PEORIA, Ill. -- has been named the Bradley COUNTRY Financial Scholar-Athlete of the Week after winning a pair of Missouri Valley Conference individual titles at the 2018 MVC Indoor Track & Field Championships in Cedar Falls, Iowa.Llanishen Junior runner Michael Ward (Cardiff, South Wales/

A biochemistry major, Ward owns a 3.80 cumulative grade point average.  Ward, who led the Braves to a school-record 78 points at the championship, earned his third and fourth career MVC titles.  He claimed the 5,000 meter crown Saturday in a time of 14:49.53 in his first collegiate running of the event and then added to his title collection on Sunday with a first-place finish in the 3,000 meters, posting a mark of 8:17.31.  Ward became the first Brave to win two different events at a Valley Championship – indoor or outdoor – when he completed the distance double over the weekend.

The individual chosen must be at least a sophomore in class standing and boast a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average, while displaying a level of athletic excellence.   Each week, a Bradley student-athlete is selected as the COUNTRY Financial Scholar-Athlete of the Week.

The Bradley Men's Track & Field team will open its 2018 outdoor schedule March 24 at the Bill Cornell Spring Classic in Carbondale, Ill.