Sarah Pavan

{{Short description|Canadian volleyball and beach volleyball player}}

{{Infobox volleyball biography

| name = Sarah Pavan

| image = Prague Open 2014 - Sarah Pavan.JPG

| caption = Pavan in Prague in 2014

| nickname = SP, Pav{{cite web|title=Sarah Pavan|url=http://olympic.ca/team-canada/sarah-pavan/|website=Team Canada – Official 2018 Olympic Team Website|access-date=September 24, 2017|date=July 19, 2016}}

| nationality = Canadian

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|8|16}}

| birth_place = Kitchener, Ontario

| hometown = Kitchener, Ontario

| height = 1.96 m

| spike =

| block =

| college = University of Nebraska-Lincoln

| position = Opposite hitter{{cite web|url=https://journalstar.com/sports/huskers/volleyball/just-like-they-did-years-ago-nebraska-volleyball-fans-welcome/article_208ebf68-3daf-5a1c-92f2-3f071f504796.html|title=Just like they did years ago, Nebraska volleyball fans welcome Pavan with open arms|date=September 9, 2018|work=Lincoln Journal Star|first=Brent C.|last=Wagner|access-date=February 3, 2019}}

| currentyears =

| currentteammate =

| resultyears = 2016
2016
2016
2019

| location = Porec
Moscow
Rio Olympics
World Championships Hamburg

| result = Rank 2
Rank 3
Rank 5
Rank 1

| years = 2008–2010
2010–2011
2011–2012
2012–2014
2014–2015
2015–2017
2017–2018

| teams = Spes Volley Conegliano
Korea Expressway
MC Carnaghi
Unilever Rio de Janeiro
GS Caltex Seoul
Shanghai
Pomi Casalmaggiore

| nationalyears = 2003–2010

| nationalteam = Canada

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{CAN}}}}

}}

Sarah Lindsey Pavan (born August 16, 1986) is a Canadian former beach volleyball and indoor volleyball player. She was part of the Canada women's national volleyball team at the 2010 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship in Japan.{{cite web|title=Canadian volleyball team at the 2010 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship|url=http://www.sebare.com/teams/team03.html|work=sebare.com|access-date=August 21, 2016}}

With Melissa Humana-Paredes, she won the women's gold medal at the 2019 Beach Volleyball World Championships.

College indoor volleyball career

Image:Nebraskawomensvolleyball.jpg

Pavan played college volleyball at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she led her team to win the 2006 NCAA Division I women's volleyball tournament, in which she was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Her collegiate accolades are numerous, and include winning the Honda Sports Award for volleyball (2007),{{cite web|url=https://volleytalk.proboards.com/thread/14555/sarah-pavan-volleyball-honda-sports|title=Ontario Native Is Automatically Nominated for Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year Award [Sarah Pavan wins Volleyball Honda Sports Award]|via=Volley Talk|access-date=2020-03-27|date=2007-01-18}} the Honda-Broderick Cup (2006–07),{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/briefs-pavan-wins-honda-broderick-cup/|title=Pavan wins Honda-Broderick Cup|date=2007-06-26|website=The Seattle Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-27}} the AVCA National Player of the Year (2006), and three times the Big 12 Conference Player of the Year (2005–07). She also won several academic awards, including twice winning ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American of the Year (2007–08) and earning a degree in biochemistry with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Pro beach volleyball career

Image:2019-07-06 BeachVolleyball Weltmeisterschaft Hamburg 2019 StP 0513 LR by Stepro.jpg

In beach volleyball, Pavan played as a right-side blocker.{{cite web|url=https://de.beachmajorseries.com/en/teams-players/playerdetails?id=1874|title=Players Details: Sarah Pavan|work=Beach Volleyball Major Series|access-date=August 26, 2018}} After contacting Heather Bansley to find out if she knew anyone looking for a partner, she paired up with Bansley in 2013 when she changed over to beach volleyball.{{cite news|title=CBC Sports – Road to the Olympic Games|url=http://olympics.cbc.ca/news/article/sarah-pavan-heather-bansley-only-interested-olympic-podium.html|access-date=September 24, 2017|work=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation}} After qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, the pair competed in Pool E and won all 3 matches with a 2–0 set score. For the Round of 16 match, they were paired with the other Canadian team of Broder and Valjas, which they won in straight sets of (21–16, 21–11). They lost to Germany's Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst in straight sets of (14–21, 14–21) in the quarterfinals.{{cite news|last1=Merce|first1=Greg|title=Pavan and Bansley's Olympic run ends|url=https://therecord.blogs.com/roadtorio/2016/08/pavan-and-bansleys-olympic-run-ends-.html|access-date=19 August 2019|work=The Record|date=14 August 2016}}

From September 2016 to July 2022, Pavan partnered with Melissa Humana-Paredes.{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/pavan-bansley-breakup-beach-volleyball-1.3746073 |title=Women's beach volleyball teammates break up, turn foes |first=Doug |last=Harrison |access-date=15 September 2016 |work=CBC Sports |date=2 September 2016}} The pair achieved initial success on the international circuit during the 2017 FIVB season by winning gold medals at the Porec Major, silver medals at both the Rio de Janeiro and Olsztyn Opens, and bronze medals at the Gstaad Major.[http://bvbinfo.com/Season.asp?AssocID=3&Gender=W&Year=2017 Beach Volleyball Database: Fédération Internationale de Volleyball World Tour 2017 Season Summary] Pavan and Humana-Paredes continued doing well internationally in 2018, winning the gold medal over Australia in straight sets at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.[https://results.gc2018.com/en/beach-volleyball/results-women-fnl-000100-.htm Beach Volleyball Results - Women's Gold Medal Match - Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games] As it was the first time beach volleyball was competed at the Commonwealth Games, they became the first women to win a gold medal in the sport at the competition. After this initial success, the pair competed well on the 2018 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, winning gold medals at both the Xiamen Open and Gstaad Major, and finishing in fourth place at the Huntington Beach Open.[http://bvbinfo.com/Season.asp?AssocID=3&Gender=W&Year=2018 Beach Volleyball Database: Fédération Internationale de Volleyball World Tour 2018 Season Summary]

During the 2019 FIVB season, they won silver medals at the Las Vegas and Itapema Open competitions.[http://bvbinfo.com/Tournament.asp?ID=3558 Beach Volleyball Database: Women's FIVB US$150,000 Las Vegas Four Star October 16-21, 2018][http://bvbinfo.com/Tournament.asp?ID=3601 Beach Volleyball Database: Women's FIVB US$150,000 Itapema Four Star May 14-19, 2019] In their first AVP competition of 2019, they finished second in the tournament to the American duo of Alix Klineman and April Ross.[http://bvbinfo.com/Tournament.asp?ID=3670 Beach Volleyball Database: Women's AVP $100,000 Huntington Beach Open May 2-5, 2019] Two months later, Pavan and Humana-Paredes won gold medals at the 2019 Beach Volleyball World Championships, defeating Klineman and Ross in straight sets for Canada's first medal ever at the event.{{cite news|last1=Couto|first1=Melissa|title=Canada earns spot in Olympics as Pavan, Humana-Paredes take beach volleyball gold|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/volleyball/fivb-beach-volleyball-world-championships-recap-final-1.5202620|access-date=7 July 2019|work=CBC Sports|date=6 July 2019}} As the FIVB tour continued in 2019, they subsequently won gold medals at the Edmonton Open and Vienna Major,[http://bvbinfo.com/Tournament.asp?ID=3623 Beach Volleyball Database: Women's FIVB US$75,000 Edmonton Three Star July 17-21, 2019][http://bvbinfo.com/Tournament.asp?ID=3628 Beach Volleyball Database: Women's FIVB US$300,000 Vienna Major Five Star July 30-August 4, 2019] though were eliminated in the quarterfinals of both the Gstaad Major and Tokyo Open by Klineman and Ross.{{cite news|last1=Harrison|first1=Cuoto|title=Pavan, Humana-Paredes eliminated in beach volleyball quarters at Gstaad Major|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/volleyball/pavan-humana-paredes-beach-volleyball-gstaad-1.5211108|access-date=19 August 2019|work=CBC Sports|date=13 July 2019}}[http://bvbinfo.com/Tournament.asp?ID=3626&Process=WBracket Beach Volleyball Database: Women's FIVB US$150,000 Tokyo Four Star July 24-28, 2019] In mid-August, the duo returned to the AVP tour, reaching the finals in the Manhattan Beach Open and defeating Klineman and Ross in three sets.{{cite news|last1=Zupke|first1=Curtis|title=Canadian duo Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes take Manhattan Beach Open title|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2019-08-18/canadian-duo-sarah-pavan-and-melissa-humana-paredes-take-avp-manhattan-beach-open|access-date=19 August 2019|work=Los Angeles Times|date=18 August 2019}}

Pavan and Humana-Paredes were named to the Canadian Olympic team for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which the COVID-19 pandemic caused to be delayed until 2021. The two went undefeated during pool play, winning every set. Entering the knockout rounds as the top seed, they defeated Spaniards Liliana/Baquerizo in the Round of 16.{{cite news |title=Canadian beach volleyballers Pavan, Humana-Paredes remain perfect, advance to quarters |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/volleyball/beach/canadians-pavan-humana-paredes-advance-quarter-finals-tokyo-olympics-1.6126480 |access-date=21 February 2020 |agency=CBC |publisher=CBC Sports |date=2 August 2021}} In the quarter final, a rematch of the Commonwealth Games final with Australians Clancy/Artacho del Solar, they lost two sets to one and were eliminated from the tournament.{{cite news |title=Canada's Pavan, Humana-Paredes eliminated in Olympic beach volleyball quarter-finals

|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/volleyball/beach/canada-beach-volleyball-pavan-humana-paredes-bansley-wilkerson-quarter-finals-1.6127074 |access-date=3 August 2021 |agency=CBC |publisher=CBC Sports |date=3 August 2021}}

Pavan retired on October 21, 2024.{{cite news |title=2-time Olympian Sarah Pavan retires from beach, indoor volleyball after 28 years |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/volleyball/pavan-mcbain-bronze-medal-women-beach-volleyball-1.7358447 |access-date=October 24, 2024 |work=CBC Sports |publisher=CBC |date=October 21, 2024}}

Personal life

Pavan has a younger sister, Rebecca, who also played indoor volleyball at the University of Kentucky and for certain European clubs. She too competed for the Canadian women's national team.{{cite news |last=Apel |first=Jeff |title=Younger Pavan blazing her own trail at Kentucky |url=https://theindependent.com/younger-pavan-blazing-her-own-trail-at-kentucky/article_1b089a32-6cc3-5204-9355-2f0f8beae639.html |access-date=24 March 2022 |work=The Grand Island Independent |date=22 August 2008}}{{cite news |last=Daigneault |first=Louis |title=Pavan Sisters Lead Canada To Upset Win Over Cuba At Women's Pan Am Cup |url=https://boxscorenews.com/pavan-sisters-lead-canada-to-upset-win-over-cuba-at-womens-pan-am-cup-p41130-68.htm |access-date=24 March 2022 |agency=Boxscore |date=17 July 2012}} Pavan has a YouTube channel, in which she and her husband Adam reviews popular volleyball anime "Haikyu!".{{Cite web |title=Sarah Pavan Volleyball |url=https://www.youtube.com/c/SarahPavanVolleyball |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=YouTube |language=en}}