Ryan Ward
Encyclopedia
Ryan Ward is a lacrosse
player for the Edmonton Rush
in the National Lacrosse League
. He was traded from the Minnesota Swarm
to Edmonton in the off-season of the 2009 season.
Ward is a two-time Mann Cup
winner (in 2003 & 2005) with the Victoria Shamrocks
of the Western Lacrosse Association
. In 2003, he was awarded the Western Lacrosse Association MVP award.
. As a senior he was named Team Captain, and still holds the school record for assists.
of Major League Lacrosse
as a first round selection (2nd overall) in the 2004 MLL Collegiate Draft
. He only played one season in the league.
The Philadelphia Wings
drafted Ward in the First Round (3rd overall) in the 2003 NLL Entry Draft. As a rookie, he was awarded Rookie of the Week honors in week 8 of the season and named to the 2004 NLL All-Rookie Team. During the 2005 NLL season
, Ward was traded to the Minnesota Swarm
. In the 2006 NLL season
he was awarded Offensive Player of the Week honors in week 12 for his ten point game against the Portland LumberJax
, and helped lead the Swarm to their first playoff appearance. In 2007
he was elected to his first National Lacrosse League All-Star Game
and again helped led his team back to the playoffs. In 2008
, Ward was again named to the All-Star team, replacing the injured Casey Powell
.
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
player for the Edmonton Rush
Edmonton Rush
The Edmonton Rush is a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League that started playing in the 2006 NLL season.The NLL announced that Edmonton, Alberta, Canada would receive an NLL franchise on May 5, 2005. They play their home games at Rexall Place...
in the National Lacrosse League
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...
. He was traded from the Minnesota Swarm
Minnesota Swarm
Minnesota Swarm is a box lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League. The team plays on Treasure Island Field at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota....
to Edmonton in the off-season of the 2009 season.
Ward is a two-time Mann Cup
Mann Cup
The Mann Cup is the trophy awarded to the senior men's lacrosse champions of Canada. The championship series is played between the Western Lacrosse Association champion and the Major Series Lacrosse champion...
winner (in 2003 & 2005) with the Victoria Shamrocks
Victoria Shamrocks
The Victoria Shamrocks are a Senior A box lacrosse club, based in Victoria, British Columbia. The team competes in the 7-team Western Lacrosse Association .The Shamrocks have won the Mann Cup 8 times...
of the Western Lacrosse Association
Western Lacrosse Association
The Western Lacrosse Association is an amateur league of men's Senior A box lacrosse sanctioned by the Canadian Lacrosse Association. It consists of seven teams, based in cities throughout southwestern British Columbia. Each year, the playoff teams battle for the right to compete against the...
. In 2003, he was awarded the Western Lacrosse Association MVP award.
College career
Ward is a graduate of Butler UniversityButler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
. As a senior he was named Team Captain, and still holds the school record for assists.
Professional career
Ward was selected by the Rochester RattlersRochester Rattlers
The Rochester Rattlers are a Major League Lacrosse professional men's field lacrosse team based in Rochester, New York. They are a charter member of the MLL. From their inaugural season in 2001 to 2005, they were in the National Division. From 2006 to 2008, they were a member of the Eastern...
of Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse, or MLL, is a professional men's field lacrosse league that is made up of five teams in the United States and one team in Canada.- History :...
as a first round selection (2nd overall) in the 2004 MLL Collegiate Draft
MLL Collegiate Draft
The Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft is the annual draft of outstanding amateur lacrosse players from American colleges and universities into the professional ranks of Major League Lacrosse . The U.S. league, made up of six teams organized in a single conference, began conducting the draft in...
. He only played one season in the league.
The Philadelphia Wings
Philadelphia Wings
The Philadelphia Wings are a member of the National Lacrosse League, a professional box lacrosse league in North America. They play at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
drafted Ward in the First Round (3rd overall) in the 2003 NLL Entry Draft. As a rookie, he was awarded Rookie of the Week honors in week 8 of the season and named to the 2004 NLL All-Rookie Team. During the 2005 NLL season
2005 NLL season
The 2005 National Lacrosse League season began on January 1, 2005 and concluded with the championship game on May 14. The Toronto Rock won their fifth NLL championship, defeating the Arizona Sting 19-13 in Toronto....
, Ward was traded to the Minnesota Swarm
Minnesota Swarm
Minnesota Swarm is a box lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League. The team plays on Treasure Island Field at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota....
. In the 2006 NLL season
2006 NLL season
-All-Star game:The 2006 All-Star Game was held at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario on February 25, 2006. The West Division defeated the East Division 14-13. The MVP of the game was Lewis Ratcliff of the Calgary Roughnecks, who scored 4 goals, including the game winner...
he was awarded Offensive Player of the Week honors in week 12 for his ten point game against the Portland LumberJax
Portland Lumberjax
The Portland LumberJax were a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League , which started playing in the 2006 season and ended operations after the 2009 season. Announced by the NLL on May 11, 2005, the LumberJax played their home games at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon...
, and helped lead the Swarm to their first playoff appearance. In 2007
2007 NLL season
The Knighthawks had the overall top seed in the playoffs, but were unable to host the Championship game due to a scheduling conflict at the Blue Cross Arena.-Team Movement:...
he was elected to his first National Lacrosse League All-Star Game
National Lacrosse League All-Star Game
National Lacrosse League All Star Game is a lacrosse game played each year between two teams representing the two divisions of the National Lacrosse League .-1991 :...
and again helped led his team back to the playoffs. In 2008
2008 NLL season
The 2008 National Lacrosse League season, the 22nd in the history of the NLL, began on December 29, 2007 and concluded with the Buffalo Bandits winning the championship game over the Portland LumberJax on May 17, 2008....
, Ward was again named to the All-Star team, replacing the injured Casey Powell
Casey Powell
Casey Powell is a lacrosse player in the United States. He was the captain of the US national team in the 2006 World Lacrosse Championship. He currently plays indoor lacrosse in the National Lacrosse League for the Rochester Knighthawks. He also plays Major League Lacrosse for the Hamilton...
.
NLL
| Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | LB | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | LB | PIM | ||
| 2004 | Philadelphia | 13 | 18 | 19 | 37 | 45 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
| 2005 | Philadelphia | 5 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 23 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2005 | Minnesota | 11 | 19 | 25 | 44 | 53 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2006 | Minnesota | 16 | 19 | 47 | 66 | 37 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2007 | Minnesota | 15 | 23 | 52 | 75 | 44 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2008 | Minnesota | 16 | 33 | 36 | 69 | 56 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2009 | Minnesota | 15 | 20 | 36 | 56 | 58 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2010 | Edmonton | 16 | 31 | 43 | 74 | 33 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 7 | 0 | ||
| NLL Totals | 107 | 168 | 260 | 428 | 349 | 42 | 5 | 6 | 18 | 24 | 13 | 0 | |||