Catherine Ward

Catherine Ward (born February 27, 1987) is a member of the Canada women's national ice hockey team. She was also a member of the 2008–09 McGill Martlets women's hockey season, which won a Canadian Interuniversity Sport title. She was drafted 7th overall by the Montreal Stars in the 2011 CWHL Draft.[1]

Catherine Ward
Ward with the Montreal Stars in 2011
Born (1987-02-27) February 27, 1987
Mount Royal, Quebec, Canada
Height 5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Weight 150 lb (68 kg; 10 st 10 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for
National team  Canada
Playing career 2006–2014
Medal record
Women's ice hockey
Representing  Canada
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2010 Vancouver Tournament
Gold medal – first place 2014 Sochi Tournament
IIHF World Women's Championships
Gold medal – first place 2012 United States Tournament
Silver medal – second place 2009 Finland Tournament
Silver medal – second place 2011 Switzerland Tournament
Silver medal – second place 2013 Canada Tournament
MLP Nations Cup
Gold medal – first place 2007 Germany Tournament
Gold medal – first place 2008 Germany Tournament
Gold medal – first place 2009 Germany Tournament

Ward established herself as one of Canada's stars on the blue line playing for the Canadian U22 team and for the 2009 Women's World Championship team and the 2010 Olympic gold medal winning team. While with Martlets at McGill University, Ward set a QSSF record for points by a defenseman, and in 2007 became the first Martlet to earn the CIS rookie-of-the-year honour since the inception of the award in 2001. She set new McGill single-season marks for most goals, assists and points in her varsity debut, finishing second among CIS defensemen with 22 points despite playing in only 16 conference games. She was a three-time CIS All-Canadian Defender and in 2009 won the CIS Women's Hockey Championship's MVP award. Ward also played one season in the NCAA as a Boston University Terrier, and was a 2011 Patty Kazmaier Award Nominee, Second Team All-American, NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament team member, and a New England Women's Division I All-Star selection.

Playing career

Ward played with Sarah Vaillancourt on Team Quebec at the 2003 Canada Winter Games.[2] Ward would win silver at those Games. She played also for Montreal Axion in the National Women's Hockey League.

McGill Martlets

Ward played for the McGill Martlets women's ice hockey team from 2006 through 2010. During the 2008–09 season, Ward set a QSSF record for points (25) by a defenseman, beating her own record (22) that she had set in 2006–07.[3] In 2007, she was the first Martlet to earn CIS rookie-of-the-year honours since the inception of the award in 2001. She was one of three Martlets in three years to be named as the top rookie in CIS women's hockey. This marked the first time in CIS history that players from the same school in a team sport were honoured as the nation's best freshman for three consecutive years. Ann-Sophie Bettez and Marie-Andree Leclerc-Auger received the award in 2007–08 and 2008–09.[4] She set new McGill single-season marks for most goals, assists and points in her varsity debut, finishing second among CIS defencemen with 22 points despite playing in only 16 conference games.[5] During her time at McGill, where she earned a bachelor's degree, the Martlets won two Canadian Interuniversity Sport national championships.[6]

Hockey Canada

In 2007, she played for the Canadian Under-22 team on two occasions. She was a member of the European Air Canada Cup in Ravensburg, Germany, in January. She followed the victory by winning a three-game exhibition series against the US in Ottawa, in August. In 2009, Ward, and McGill teammate Charline Labonté represented Team Canada at the 2009 IIHF women's world hockey championship.

By claiming the gold medal at the 2012 IIHF Women's World Championship, Ward (along with Marie-Philip Poulin) became the sixth and seventh members of the (not yet recognized by the IIHF) Triple Gold Club for Women (having won gold in the Olympic Games, the IIHF World Championships, and the Clarkson Cup).

She was named to 2014 Olympic roster for Canada,[7] serving as assistant captain and earning a second Olympic gold medal. Ward retired from the national team in September 2015 after sitting out the 2014-15 season to take a job as an assistant product manager for sticks with the equipment company CCM.[6][8]

Boston University Terriers

Ward played for the Boston University Terriers women's ice hockey team from 2010 through 2011. She has been described as an explosive skater and a stylish playmaker.[9] She helped the team secure a first-place finish in Hockey East with a 15–3–3 conference record and a remarkable 25–5–4 overall record. Ward has also recently been recognized as the Best Defenseman in Hockey East[10] At season's end, Catherine Ward was the first ever Terrier to be named an All-American, as she was selected for the second team.[11] While at Boston University, Ward finished her master's degree in business administration.[6]

Montreal Stars

Ward played for the Montreal Stars in the Canadian Women's Hockey League from 2011 through 2013.

Career stats

Hockey Canada
EventGames PlayedGoalsAssistsPointsPIM
2009 Women's World Championships5044[12]2
2010 Olympics51344

Awards and honours

CIS
  • McGill Athlete of the Week: Sep 29, 08 – Oct 5, 08 [13]
  • McGill Most outstanding defenceman award 2009
  • Won silver with Canada Under 22 team at the 2009 MLP Nations Cup in Germany[13]
  • CIS Rookie of the Year (Tissot Award), 2007[4]
  • CIS First Team All-Canadian 2007, Defence
  • CIS First Team All-Canadian 2008, Defence
  • CIS First Team All-Canadian 2009, Defence

[14]

  • CIS Women's Hockey Championship, Most Valuable Player, 2009[15]
  • QSSF Rookie of the Year, 2007

NCAA
  • 2011 Patty Kazmaier Award Nominee[16]
  • 2011 Second Team All-American
  • 2011 NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament team[17]
  • 2011 New England Women's Division I All-Star selection[18]

References
  1. "News - CWHL - Canadian Women's Hockey League". Archived from the original on August 26, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  2. Canadian Gold 2010, Andrew Podnieks, p. 172, Fenn Publishing, Toronto, Canada, ISBN 978-1-55168-384-3
  3. "The Official Website of Hockey Canada". Hockeycanada.ca. Archived from the original on August 6, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  6. Brien, David (September 10, 2015). "Leaving on her own terms: Catherine Ward has decided it's time to focus on the next stage of her life". Hockey Canada. Hockey Canada. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  7. "Canada names women's Olympic hockey team | OlympicTalk". Olympictalk.nbcsports.com. December 23, 2013. Archived from the original on January 7, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  8. "Hefford, Apps, Ward retire from Canadian women's hockey team". CBC Sports. The Canadian Press. September 10, 2015. Archived from the original on September 11, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  9. "Catherine Ward makes most of Hockey East run | Boston Herald". News.bostonherald.com. March 5, 2011. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  10. Young, Alex. "Terrier Icewomen Continue Quest for National Title | BU Today | Boston University". Bu.edu. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  11. "Ward Named AHCA Second Team All-American – Official Website of the Boston University Department of Athletics". Goterriers.com. March 17, 2011. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  12. Collins gem Hockey Facts and Stats 2009–10, p.22, Andrew Podnieks, Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, Toronto, Canada, ISBN 978-1-55468-621-6
  13. "View". Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
  14. "2009 Women's Hockey Championship - Awards and all canadians". Archived from the original on April 16, 2009. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
  15. "2008 CIS Women's Hockey Championships". Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
  16. "WCHA Press Releases". WCHA.com. February 21, 2011. Archived from the original on August 14, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  17. "No. 3 Terriers Fall to No. 1 Wisconsin, 4–1, in National Championship Game – Official Website of the Boston University Department of Athletics". Goterriers.com. March 20, 2011. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  18. "Poulin, Wakefield, Ward Named New England Division I All-Stars – Official Website of the Boston University Department of Athletics". Goterriers.com. March 30, 2011. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
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