PEORIA, Ill. -- Redshirt junior runner Michael Ward (Cardiff, South Wales / Llanishen) has been named the Bradley COUNTRY Financial Scholar-Athlete of the Week after a record-setting performance Saturday in Seattle, Wash., at the Washington Invitational.
Ward, who was named Missouri Valley Conference Male Track Athlete of the Week earlier Tuesday, set the school record in the 3,000 meters Saturday with a time of 7:58.64. In addition to breaking the previous school record of 8:04.87 set by teammate Haran Dunderdale by more than six seconds, Ward's time ranks 12th nationally. He is only the second Valley runner in the last decade to break eight minutes in the 3,000 meters and his time is 16 seconds better than the next best time in the conference this season.