Columbia University Athletics

CAREER
 
Saw action in 29 career games as a defensive back and on special teams … Contributed seven career tackles (three solo) and one forced fumble … Three-year letterman.
 
2019
 
Played in all 10 games as a junior defensive back … Saw extensive action on special teams in a variety of roles … Concluded season with three tackles (two solo) and one forced fumble … Made one tackle at Dartmouth (Oct. 25) … Forced fumble and made one solo tackle vs. Georgetown (Sept. 28) … Made one tackle in season opener at Saint Francis, Pa. (Sept. 21).
 
2018
 
Played in all 10 games as a sophomore defensive back … Saw extensive action on special teams in a variety of roles … Made one tackle on year … Made one solo tackle vs. Marist (Oct. 6).
 
2017
 
Honored as one of five National Football Foundation Chapter Scholar-Athlete Awards (Fort Lauderdale chapter) and was presented the accolade at a December NFF luncheon in New York … Played in nine games as a first-year defensive back … Also saw action on special teams … Finished with three tackles on the year … Made a career-high two tackles at Marist (Oct. 7) … Made tackle vs. Penn (Oct. 14) … Saw first career game action vs. Wagner (Sept. 16).
 
HIGH SCHOOL
 
A 2017 graduate of American Heritage High School in Plantation, Fla., where he played two years of varsity football for head coach and former Miami Dolphin Pat Surtain and Mike Rumph … Named a Junior Orange Bowl Scholar-Athlete … Played as a strong and free safety and on special teams … Gained a reputation for being a hard-hitter and physical presence … Made 13 tackles as a senior … Best performance was a seven-tackle game as a senior … Named team captain as a senior … Led American Heritage to a perfect 14-0 record and state championship as a senior … Helped lead Patriots to two state titles in 2014 and 2016 … Led the Patriots to a 10-2 record and district title as a junior in 2015 … Also played lacrosse and basketball … Was a defender and two-time team captain in lacrosse … Named to the All-District Team in lacrosse … Earned National Merit Scholar status … National Honor Society member … Rho Khappa Honor Society member … Involved in a variety of community service activities including the Pediatric Oncology unit at Broward General Hospital and Feeding South Florida.
 
PERSONAL
 
Born Blake Kendrick Wooden on September 29, 1998 … Son of Shawn Wooden and Sheri Slaughter … Oldest of four children: Blake, Shane, Brooke and Taiya … Both of his parents attended Notre Dame … Father is a nine-year NFL veteran who played for the Miami Dolphins (1996-99, 2001-03) and Chicago Bears (2000) and finished his career with five interceptions … Father also played collegiately at Notre Dame (1991-95) … Hobbies and interests include reading, skiing and playing basketball … When he was a kid, he pretended to be his dad … Played at same high school as current Columbia players Will Allen and Oren Milstein … Became interested in Columbia through talks with Oren Milstein and the fact that his father always saw him attending an Ivy League school … Chose Columbia for the education, football program, endless opportunities/connections along with the opportunity to play football and live in New York City … Selected Columbia in January, 2017 … Chose Columbia over Fresno State, Penn, Dartmouth and Davidson … Enrolled at Columbia College … Majors in Economics.

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