Shericka Ward Hometown: Leesburg, Fla. High School: Leesburg Position: Sprints Birthdate: 03/30/1990 Experience: Sr./Sr.

On Ward: Leader of the Villanova sprint group ... One of the top sprinters in the BIG EAST Conference ... A consistent scorer at the conference meets who can also make an impact on the national scene ... Comes off a strong junior season and is poised to continue doing big things during the coming year.

2012 Indoor: Established a personal best time in the 60 meter hurdles for the second straight year at the Penn State National, where she crossed the finish line in 8.25 to finish third in the semifinals of the event ... Earlier came in fourth out of 42 competitors in the preliminary heats with a time of 8.33 ... Opened the season by setting two meet records at the Jack Pyrah Invitational ... Broke her own one-year old mark in the 55 meters with a time of 7.07 ... Also won the 300 meters with a time of 39.61, breaking the mark set by teammate Christie Verdier two years ago ... Her time of 7.07 makes her a qualifier for both the BIG EAST Championships and the ECAC Championship in the 60 meters ... Also qualified in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.43 at the NYC Gotham Cup, where she was the individual winner in the event ... Also came in fifth in the preliminaries of the 60 meters (7.70) at the NYC Gotham Cup ... Ran the 200 meters for the first time during the season at the Penn State National and was the first affiliated runner across the finish line (second overall) in the invitational section of the race with a time of 23.93 ... Posted identical times of 24.08 in the preliminaries and finals of the 200 meters at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational and earned a ninth place finish in the championship section of the event.

2011 Outdoor: For the second straight season advanced to the NCAA Championships in the 100 meter hurdles ... Was the runner-up at the BIG EAST Championships and repeated as the ECAC champion ... In the national quarterfinal heat at the NCAA East Regional finished third in her heat and registered her top time of the season (13.19) ... Placed fifth in her national semifinal heat at the NCAA Championships ... Won the 100 meter hurdles at both the 46th Colonial Relays and the Mason Spring Invitational ... Finished in fifth place at the Hurricane Alumni Invitational and placed fourth in the preliminaries at the Penn Relays ... Runner-up in the 200 meters at the BIG EAST Championships ... Established a new personal best time of 23.30 in the preliminaries of the conference meet ... Took first place in the 200 meters at the 46th Colonial Relays, came in third at the Mason Spring Invitational and was seventh at the Hurricane Alumni Invitational ... Anchored the 4x400 meter relay at the ECAC Championship, where the Wildcats had the top time in the preliminary heats with a mark of 3:37.30 ... Ran the second leg of the 4x400 relay at the NCAA East Regional.

2011 Indoor: Was the runner-up at the BIG EAST Championships in the 60 meter hurdles (8.29) and also finished eighth at the conference meet in the 200 meters (24.45) ... Earned All-BIG EAST honors for her 60 meter hurdles finish ... Her time of 24.16 in the preliminary heats of the 200 meters was a season best ... Established a personal best time of 8.27 in the 60 mH in the preliminaries at the Penn State National and tied for fifth place at the meet ... Matched her time of 8.27 in the preliminaries at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational and eventually finished ninth at the meet ... Registered wins in the 60 mH at the NYRR I meet and the Columbia Last Chance Meet ... Also won the 200 meters at the Columbia meet (24.54) ... Finished first in the 55 meters and third in the 300 meters at the season-opening Jack Pyrah Invitational ... Her time of 7.12 in the 55 meters was a meet record.

2010 Outdoor: Won titles in the 100 meter hurdles at both the BIG EAST Championships and the ECAC Championship ... Followed up on her success in those meets by running a personal best time of 13.12 at the NCAA East Regional, which advanced her to the NCAA Championships meet ... Finished third in the 400 meter hurdles at the Villanova Duals ... Came in second in both the 200 meters and the 100 meter hurdles at the Colonial Relays ... Was the second collegian to finish in the 100 meter hurdles at the Miami Hurricane Invitational, where she was also third in her heat of the 200 meters ... Took sixth place in the 100 meter hurdles at the Penn Relays.

2010 Indoor: Earned All-BIG EAST honors with runner-up finishes in both the 60 meter hurdles and the 200 meters at the BIG EAST Championships ... Those performances, plus running a leg on the fourth-place 4x400 meter relay squad, were instrumental in helping Villanova capture the team title at the conference meet ... Runner-up in the 60 meter hurdles at the ECAC Championship ... Tallied victories in the 55 meter hurdles at the Jack Pyrah Invitational and the Albany Great Dane Invitational ... Had a personal best time of 7.86 at the Albany meet ... Also registered wins in the 60 meter hurdles at the Penn State Relays and the NYRR II meet ... Won the 200 meters at the NYRR II meet ... Took fourth place in the 300 meters at the Jack Pyrah Invitational and was sixth in the 200 meters at the Albany Great Dane Invitational ... Placed fifth in the 60 meter hurdles and second in her heat of the 200 meters at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational.

2009 Outdoor: Came in fifth in the 100 meter hurdles and seventh in the 200 meters at the BIG EAST Championships ... Competed at the ECAC Championship in the 100 meter hurdles and placed fifth in her preliminary heat ... During the season posted victories in the 100 mH at the Pepsi Florida Relays and in the 200 meters at the Lions Invitational ... Was also third in the 200 meters at the Florida Relays and second in the 100 meter hurdles at the Lions Invitational.

2009 Indoor: Registered fifth place finishes at the BIG EAST Championships in both the 55 meter hurdles and the 200 meters ... Also placed third in the 60 meter hurdles at the ECAC Championship ... Made her collegiate debut at the season-opening Jack Pyrah Invitational and finished second in the 55 meter hurdles as well as third in the 55 meters ... Won her heat of the 300 meters, placed fifth in the 60 meter hurdles and sixth in the 60 meters at the Penn State Relays ... Came in third in the 60 meter hurdles at the NYC Gotham Cup and was seventh in the 55 meters ... At the Albany Great Dane Invitational came in first in her heat of the 200 meters and fourth in the 55 meter hurdles ... Finished third in her heat of the 60 meter hurdles at the Penn State National ... Took fifth place in hear heat of the 60 meters and first in her heat of the 200 meters at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational.

USA and International Competition: In the summer of 2009 was the champion in the 100 meter hurdles at the 2009 USA Junior Championships and placed fourth in the 100 meter hurdles at the Pan American Junior Championships.

Leesburg High School: Recipient of the Most Spirited Award in 2007-08.

Personal: Born 3/30/90 ... Youngest of five children of Leroy and Shirley Ward ... Majoring in Criminal Justice.

PERSONAL BESTS

60 Meter Hurdles                 8.25             2012 Penn State National
100 Meter Hurdles                13.12            2010 NCAA East Regional
200 Meters                       23.30            2011 BIG EAST Championships

CAREER AWARDS (INDOOR TRACK)

All-BIG EAST                                      2010, 2011 (60 Meter Hurdles)
All-BIG EAST                                      2010 (200 Meters)

CAREER AWARDS (OUTDOOR TRACK)

BIG EAST Champion                                 2010 (100 Meter Hurdles)
All-BIG EAST                                      2010, 2011 (100 Meter Hurdles)
All-BIG EAST                                      2011 (200 Meters)

BIG EAST TOP 8 FINISHES

100 Meter Hurdles                1st              2010 Outdoor
60 Meter Hurdles                 2nd              2010 Indoor, 2011 Indoor
100 Meter Hurdles                2nd              2011 Outdoor
200 Meters                       2nd              2010 Indoor, 2011 Outdoor
4x400 Meter Relay                4th              2010 Indoor
55 Meter Hurdles                 5th              2009 Indoor
100 Meter Hurdles                5th              2009 Outdoor
200 Meters                       5th              2009 Indoor
200 Meters                       7th              2009 Outdoor
200 Meters                       8th              2011 Indoor