Culture, Commitment and a Historic Run: Inside Warriors' 2024-25 Season

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NLL Vancouver Warriors

Culture, Commitment and a Historic Run: Inside Warriors' 2024-25 Season

May 27, 2025 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Vancouver Warriors News Release


The Vancouver Warriors accomplished a lot this season.

They made history by punching their ticket to the playoffs for the first time, winning their first home playoff game, and advancing to their first semifinal appearance in the NLL playoffs.

Their achievements were rooted in a productive offseason - by the players and the front office staff - that strengthened the Warriors' roster. Throughout the year, players across the depth chart rose to the occasion, delivering in key moments and solidifying Vancouver as a legitimate contender.

Another success - and arguably the biggest one - was how the Warriors forged connections within the community that extended beyond the turf at Rogers Arena.

Team Performance

Warriors' General Manager and Head Coach Curt Malawsky reached the 100-career win milestone and fostered the team culture of commitment and belief that brought out the best in every player.

"I really liked the strides we made, along with that deep run, and our fans were there to support us all the way through. I think our fans really appreciate the hard work and the culture that's been created in Vancouver," Malawsky said. "Around the Lower Mainland, I'm in the arenas a lot now with minor lacrosse and watching some WLA and Junior A lacrosse, there's still a real buzz in the city."

Vancouver's defensive group was one of the most formidable in team history. The Warriors allowed a league-low 172 goals, cementing themselves as the stingiest group in the NLL. The back end was bolstered by a game-changing trade deadline acquisition on March 10th: Christian Del Bianco. Delbs was the top goaltender in goals-against average (8.77) with an 82% save percentage.

It was a full team effort on the back end as every defender who played at least 12 games collected at least 40 loose balls. They all put their bodies on the line, with four current players holding the franchise's top spots for blocked shots Bowering (64), Brett Mydske (60), Owen Grant (37), and Steph Charbonneau (33).

Ryan Dilks and Grant earned NLL All-First Team awards, and veteran Jeff Cornwall was a key addition in free agency last offseason, bringing leadership and grit, and helping push his teammates to reach their potential.

"Jeff brings that calming influence on the floor; he doesn't get too high;, he never gets too low. He knows when to elevate his game, especially down the stretch going into the playoffs, I thought he played his best lacrosse," Malawsky said. "He's still a very good transition player, and Reid and OG are similar to Jeff when he was younger - he was very aggressive on the ball, he got up the floor real quick - and that's very similar to what Reid and OG are all about. I think that was just a good role model for them."

In addition to Del Bianco being agile in the crease, his rebound control and passing accuracy helped the team's transition game and gave them confidence offensively as well. The Warriors' offence surged late in the season, and their playoff push was powered by veterans and emerging stars.

Keegan Bal led the way with a career-best 112 points (43G, 69A) in 18 regular-season games and 18 points (8G, 10A) in three postseason games. Every point is hard-earned as the 33-year-old floor general sees more double teams in a game than the turf at Rogers Arena sees Beersy high-fives on Fan Night.

"He's our MVP," Malawsky said. "Night in and night out he gets the tough checks. He takes a lot of pounding but never stops getting to the middle. He drives our team with his self-motivation and leadership. When you've got a leader like that it really does bring the complete level, quality of play and accountability up across the board."

Riley Loewen contributed 19 goals in his 11th NLL season - his second-highest career total. Loewen has a high lacrosse IQ and willingness to sacrifice in high-traffic areas, consistently creating space for his teammates and providing a steady veteran presence.

Young forwards also stepped up in major ways. Marcus Klarich tallied 37 points (21G, 16A) in 14 regular-season games and three goals and four assists in the postseason. The 22-year-old was in and out of the lineup early in the season but continued to grind, showcasing his unique skillset and ability to break opponents down one-on-one.

"He gave us some legit minutes on that side of the floor and scored some big goals in key moments of games. He matured this year, and we got to see his potential which was good because his potential helps the team out big time," Malawsky said.

McIntosh put up 14 points (5G, 9A) in six regular-season games and had six points (2G, 4A) through three postseason games. One of the fittest players on the team, McIntosh was committed to being ready when called upon to help the team any way he could.

"He's got zero fear to get to the middle of the floor. He played with us in a three role and he played very well. He's an everyday player now in the National Lacrosse League and is a young guy that's got a bright future," Malawsky said.

The Warriors got a boost from rookie faceoff specialist Alec Stathakis, who finished the regular season going 261 of 440, winning 59% of his faceoffs. His play gave the team critical possessions, as he picked up a team-high 137 loose balls, and helped maintain momentum in key moments.

"The hard work that we put in this year - we obviously didn't get our ultimate goal - but I think all those good things can only help bode well for the future. Understanding the work ethic and how much time and effort went into getting the team to where they need to be is a testament to the players, the training staff, the office staff, and everybody involved," Malawsky said.

"It's going to be even harder next year, and it takes a lot to win in the National Lacrosse League, but at least we're trending in the right direction, and we have a plan."

Community

Fan Appreciation Night was a highlight for Malawsky, who was in the middle of the packed turf postgame with players signing autographs and taking photos for over half an hour, reinforcing the club's investment in building relationships with fans.

The Warriors made Rogers Arena a fortress, going 7-2 at home in the regular season and 1-1 in the playoffs, including a 15-10 win over the Rochester Knighthawks in their first home playoff game. Finishing with an 8-3 home record was achieved through their on-floor consistency and the growing support from a passionate fan base. The energy at Rogers Arena was high during the season and into the playoffs, which Malawsky says were some of the season's most memorable moments.

"That was really big for us. Being able to win games in front of the home crowd and making Vancouver a tough place to play was another positive," Malawsky said. "The fan base built as the season went along, and probably the most memorable thing was the chanting at the end of that in the playoff game against Buffalo. It was pretty special and surreal to see the growth we had in the fan base as everybody bought in and was part of it."

Off the floor, the Warriors continued their commitment to community engagement. From the Warriors' Academy to Stick to School initiatives, the organization built meaningful connections throughout British Columbia. The Warriors did 82 Stick to School assemblies and 20 Stick to School P.E. classes and in the inaugural year, Warriors Elite Academy coached 112 U11 and U13 high-performance lacrosse athletes.

Grant and former Warriors' goaltender Aden Walsh headed up the assemblies while Klarich, Payton Cormier and Kevin Crowley taught the P.E. classes. Warriors Elite Academy is led by Matt Beers and includes Bowering, McIntosh, Adam Charalambides, and Jackson Suboch.

The Warriors are adding a U15 age group to the Warriors Academy next season, with upcoming registration for the fall for all age groups launching in June, so stay tuned!

The Warriors have had a lot of successes this season and are pushing to build on that with hard work and a loyal fanbase behind them.

Check out the Vancouver Warriors Statistics



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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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