Hamilton Nationals Acquire Goalie Dillon Ward
June 11, 2013 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Hamilton Nationals News Release
The Hamilton Nationals announced today that they have acquired goalie Dillon Ward from the Ohio Machine in exchange for their 2015 Third Round Collegiate Draft Pick. The deal lands the Orangeville, Ontario native close to home.
"He is a local guy. It will give us an opportunity to take a look at who our No. 2 goalie will be going down the stretch. It might also give us a chance to see our goalie of the future," said Hamilton Nationals General Manager Stu Brown. "We need a guy who will give us the best opportunity to win."
Ward enters his professional career after the best collegiate season of his four-year stint at Bellarmine University. In 2013, he was named a Third Team All-American becoming the first All-American in program history. The ECAC Goalie of the Year led Division I lacrosse with a .662 save percentage, while making 208 saves. He was second with 14.86 saves per game and sixth in goals-against (7.68 per game). In his career, he played in 53 games and notched 19 victories and a .567 save percentage.
Despite playing for the Division I school in Kentucky, Ward has been on Hamilton's radar for quite some time. Brown, who was Canada's Assistant General Manager, was impressed by Ward before the last FIL World Lacrosse Championships.
"He was at Team Canada's tryouts in 2009 for the 2010 men's team and played for Edge and the Hill Academy so we are familiar with him," said Brown, who is the president and founder of Edge Lacrosse. "He has always been one of the top goalies in both indoors and outdoors."
At the Canadian Junior "A" level, Ward was named a First Team All-Star in 2010 and 2012. To his credit, he has a 2012 Minto Cup MVP award to go along with three Cups with the Orangeville Northmen (2008, 2009 and 2012). In 2010, he was named the 2010 Canadian Player and Goalie of the Year by NLL Insider and won the Robert Melville Memorial Award as the Junior "A" Outstanding Goalie in 2008, 2009 and 2011.
The Nationals (5-1) will stay on the road as they visit the New York Lizards (2-3) on Thursday, June 13th. The 7:00 p.m. game from Icahn Stadium will be carried live on ESPN3.
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Major League Lacrosse Stories from June 11, 2013
- Hamilton Nationals Acquire Goalie Dillon Ward - Hamilton Nationals
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