By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Toledo, Ohio---Mikayla Ward (Huron/Ypsilanti, Mich.), a 6'2" sophomore forward for the Owens Community College women's basketball team, has signed a letter of intent to play at NCAA Division II Urbana University next year.
As a sophomore, Ward averaged 3.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and one block per game. She saw action in all 36 games and made 24 starts en route to finishing third on the team in rebounding and third in blocks.
Ward scored a season-high 13 points and chipped in a career-high 18 rebounds in a win over Lorain County on Jan. 6, while producing four double-doubles on the season.
In the NJCAA Division II National Tournament as a sophomore, Ward saw her minutes increase over each of the team's four games. She finished 8-for-15 combined from the field during that stretch and had seven or more rebounds in three of the games, including 12 in a 90-85 win over Cape Fear Community College that propelled Owens to a fifth place finish.
In addition to her accomplishments on the court, Ward was an Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) All-Academic team selection as a freshman, and she is expected to be a part of this year's team once the conference announces it later this month.
Ward, who closed her two-year career with 209 points, 340 rebounds, 57 blocks, 32 steals and 30 assists, becomes the third member of this year's Owens women's basketball sophomore class to sign with a four-year school. Lakyn Gulley (South Side/Fort Wayne, Ind.) previously signed with NCAA Division I Southeast Missouri State University, while Briana Williams (Stebbins/Dayton, Ohio) signed with NCAA Division II West Virginia State University.
In addition to that, Ward becomes the eighth member of the 2014-15 team to sign with a four-year school.
Furthermore, Ward was a member of the winningest sophomore class in program history that won a program record 63 games, while only losing nine over the past two seasons. They posted winning streaks of 33 and 17, won two OCCAC championships with a perfect 28-0 record and captured two Region XII District I championships. In postseason play, the team went 10-2 and made one NJCAA Final Four and one NJCAA Elite 8 appearance. Furthermore, they were part of a team that won a single season program record 34 games as freshmen, and they own two of the top three seasons in program history for most wins.
The Urbana Blue Knights are expected to return eight letterwinners from last year's team that advanced t othe Mountain East Conference (MEC) quarterfinals. They will be led by second-year head coach Haley Ducey, who also signed four players in addition to Ward.
Notes
The Owens women's basketball program recently finished a 29-7 season that included the program's fourth straight Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) championship, a Region XII District I championship and a fifth place finish at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II National Tournament. The team advanced to the NJCAA Elite 8.
It was the program's second straight and third appearance in the past four years at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament, where they have recorded three top 10 finishes in the past 4 seasons (7th in 2012-13, 3rd in 2014-15 and 5th in 2015-16). In 2014-15, the team advanced to the NJCAA Division II Final 4. The team has also captured five of the past six OCCAC championships and three of the past four Region XII District I championships.
Furthermore, the program has won at least 25 games in each of the past seven seasons. During that time, the program has compiled a 195-37 record (.841 winning percentage), including an 81-9 record (.900 winning percentage) in OCCAC play.
Head coach Michael Llanas, who recently completed his 12th season at Owens, has compiled a 294-96 record during that time. Furthermore, he has achieved a 127-29 record in OCCAC play with six OCCAC championships.