Red Flash freshman basketball player Jessica Kovatch has been named the Northeast Conference’s (NEC) Rookie-of-the-Week 11 times this season, more than any player in conference history.

Kovatch leads all NCAA Division I freshmen in scoring, averaging 22.3 points per game, after netting 25 in a win over Bryant Feb. 8.

The Phillipsburg, New Jersey, native said winning Rookie-of-the-Week honors is not a goal of hers. “It just happened,” said Kovatch. “I didn’t really know that was a thing—that they gave out awards like that every week.”

Kovatch began playing basketball when she was four years old. She has stayed with the game ever since.

She trained hard over the summer before arriving in Loretto. Her workouts concentrated on cardio because good defense requires great stamina.

“The thing I liked most was probably her competiveness, and how she kept playing when things weren’t going well,” said Saint Francis University women’s basketball coach Joe Haigh. “We offered her a scholarship because of that.”

Kovatch said that while the individual recognition is nice, her mission is to hoist a conference championship trophy.

Haigh mentioned that Kovatch’s success is an example of what a player can do with the right approach and mindset. “The main thing is to not allow other people to limit you,” said Haigh. “If you have a belief in yourself, and in what you can do, then pursue that.”

SFU is currently 9-14 overall and 7-5 in the NEC.