Career: Played in every collegiate game (49) with 20 career starts ... Concluded his career with 126 receptions for 1,271 yards, 17th all-time at Northwestern ... Versatile wide receiver who played inside or outside ... Good speed and route-runner.

2008: True senior ... Team's recipient of the Rashidi Wheeler Award (named in honor of the former Wildcat safety) ... Third on team with 51 receptions (526 yards) ... Ranked ninth in Big Ten receptions per game (3.92) ... Starred in the 2008 Alamo Bowl vs. Missouri, leading the team with seven receptions for a career-high 101 yards, including a season-long 46-yard TD pass to begin the second half ... Named the Alamo Bowl's 2008 Sportsmanship Award recipient ... Caught five passes for 44 yards vs. Illinois ... Two catches for 22 yards at Michigan ... Grabbed two passes for 30 yards against Ohio State ... One catch for 17 yards at Minnesota ... Recorded four catches for 28 yards at Indiana ... Caught one pass for six yards against Purdue ... Followed up a career-best effort with seven receptions (for 45 yards) and his season's second TD vs. Michigan State ... Against MSU, became the fourth player on the 2008 squad to eclipse the 100 mark for career receptions and 1,000 yards for career receiving yards ... Had a breakout day at Iowa with a career-best 10 catches for 94 yards and a TD ... His TD was the first since his freshman year (vs. Arizona State, Sept. 17, 2005) ... Named NU's offensive player of the game at Iowa ... Against Ohio, caught one pass for no gain ... Versus Southern Illinois, caught three passes for 40 yards ... At Duke, caught five passes for 60 yards ... Named team's offensive player of the game vs. Duke ... Against Syracuse, caught three passes for 39 yards, with a long of 18 ... Became the 29th player in NU history to reach the 1,000-yard mark for career receiving yardage.

2007: Starting wide receiver ... Team's third-leading receiver with 46 catches (shared third spot on team with Kim Thompson) ... Opened year with four receptions for 36 yards against Northeastern ... Four more catches (for 41 yards) against Nevada ... Two receptions for 16 yards vs. Duke ... Caught three passes for 15 yards at Ohio State ... On the strength of a game-opening 64-yard pass play, when he rolled off a Michigan player and scampered down the sideline, finished the Michigan contest with four receptions for 86 yards ... The 86 yards were a single-game career best ... Caught a season-high eight passes for 55 yards at Michigan State ... Two catches for 18 yards against Minnesota ... Two receptions (10 yards) vs. EMU ... Two grabs for 11 yards at Purdue ... Made five catches for 54 yards vs. Iowa ... Five receptions for 35 yards vs. Indiana ... Five catches for 57 yards at Illinois.

2006: One of team's frontline receivers ... Caught four passes for 19 yards in opener vs. Miami (Ohio) ... Three catches for 43 yards vs. UNH ... Three receptions (26 yards) vs. Eastern Michigan ... Pair of catches for 9 yards at Nevada ... Had an 8-yard catch at Michigan ... Four receptions for 38 yards vs. Ohio State ... Followed up OSU game with another four-catch performance (50 yards) vs. Illinois ... One of his receptions went for a career-long 38 yards ... Had three games with four receptions each.

2005: Reserve wideout ... Had a pair of catches in his first collegiate game vs. Ohio (two receptions for 32 yards) ... Made an impact in the Arizona State game, hauling in a season-best five receptions for 67 yards and his first career TD ... Team's ninth-leading receiver with seven receptions for 99 yards.

High School: 2004 Chicago Tribune second-team all-state wide receiver ... SuperPrep All-Midwest Region ... Ranked 93rd in Midwest Region (six-state area) ... Ranked 27th among Illinois players by Rivals.com ... Two-time all-conference selection and 2004 team MVP ... 2004 all-city selection ... Rang up 1,114 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in 2004 ... Finished career with 2,866 receiving yards and 44 touchdowns ... Led the Cardinals to an 11-4 record in 2004 and second place in the city championship ... Also played cornerback for Harper ... Tabbed Harper's 2004-05 Athlete of the Year ... Captain of both football and track teams ... Also lettered in baseball ... NHS and Harper Honor Roll ... Coached by Terry Lewis.

Personal: Born Rasheed Ward ... Son of Albert and Yvonne Ward ... Learning and organizational change major.

The Ward File

Q: Name five favorite songs (and artist) on your I-Pod:
A: I don't have any favorite songs but my five favorite artists are Jay-Z, T.I., Rocko, Lil Wayne, and Young Jeezy
Q: If you could dine with anyone from any period in history, who would it be?
A: It would have to be Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Q: What is the greatest lesson in life that you have learned?
A: Nothing is achieved without hard-work and sacrifice
Q: A song that best describes you?
A: Rocko song "Hustle Fo" featuring Lloyd
Q: Something people would be surprised to know about me is:
A: At times I can't stop talking
Q: My favorite place to visit is:
A: My home in Chicago
Q: Which current NU football player is the biggest jokester on the team?
A: I would have to say Quentin Davie
Q: My favorite thing about NU is:
A: My Teammates
Q: Best part about being a Northwestern football player is:
A: Being a Northwestern football player
Q: Describe Coach Fitzgerald in five words or less:
A: All-American
Q: Describe your position coach in five words or less:
A: Honest
Q: Most humbling experience:
A: The 2006 football season
Q: What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
A: So far I would say attending college but a year from now I would say graduating from Northwestern
Q: The best book I have ever read is:
A: Their Eyes Were Watching God
Q: The person that inspires me the most is:
A: Grandmother
Q: When I played football as a kid, I pretended to be:
A: Randy Moss
Q: My favorite pregame ritual is:
A: Listen to music
Q: If you could have a starring role in any film already made, which movie would you pick?
A: The Dark Knight
Q: My favorite food is:
A: Pizza
Q: My favorite thing about playing at Ryan Field is:
A: The fans
Q: Best thing about Northwestern is
A: Academics
Q: My ultimate SportsCenter highlight would be:
A: It would be catching the game-winning touchdown pass at the Rose Bowl
Q: My favorite television show is:
A: SportsCenter
Q: If I were not playing football, I would be:
A: Playing Basketball
Q: The three words that best describe me:
A: Funny, relaxed, and competitive

Ward's Career Stats

RUSHING G Att Yds TD Lg Avg/C Avg/G2005................ 12 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02006................ 12 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02007................ 12 1 -2 0 0 -2.0 -0.22008................ 13 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0TOTAL............... 49 1 -2 0 0 -2.0 0.0
TOTAL OFFENSE G Rush Pass Total Avg/G2005................ 12 0 0 0 0.02006................ 12 0 0 0 0.02007................ 12 -2 0 -2 -0.22008................ 13 0 0 0 0.0TOTAL............... 49 -2 0 -2 0.0
RECEIVING G Rec Yds TD Lg Rec/G Avg/C Avg/G2005................ 12 7 99 1 25 0.6 14.1 8.22006................ 12 22 212 0 38 1.8 9.6 17.72007................ 12 46 434 0 64 3.8 9.4 36.22008................ 13 51 526 3 46 3.9 10.3 40.5TOTAL............... 49 126 1271 4 64 2.6 10.1 25.9
SCORING G TD Rush Pass Retn PAT 2PAT FG Total Avg/G2005................ 12 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 6 0.52006................ 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.02007................ 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.02008................ 13 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 18 1.4TOTAL............... 49 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 24 0.5
PUNT RETURNS G No. Yds TD Lg Avg/R Avg/G2005................ 12 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02006................ 12 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02007................ 12 6 47 0 14 7.8 3.92008................ 13 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0TOTAL............... 49 6 47 0 14 7.8 1.0
ALL PURPOSE G Rush Rec PR KR IR Total Avg/G2005................ 12 0 99 0 0 0 99 8.22006................ 12 0 212 0 0 0 212 17.72007................ 12 -2 434 47 0 0 479 39.92008................ 13 0 526 0 0 0 526 40.5TOTAL............... 49 -2 1271 47 0 0 1316 26.9
TACKLES G UA A Total TFL-Yds PD FF FR Blkd2005................ 12 2 0 2 0.0-0 0 0 0 02006................ 12 1 0 1 0.0-0 0 0 0 02007................ 12 1 0 1 0.0-0 0 0 0 02008................ 13 1 0 1 0.0-0 0 0 0 0TOTAL............... 49 5 0 5 0.0-0 0 0 0 0