Owen Grant's NLL Transition Player of the Year Award a 'Huge Honour'

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NLL Vancouver Warriors

Owen Grant's NLL Transition Player of the Year Award a 'Huge Honour'

May 15, 2025 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Vancouver Warriors News Release


Last offseason, Vancouver Warriors' defenceman Owen Grant set goals for himself and among them was improving his transition play.

Grant dedicated his summer to his fitness, focusing on speed and explosiveness so that he could create separation on breakaways and give himself more space to pick his spots on the run. He refined his stick skills, experimenting with new ways to be deceptive and honing his unique shooting release.

The results were evident. Grant finished the season with 26 points (16G, 10A), leading the Warriors' defensive group in scoring, ultimately earning him the NLL Transition Player of the Year award.

Warriors' General Manager and Head Coach Curt Malawsky is proud of Grant and says winning the award as a second-year player is a big accomplishment.

"I've often said that he's wise beyond his years and he proved it with his play on the floor. He ended up with 16 goals as a second-year player, which was outstanding," Malawsky said. "He's such a competitor on the back end, and he's such a great athlete and such a good teammate."

The Warriors have a "defend first, run second" philosophy and OG has earned the green light from the coaching staff to push it in transition when the time is right. Malawsky highlighted Grant's intelligence and athleticism, noting his ability to enjoy success in transition without sacrificing on the defensive end.

"He's so athletic and so smart," Malawsky said. "He puts himself in really good spots to get up the floor and it doesn't compromise his defence. He proves to his teammates and the coaches that he can play responsible defence and then still be able to work in transition with his ability to get up the floor."

When Grant learned he won the award he was taken aback, but it was a great surprise.

"It's a huge honour, especially when you look at the other two finalists. Anytime you can be in the same conversation as Zach Currier - that means a lot on its own - and [Ryan] Terefenko had an unbelievable season as well. I was a little caught off guard because I thought those guys both had really good seasons," Grant said.

Grant had an illustrious college career at the University of Delaware, amassing nearly 20 awards, but this award is particularly meaningful. After undergoing shoulder surgery last offseason, he spent the summer rehabbing with Warriors' Strength and Conditioning Coach Matt Holtzmann and Medical Director and Physiotherapist Karen Nichol. Their guidance and support helped him not only return but also reach another level of play.

"This award feels pretty big," Grant said. "It meant a lot to feel like I was able to get back from that long six-month recovery with Matt Holtzmann and Karen Nichol helping me. It obviously means a lot to not only get back from that but then feel like I was able to elevate my level of play as well," Grant said.

A Newmarket, Ontario native, Grant stayed in Vancouver in the offseason to work with Holtzmann and Nichol, ensuring he entered his sophomore season in peak shape. It translated well on the floor, Grant nearly doubled his scoring chances this season, tallying 54 shots attempts compared to 29 last season.

Grant credits his success to the team's defensive foundation.

The Warriors defensive group forces opponents to take tough shots, causes turnovers, and sacrifice their bodies by blocking shots, which all end up putting the ball closer to the opponent's net. Grant continued to develop chemistry with his teammates who looked for him in transition and gave credit to the goaltenders who also created opportunities by making a good first pass out or a long bomb down the floor.

"When you're part of one of the best defences in the league - I think the best - it's going to lead to some good opportunities going the other way. I personally get a lot of opportunities off of poor shot selection or last second shots that bounce off the end boards," Grant said.

OG plays high in the defensive system where he can pressure the ball and defend pick-and-rolls, allowing him to be the first player out of their own zone when the opportunity arises. He took on a bigger role within the defence and pushing transition this year and his comfortability within the Warriors' system showed.

"Transition starts with everybody. You have to play a good 25 to 30 seconds of defence before you can think about getting up the floor," Grant said. "Once you understand our system and where there's going to be opportunities to run, that's when you can put yourself in a better spot to get up the floor quicker or more efficiently and know when to pick your spots and take chances."

It was another season for the books for Grant whose combination of athleticism, lacrosse IQ, and work ethic have earned him the league's top transition player for the 2024-25 season.

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