allowing a goal this season.

Kovan has a double major in Human Biology and Comparative Culture and Politics and carries a 3.91 cumulative GPA. She was a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient in 2015.

“Being named a Rhodes Scholar is an incredibly amazing and humbling experience, and I couldn’t have gained this recognition without the unending support from the MSU community,” Kovan said. “As a scholar-athlete, I’m most proud of the accomplishments I have achieved in collaboration with my teammates, like our most exciting wins. It is in these successes, and in the camaraderie created in those moments, that make me proud to be a Spartan athlete.”

Her father, Jeff Kovan, is director of MSU sports medicine and team physician for MSU basketball, soccer, track and softball.

While studying at the University of Oxford in England next year, Kovan will pursue a master’s of philosophy degree in development studies.