Yale Standout Olivia Sally Receives Marshall Scholarship

12.18.2023College Women

Yale University rugby player Olivia Sally has been selected to receive a Marshall Scholarship to study for her Master's at Oxford University in England.

Sally will pursue post-grad degrees in Child Development and Education as well as in Public Policy.

“Seven years of rugby have instilled in me a sense of courage that was instrumental in pursuing such a competitive opportunity," sally said in a statement. While I am excited to continue playing, it is bittersweet to leave Yale Rugby. My deepest thanks go to Coach Craig [Wilson] for his early support of this crazy dream, to Grace Dietz and Amre Proman for their tough mock interview questions, and to former men’s captain and current Oxonian, Henry Large, who redefined my vision of a student-athlete. I’m looking forward to the next two years, especially the 10th Women’s Rugby World Cup, which England will host in 2025."

Former men's Yale rugby player Large is at Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship.

Sally began playing rugby as a freshman at Bishop O'Dowd HS in California, playing under Julia Diskin and Ray Lehner. Currently now settled at lock she has the rugby knowledge and athleticism to play a variety of positions. Hopefully that will stand her in good stead playing at Oxford.

As a undergreduate, Sally studied Political Science and Education at Yale—hence her grad-school goals.

The daughter of a longtime right player, Sally has also worked over the summer coaching young kids, working with exchange students from Ireland. She also competed for Miss Volunteer America when she was a sophomore, and that competition had a swimsuit component, which was interesting for Sally because she has been the subject of some cleating in the Ivy League 7s Championships the week before, leaving her with some visible scars.

She got some teasing from her teammates for that, she said.

Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a degree in the United Kingdom. Up to fifty Scholars are selected each year to study at graduate level at a UK-based institution in any field of study.

Yale Standout Olivia Sally Receives Marshall Scholarship

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