Danielle Ward may not be making headlines, but she is grabbing the attention of the UW coaching staff.
Everyone knows about the scoring capabilities of sophomores Jolene Anderson and Janese Banks, but the basketball faithful are still trying to figure out the upcoming talents of Ward.
The 6-foot-4 sophomore saw limited playing action last year and only appeared in an average of about 10 minutes per game. In those brief 10 minutes, Ward was able to average 4.4 points per game and showed promise, but endured her fair share of first-year struggles as well.
Ward, who had never earned a start before, was finally awarded a spot in the starting five against Hawaii at the Rainbow Classic Tournament.
"It was pretty exciting," Ward said. "The first game, when the coach was like, 'OK, Danielle, you're starting,' I was like, 'No. Are you serious?' I was really nervous because I did not want to disappoint anyone. So I just thought [if] I would keep a straight head and do things that the coaches ask me to do, then I would be alright, but I thought that was a really good experience for me to get used to it."
As much as the starting spot was a surprise for Ward, she has undoubtedly earned the position. Though she is excited about her new role, the sophomore is not necessarily concerned with how and when she enters the game, but with what kind of impact she can have on the result.
"I do like coming off the bench. I like seeing how the game flows and then going in and trying to contribute as much as I can," Ward said.
Either way, she has kept her opponents off balance all year and is now third on the team in scoring (10.4) and second in rebounding (7.6). Ward is also averaging two blocks a game and had a career-high six rejections in the first round of the Rainbow Wahine Tournament against Idaho State. Many of those blocks have led to easy transition buckets where Ward can run the floor as well as anyone on the team.
Her high school background in track has also helped her transition soundly to the faster pace of college basketball.
"[Track] helps a lot because I did the hurdles, and I think that helped with endurance and my stride and knowing how to pace myself. It helps a lot with knowing how far you can push yourself and when to hold back," Ward said.
Ward starts in the post and is not one to be shy about mixing it up on the court.
"I really like that physical contact, being able to post up knowing that if I can make a move or two that I am much closer and have a higher percentage of shot. I like to throw my opponents off," she said.
Having that aggressive ability is something she can, and has, used to her advantage. However, Ward knows there is still a lot of room for improvement.
"I'm looking to become more versatile," Ward said. "I like playing the five, I play a little four and I'll be more versatile if I can play from the three through the five. I know I'll never be a point guard, but if I can be more confident up with the ball, then I think that will help my game a lot."
While her future at point guard may never get off the ground, the young season is already looking bright for the sophomore, who is trying to reach the levels that her teammates Banks and Anderson have already attained. For now, though, she's looking to build on her current accomplishments.
"I'm looking forward to it later on in the season, starting again or whatever that may be," Ward said. "At first I didn't think I was ready mentally and physically to start, but if I really have to start, I would love to start. If the opportunity is presented to me, then I will."
