Matt Ward (lacrosse)

Matt Ward (born March 30, 1983) is an American lacrosse player who played at the University of Virginia and currently plays for the Washington Bayhawks.

High school career

Ward attended prep school at Landon School in suburban Washington, D.C., where he lettered in lacrosse, football, and basketball. He was the only lacrosse player to ever be named Washington Post All-Met Player of the Year two years in a row (2001, 2002).^[1] Ward was also selected to All-State, All-County, and All-Conference teams as a junior and senior, scoring 33 goals and 20 assists as a senior (despite missing seven games due to injury) including the winning goal in overtime of the conference championship.^[2]

Collegiate career

Ward played NCAA Division I lacrosse at the University of Virginia from 2003 to 2006, where he was a three-time USILA All-American (2004, 2005, 2006) at the attack position and led the Virginia Cavaliers to two NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships, in 2003 and 2006. In 2006, he set the NCAA record for most goals (16) in the tournament and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. That year, he also won the Tewaaraton Trophy, given annually to the nation's best player, and the Lt. Raymond Enners Award as the USILA's Player of the Year.^[3] The 2006 Cavalier season was also notable because it marked the first time in NCAA history that a Division I men's lacrosse team had finished a season with a 17-0 record.

Professional career

Beginning in 2006, Ward played professional outdoor lacrosse for the Major League Lacrosse team, the Washington Bayhawks after being selected in the first round of the 2006 MLL college draft. That year, Ward was named MLL Rookie of the Year.

Statistics

University of Virginia

Major League Lacrosse

Awards

Jeff Martindale Hobie Baker Award.

References