Chippewa Valley Times

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Nathan Donovan has been awarded the 2024 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men's Soccer Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award. Donovan, a senior from Hazel Green, Wisconsin, is pursuing a degree in biology and maintains a 3.88 GPA. He was included in the 2023 NCAA Division III Academic All-District® Men's Soccer Team by the College Sports Communicators and is a two-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll.

Donovan's achievements extend beyond academics. He was named the 2024 WIAC Kwik Trip Offensive Player of the Year and became the first player in his program to earn NCAA Division III All-America First Team honors in 2022 by the United Soccer Coaches. His records include 94 career goals and 227 career points, along with several single-season and match records.

In addition to his soccer accomplishments, Donovan is involved in various extracurricular activities. He serves as a pre-med representative at UW-Eau Claire's Pre-Professional Health Club, volunteers at Mayo Clinic Health System, and has participated in its MedEx program. His professional experience includes roles as a certified nurse assistant, licensed soccer referee, and soccer coach.

Other nominees for this year's scholar-athlete award were Jacob Keller from UW-Platteville and Miles Hagen from UW-Whitewater.

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award honors Max Sparger, who served as commissioner of the Wisconsin State University Conference for over two decades. To be eligible for nomination, student-athletes must have at least a 3.50 GPA, be in their final year of competition or on track to graduate this academic year, and have competed for at least two years.

Tonight, Donovan's team will compete against UW-Whitewater in the semifinals of the WIAC Tournament at Simpson Field.

For updates on the Blugolds' season, visit Blugolds.com or follow them on social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.