Heather Ward

Texas Tech

Oct 23 (Thu)

7 p.m.

Position:
Defender
Height:
5-11
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Littleton, Colo.
High School:
Dakota Ridge

2013 Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention
2014 Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention
2015 Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention

SENIOR (2015): Ward played in 19 matches and started the final 13 matches as a center defender. She was on the pitch for 1,213 minutes, leading the Buffs to a 1.48 goals-against average while she was on the field. She also scored two goals and had 12 shot attempts, including six on goal. Her first goal came in a 1-1 draw with No. 19 Washington when she headed in a corner kick in the 58th minute to tie the match. Ward also scored in her final home game on Nov. 1 against Arizona State. For the third straight season, she was named to the Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention with a 3.28 grade point average.

JUNIOR (2014): Ward took the pitch in 15 matches and made six starts. She played in eight non-conference matches and the first seven Pac-12 contests of the season before she was sidelined with an injury for the remainder of the year. Five of her six starts were against conference opponents, playing a season-high 84 minutes at Stanford. She played a key role on the Buffs’ defense that tallied a program record-tying 12 shutouts and she also recorded five shots during her junior year with one on goal.

SOPHOMORE (2013): Ward saw playing time in 20 games, making starts in the first 13 matches. Ward played in nine conference match-ups and all three of the Buffs’ post-season games, including 66 minutes against Florida State in the NCAA Sweet 16. As a member of the Buffs’ dominate defense, Ward helped the team to seven shutouts, including a record-breaking five to start the season. It took just two shots during the season for Ward to net her first collegiate goal, scoring in the 39th minute of CU’s 3-1 win over UNLV.

FRESHMAN (2012): Ward worked as a reserve in the dominant CU defense. She played in 11 games, including three shutouts. She made her first start and played a season-high 99 minutes in the finale against Utah (1-1). She also took three shots, two on goal.

HIGH SCHOOL: Ward played two years of high school soccer at Dakota Ridge before focusing full-time on the Colorado Rush Nike club team. Colorado Rush won four consecutive Colorado State Cup championships. In 2010, they won the Region IV title, which led them to a third place finish at the national competition. Colorado Rush earned several other titles including the Arsenal Cup (2011), the Denver Cup (2011, 2009, 2007), the Rush Cup (2009, 2008) and the Pikes Peak Invitational (2009, 2007). Ward was also a member of four Olympic Development Program state teams. Her ODP team took the Region IV title in 2010 and was a regional finalist in 2011 and semi-finalist in 2009. She also competed in track for Dakota Ridge High School.

IN THE CLASSROOM: Ward is a sociology major.

PERSONAL: Her full name is Heather Michelle Ward. She was born January 20, 1994 to parents Jack and Michelle Ward. She has one older sibling, Cameron. She was voted Most Likely to go Pro for the 2012 senior class. She was on yearbook staff from 2009-12 and was the editor-in-chief of Student Life 2012. She has helped coach an Under-19 girls’ developmental soccer team. She enjoys hanging out with family and friends, playing volleyball, hiking and skiing.