Skip To Main Content

University of Illinois Athletics

2024 Softball Roster

Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois Fighting Illini
Chris Watkins Photography

31 Megan Ward

  • Position Infielder
  • Height 5-6
  • Class Senior
  • Hometown McDonald, Ohio
  • High School McDonald HS
  • Prev School Dayton
  • Instagram megannward31
  • Twitter megan_ward31

Biography

Graduation Badge University of Illinois Graduate

Senior - 2024

  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • Team Captain
  • CSC Academic All-District
  • Started all 52 games
  • Slashed .323/.379/.345
  • Amassed 52 hits and 31 runs
  • Third on the team in runs scored
  • One of four Illini players to tally a triple this year
  • Posted 14 multi-hit games
  • Scored three runs against Dartmouth (3/16/24), South Dakota (3/15/24) and SIUE (3/27/24)
  • Logged a double on seven different occasions
  • Recorded a triple against Dartmouth (3/16/24)
  • Tallied three RBI against Minnesota (5/8/24)
  • Logged a stolen base against McNeese (3/2/24), Michigan (3/17/24) and California (2/23/24)
  • Posted a .911 fielding percentage for the year

Junior - 2023

  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • CSC All-District
  • Started all 56 games at shortstop
  • Slashed .286/.396/.337
  • Logged 44 his and 21 runs
  • Tallied 11 extra base hits with seven doubles, two triples and two home runs
  • Notched 19 RBI and 10 walks
  • Recorded three hits against Ohio State (4/15/23) 
  • Posted a triple at Wisconsin (4/2/23) and Michigan State (4/22/23) 
  • Logged a home runs against Sam Houston (2/24/23) and Indiana State (4/18/23)
  • Scored three runs against Ohio State (4/15/23)
  • Logged two RBI against Maryland (5/5/23)
  • Went 6-for-8 in stolen bases on the year
  • Tallied two sac flies and three sac bunts
  • Posted a .945 fielding percentage with 73 putouts, 100 assists and 10 errors.

Sophomore - 2022

  • Appeared in all 56 games for the Illini, starting 55 at shortstop
  • Hit .315 with 56 hits, 16 doubles (team best) and 25 RBI in her debut season with the Illini
  • Posted a .368 on-base percentage and .404 slugging rate
  • Owned a .919 fielding percentage with 57 putouts and 80 assists
  • Swiped eight bases
  • 11 multi-hit games including six performances with three hits
  • Six multi-RBI games including a three-RBI outing against No. 8 Northwestern (4/20/22)
  • Season-best 10-game hitting streak and 11-game reached base streak
  • Went 3-for-4 in NCAA Regional game vs. Arizona (5/20/22)
  • Made Illini debut scoring a run vs. Central Arkansas (2/11/22)

Freshman - 2021 (Dayton)

  • NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region Second Team
  • A10 Second-Team All-Conference
  • A10 All-Tournament Team
  • A10 All-Rookie Team
  • Led the A10 conference in hits (68) and led the team in batting average (.417), runs (28) and assists (71)
  • Started in 47 games as a true freshman

High School

  • Holds the OHSAA record for career batting average (.692)
  • Two-Time All-MVAC First-team
  • 2017 ITCL First-Team
  • Played club ball for the Beverly Bandits

Statistics

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 31

    2022Sophomore

    Infielder
    5'6"
    31
  • 31

    2023Junior

    Infielder
    5'6"
    31
  • 31

    2024Senior

    Infielder
    5'6"
    31