2009: Became first player in school history to be named a two-time All-American by virtue of his second-team selection by the NSCAA ... First-team All-Great Lakes Region pick ... Named to College Soccer News All-America second team ... Unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection and Big Ten co-Defensive Player of the Year ... Finished second on the team with four assists ... Assisted on Jack Hillgard's game-winning goal in overtime against SIU Edwardsville (9/27) ... Also assisted on Matt Eliason's game winner against Northern Illinois (10/7) ... Named to preseason Hermann Trophy Watch List ... Candidate for Lowe's Senior CLASS Award ... Academic All-Big Ten ... Member of the winningest class in school history ... Helped the Wildcats reach the NCAA tournament all four years.
2008: Named NSCAA third-team All-American, becoming the second player (David Roth, 2007) in school history to earn the distinction ... First-team All-Great Lakes Region and second-team All-Big Ten selection ... Big Ten co-Defensive Player of the Week and College Soccer News National Team of the Week pick for his efforts at the Lafayette Classic ... Started all 23 matches ... Tied for second on the team with three goals, including tallying two in a 3-0 win against Xavier (9/14) ... Member of a defense that recorded seven consecutive shutouts from Sept. 7-30.
2007: Second-team All-Big Ten pick ... Big Ten all-tournament team selection ... NSCAA second-team All-Great Lakes Region honoree ... Scored a goal off a free kick against Colgate in the season-opener, against Wisconsin Oct. 6 and in a Big Ten tournament win over the Badgers Nov. 8 ... Named to Big Ten all-tournament team ... Started all 20 matches ... Faced off against his brother, Gavin, who is a student assistant coach and former player at Yale when the teams met Sept. 7 ... Member of a defense that posted five straight shutouts from Sept. 9-26 ... Academic All-Big Ten.
2006: Started all 22 games in his first year wearing the purple and white ... Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection ... Named to the 2006 College Soccer News Freshman All-America Third Team, becoming the third Wildcat freshman in the past four years to be honored ... Started all 22 games at either the defender or midfield positions, helping NU reach the NCAA quarterfinals -- one win from the 2006 NCAA College Cup ... Scored one goal, notched two assists and helped anchor a defense that recorded eight shutouts ... Picked up Lakeside Classic MVP honors in the opening weekend of the season as NU defeated Hofstra and Dayton ... Recorded his first point as a Wildcat Sept. 24 against Penn State when he assisted on a goal late in the second half ... Tallied his first career goal in the win over Valparaiso (10/4) ... Also dished out an assist in the Big Ten opening round match with Penn State (11/2).
High School: Led St. Ignatius to two state championships and a 45-1-0 record during junior and senior seasons, and a No. 1 final national ranking in 2005 ... Tallied 10 goals and 21 assists. his senior year ... Totaled 17 goals and 41 assists in three years as a starter ... Named Ohio Player of the Year in 2005, over teammates Barry Rice (Kentucky) and Justin Morrow (Notre Dame) ... NSCAA High School All-American in 2005, NSCAA Youth All-American in 2004 and 2005 ... Named to the Adidas ESP All-Star team in 2005 and four-year member of the Region II team ... Played Region II with fellow signee Pat Coleman ... Played club soccer for Cleveland Soccer Academy.
Personal: Born Mark Thomas Blades ... Son of Dr. Edward and Jane Blades ... Father ran track for Harvard, mother played basketball for Case Western Reserve in Cleveland ... Brother Gavin played soccer at Yale ... Chose Northwestern over Yale and Wake Forest.