“Ashley is a champion on and off the court,” said head coach Joan Bonvicini. “She is a fearless leader who is unafraid of taking the big shot, making a key pass, or shooting the winning free throw. I am so happy she plays for Seattle U.”

Ward scored nine points, adding five rebounds in the team’s second win of the season over the Vandals, also adding seven assists, one block, and one steal. This was the second straight game in which she scored the winning bucket in the final seconds of the contest.

Averaging 12.8 points per game, third on the team, Ward also is second on the team in total assists (101), and leads the team shooting 82.4 percent from the line. She has also recorded 39 steals and five blocks for the Redhawks this season.

Seattle U won the regular season conference title in their first year in the league, also extending their overall winning streak to seven games, as well as going a perfect 9-0 at home in conference play. With the win, they earned the No. 1 seed in this week’s Western Athletic Conference tournament.

In the classroom, Ward excels in the same way she excels on the court, as she currently has over a 3.0 cumulative GPA.

The Seattle University athletics department names a Featured Student-Athlete each Tuesday based on performances both in the classroom and in competition.