Cassie Ward, from Gastonia NC, will move to Huntington, WV next fall to join Marshall University’s Thundering Herd. Ward, a member of Gaston Gators swim club, says “I’m very excited to take on my next four years swimming at Marshall University. The girls are motivated, the coaching staff is great, and I believe their swim program is on the rise and are going to win conference very soon. I’m excited to join the legacy I know they’ll have here.”
Ward will graduate from Forestview High School in spring 2016 before joining her new team. The Thundering Herd are a Division I program and compete in Conference USA.
Ward’s best times in SCY are:
- 200 backstroke: 1:59.42
- 200 IM: 2:06.94
- 100 butterfly: 57.81
Ward, a two-time finalist at the 2014-15 North Carolina 3A State Championships, will be a great addition to head coach Bill Tramel‘s program. Ward’s best time would have given her the school record in the 200-yard backstroke and a top 8 finish at the Conference USA Championships last spring. With Ward’s best 200 IM time, she would have earned another top 8 finish in the B final of that event. Marshall University placed fourth at the 2015 Conference USA Championships, for the highest finish so far in program history.