Butler University Athletics

2015-16 BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year

2015-16 Freshman Season: One of just two players to start in all 31 games... Impacted the team immediately during her freshman campaign by recording 16 points and 13 rebounds against Valparaiso in her first collegiate game inside Hinkle Fieldhouse (11/13)... Averaged 9.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest. A starter in all 31 games... Averaged 28.3 minutes of playing time... Scored a season-high 19 points vs. Green Bay by connecting on 10-of-11 of her free throw attempts (12/9)... Matched her season-high point total with 19 in a BIG EAST Conference matchup with DePaul (1/15)... Shot 75.0 percent from the floor vs. the Blue Demons (9-12) while adding 13 rebounds and two steals... Dished out a season-high six assists vs. Providence while chipping in with 16 points and nine rebounds (2/7)... Set a season-high rebound total vs. Marquette by collecting 17, including 11 on the offensive glass (1/17)... Added 18 points in the contest... Broke out for 16 points and four assists at Creighton while knocking down two shots from behind the arc (1/10)... Notched a double-double at St. John's with 11 points and 12 rebounds in a season-high 39 minutes of playing time (1/22)... Made half of her shots at Marquette (6-12) to post a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds (2/12)... Picked up her defense by blocking two shots in back-to-back games vs. Villanova and Xavier late in the year (2/28, 3/5)... Ended her rookie season with 305 total points, shooting 37.4 percent from the field.

High School: 2015 Indiana All-Star... Three-time All-State selection... Finished her career at Pike ranked second all-time with 1,498 points... Set the school record for most rebounds in a career with 1,000... Became the first women's basketball player to end her career with 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds... Five-star recruit that graded out at 97 according to ESPNW Rankings Class of 2015 (HoopGurlz)... 34th ranked recruit in the nation and sixth at her position... Helped her team win back-to-back Sectional Championships (13-14, 14-15)... Four-time All-Conference pick... Averaged 16.5 points, 10.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game as a senior, guiding her team to a 20-8 overall record... Averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists during her junior season, when Pike went 19-6 overall... Four-year starter, earning four varsity letters in basketball... Three-time team captain... Four-time Team MVP... Exploded for 42 points, 16 rebounds and five assists vs. Roncalli during her junior campaign... Four-year honor roll student. 

Personal: Daughter of Dohn and Kesha Ward... Has three siblings; Brooklyn, Dohnnavin and Julian... Majoring in communications.

Ward on Choosing Butler: I chose Butler because I wanted to help build the program and eventually help the team reach the NCAA Tournament.