Ward Wins 2019 Orsborn Award

Runner Michael Ward honored with Bradley University's most-prestigious award presented annually to a graduating student-athlete

Watch 2019 Kaboom! Awards

Bobby Parker, Associate AD for Communications General 5/6/2019 9:00:00 PM

PEORIA, IL – On a night when Bradley Athletics honored the best of its best, senior runner Michael Ward (Cardiff, South Wales/Llanishen School) came away with the top prize as the 66th recipient of the Charles Orsborn Award, the most prestigious award Bradley University bestows upon a graduating student-athlete.

Named in honor of the former Bradley four-sport student-athlete, men's basketball coach and athletic director, the Charles Orsborn Award is presented annually to the graduating student-athlete who has best combined athletics and academics success with community service. Ward was selected for the 2019 Orsborn Award from a pool of six nominees, who also included men's golfer Drake Bushong, volleyball player Erica Haslag, women's golfer Frankie Saban, baseball player Andy Shadid and women's tennis player Malini Wijesinghe. The presentation of the Orsborn Award culminated the Bradley Athletics Department annual Kaboom! Awards Monday night at Renaissance Coliseum.

Presented Kabooms! earlier in the awards program as the 2017-18 Varsity Club Most Outstanding Male Athlete and for the 2018-19 Men's Individual Performance of the Year, Ward is a six-time Missouri Valley Conference champion on the track and a 12-time all-conference performer in cross country, indoor and outdoor track. The 2014 MVC Cross Country Freshman of the Year, he helped the Braves to three of their four straight Valley Cross Country titles, and also helped the program earn its first-ever trip to the NCAA Cross Country Championship by earning NCAA All-Midwest Region honors for the second time in 2018. An individual qualifier for the 2016 NCAA Cross Country Championship, he also has qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track West Prelims in the 5000 meters in each of his first three track seasons, as well as the 1500 meters in 2015 and 2017.

After graduating with his degree in biochemistry with a 3.86 grade point average, Ward has been working on his master's in business administration in 2018-19 while pursuing entry into dental school. In fact, he interviewed for dental school in the United Kingdom just two days before returning to the states to sweep the 3,000 meter and 5,000 meter championships at the 2019 MVC Indoor Track Championships. The 2015 MVC Cross County Elite 18 winner, Ward has qualified for the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Team five times and the MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award in each of his first four years.

Among his service activities, Ward joined several of his teammates for a weeklong trip to Clarksdale, Mississippi to assist Habitat for Humanity projects. He has assisted with young children at the Hult Center's Healthy Heroes program, while also assisting veterans with labor intensive work through the Illinois Valley Fuller Center, as well as the Mission of Mercy free dental clinic.

Prior to the presentation of the Orsborn Award, Bradley Athletics announced the winners of 11 other additional awards:

13th Coach Joe Stowell Awards
Male
Peter Hanley, Men's Basketball

Female
Malini Wijesinghe, Women's Tennis

36th Carl Grose Service Award
Abby Ihrke, Volleyball and Andy Shadid, Baseball

17th Megan Fong Inspiration Award
Albert Reinwart, Soccer

21st Special Recognition Award
Skip Schermerhorn, Braves Club President

19th Orville Nothdurft Lifetime Achievement Award
Paul Unruh '50, Men's Basketball

Team Performances of the Year
Men's
Men's Basketball Rallies for the 2019 Missouri Valley Conference Championship

Women's
Women's Track Distance Medley Relay Team Wins First MVC Title at 2019 MVC Indoor Championship

Individual Performances of the Year
Men's
Michael Ward, Men's Indoor Track – Sweeping the MVC Indoor Track championships in the 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters

Women's
Lashaa Petree, Women's Basketball – 13 points and three steals in 46 seconds to rally the team from 15 points down in the final 2:30 to beat Indiana State, 81-80

Highlight of the Year
Elijah Childs, Men's Basketball – blocked shot and transition dunk during the NCAA Tournament First Round game against Michigan State

66th Charles Orsborn Award
Michael Ward, Men's Cross Country/Track

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Players Mentioned

Michael Ward: Senior

Players Mentioned

Michael Ward
: Senior