John Grant Jr.

John Christopher Grant Jr. (born November 7, 1974) is a Hall of Fame professional lacrosse player who has played in Major League Lacrosse, the National Lacrosse League, and the Ontario Lacrosse Association. He currently serves as an assistant coach for Redwoods Lacrosse Club of the Premier Lacrosse League.[1]

John Grant Jr.
Born (1974-11-07) November 7, 1974
Peterborough, Ontario
NationalityCanadian
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight220 pounds (100 kg)
ShootsLeft
PositionForward / Attack
NCAA teamDelaware (1999)
NLL draft1st overall, 1999
Rochester Knighthawks
NLL teamsRochester Knighthawks
Colorado Mammoth
MLL teamsRochester Rattlers
Hamilton Nationals
New York Lizards
Chesapeake Bayhawks
Denver Outlaws
Ohio Machine
Denver Outlaws
CLA teamsPeterborough Lakers
Coquitlam Adanacs
Pro career2000–2017, 2019-2020
NicknameJunior
Career highlights

Lt. Raymond Enners Award (1999)
MSL MVP (2000)
Mike Kelley Memorial Trophy (2004, 2007)
MLL MVP (2007, 2008)
NLL MVP (2007, 2012)
NJCAA Lacrosse Hall Of Fame (2010)

Medal record
Representing  Canada
Box lacrosse
Heritage Cup
Second place2002 Canada
First place2004 United States
World Indoor Lacrosse Championship
Gold medal – first place2003 Canada
Gold medal – first place2007 Canada
Gold medal – first place2011 Czech Republic
Field lacrosse
World Lacrosse Championship
Silver medal – second place1998 United States
Silver medal – second place2002 Australia
Gold medal – first place2006 Canada
Silver medal – second place2010 England

Personal

Grant is the son of John Grant Sr., a former star in the Ontario Lacrosse Association and the original Philadelphia Wings. Grant Jr., known as Junior, has a physical education degree from the University of Delaware. He is married to Raygen Rogers and has one daughter, Gabrayel Grant, born in 2010.

OLA career

Grant began his Ontario Lacrosse Association career with the Peterborough Lakers in the OLA Junior A Lacrosse League. He was named the OLA Junior A Lacrosse League Most Valuable Player in 1994, and was the league's top scorer in 1993, 1994, and 1995. In 1995, Grant moved up to the Major Series Lacrosse (MSL) with the Peterborough Lakers, where he won the Top Rookie of the Year award. In 2000, Grant won the MSL Most Valuable Player award. In 2002 and 2003, Grant moved west, playing in the Western Lacrosse Association with the Coquitlam Adanacs, earning All-Star recognition.

Grant came back to the Peterborough Lakers in 2004 and led the team to a Mann Cup victory, earning the Mike Kelley Memorial Trophy as the competition's Most Valuable Player. In 2006 and 2007, Grant again won the Mann Cup as a member of the Lakers, earning his second Mann Cup MVP in 2007.[2]

Grant suited up for the Peterborough Lakers of Major Series Lacrosse on July 9, 2009, a surprisingly early comeback from his surgery.[3] In 2010, Grant and the Peterborough Lakers won the Mann Cup once again, beating out the New Westminster Salmonbellies.

College career

Grant was drafted by the Buffalo Bandits in 1995, but he didn't sign, instead opting to attend junior college at SUNY Morrisville playing for future Yale coach Andy Shay. Grant transferred to the University of Delaware and played the 1998 and 1999 seasons, again teaming up with Shay who had moved there as an assistant, with the Fightin' Blue Hens compiling a 23 and 8 during that time. Grant made the USILA All-American team his junior season, but really attracted national attention his senior year.

In 1999, Grant had 56 goals and 54 assists for 110 points, leading the nation in assists and points and setting school records for both categories. He was named the USILA National Collegiate Player of the Year and was awarded the Jack Turnbull Award as National Attackman of the Year. Grant was Delaware's first USILA First Team All-American. John led the school to its first ever NCAA quarterfinal appearance as well as its first 14-win season, with victories over perennial lacrosse powers North Carolina, Navy and Towson, in addition to 4 other top 20 teams.[4]

Grant's 110-point 1999 season currently ranks tenth on the NCAA Individual Single-Season Leaders list and Grant is 13th in career points per game. He was the last Division I player to average more than 6 points-per-game for an entire season (1999), until Lyle Thompson did this in 2013.

In 2010, Grant was inducted into the NJCAA Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

NLL career

Grant was originally drafted by the Buffalo Bandits in the third round of the 1995 MILL Entry Draft. He was never signed by the Bandits, opting instead to attend college, re-entered the draft four years later when he was drafted first overall by the Rochester Knighthawks in the 1999 NLL Entry Draft, and was named NLL Rookie of the Year for the 2000 season. He holds several franchise records including most goals (347) and most points (719). Grant is also tied for fifth all-time in goals, third in assists per game and 12th in points in NLL history. He has some of the team's single-season records too, including: Most goals (54), most assists (60), and most points (111). Grant is also the team's all-time leader in playoff goals (47) and points (82).

In 2007 Grant set a National Lacrosse League record with 15 points in a single game (9 goals, 6 assists) in a win over the New York Titans, since broken by Mark Steenhuis. He was recognized with Overall Player of the Week Honors[5] for his record-breaking achievement. After the regular season, Grant was named the 2007 NLL MVP, and then on May 12, 2007, Grant capped off his extraordinary season by being named Champion's Cup game MVP, as the Knighthawks defeated the Arizona Sting 13–11 to win their second championship. On May 25, 2007, Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy awarded Grant the Key to the City in recognition of the Knighthawks' championship.

Grant missed the entire 2009 season after having emergency surgery to remove an infection in his knee.[6] In 2010, Grant returned to form playing in 15 of his team's 16 games, though Rochester missed the playoffs.

On October 27, 2010, Grant (plus defender Mac Allen) was traded to the Colorado Mammoth in exchange for 2010 NLL Goaltender of the Year Matt Vinc, plus transition players Matt Zash and Brad Self.[7] Draft picks were also exchanged in the trade, which the Knighthawks said they executed to alleviate the effects of an aging roster, despite being reluctant to deal Grant after such a long and successful tenure in Rochester.[7]

After a strong debut season with the Mammoth in which he scored 83 points (matching his 2010 total), Grant had one of the best years of his career in 2012. He scored his 1000th career point in January[8] and his 500th career goal in March,[9] set a new NLL record with 116 points in a season,[10] and was named MVP for the second time in his career.[11]

MLL career

He played for the Rochester Rattlers in their inaugural season in 2001, and finished second in the league with 59 points (41 goals, 3 two-pointers, 15 assists) in 14 games. He was also named an MLL All-Star and earned league Offensive Player of the Year honors. After not playing in the league from 2002 through 2004, he returned to the Rattlers for the 2005 season. In 2007, Grant broke the league's single-season points record with 71 points,[12] was named Offensive Player of the Year for the second time,[13] and was awarded the Major League Lacrosse MVP Award.[14] In 2008, Grant led the league in scoring with 64 points (47 goals, 4 two-pointers, 13 assists) and was named the 2008 Bud Light Major League Lacrosse Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row. Grant and the Rattlers went on to win the MLL Championship in 2008, with a 16 to 6 defeat of Denver. This was the first MLL title for the Rattlers.

He, along with the rest of the Rattlers franchise and roster, transferred to the Toronto (later Hamilton) Nationals when the franchise was bought by a new ownership group in 2009.

On June 14, 2011, it was announced that Grant Jr was traded to the Long Island Lizards for a second-round draft pick in the 2012 Collegiate draft, which would become a 4th-round pick if Grant Jr does not report. Nationals general manager Jody Gagethe same GM who traded Grant away from the Knighthawkscited a desire to go with a younger roster as a factor in the trade decision.

In February 2012, Grant Jr was traded to the Chesapeake Bayhawks.[15]

Grant Jr. was traded to the Denver Outlaws,[16] along with defenseman Michael Simon, in exchange for attackman Brendan Mundorf and the 16th pick in the 2014 collegiate draft in September 2013. He spent two-and-a-half seasons with the Outlaws before being traded to his sixth team, the Ohio Machine, in June 2016 following a 2–6 start to the Outlaws' season.[17] In the Machine's final game of the regular season, Grant Jr. scored ten goals in a huge victory over the New York Lizards, clinching a playoff berth for the Machine and becoming the first MLL player to score 10 goals in a game. Grant Jr. helped the Machine get to their first championship game that summer, but faced his former team in the Denver Outlaws, who had rattled off seven straight victories. The Machine surrendered a huge lead and Grant Jr. lost his first championship game, 19–18 in a weather-delayed game.[18] Grant Jr., at 42, announced his retirement from the league on April 19, 2017.[19]

Return from retirement

John Grant Jr. announced on May 27, 2019, that he would return to the playing field for the Denver Outlaws. He had already spent the last two years as an assistant coach for the Outlaws, but would step into a player-coach role for the 2019 summer. At 44, Grant Jr. would become by far the oldest active player in Major League Lacrosse.[20] He entered the season only needing five points to surpass Paul Rabil as the all-time leading scorer in MLL history. He hit this mark on June 9 in an 18–16 win over the Atlanta Blaze[21]

On July 9, the league announced the 44-year-old John Grant Jr. had been selected to the MLL All Star Game. As of July 9, Grant Jr. was 11th in the league in points (18) with 10 goals and eight assists.[22]

Professional Lacrosse Hall of Fame

On June 18, 2022, Grant was inducted into the Professional Lacrosse Hall of Fame as one of the eleven members of the inaugural class of inductees.[23]

Coaching career

Grant has served as player-coach for the Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse. He was named men's lacrosse offensive coordinator at Johns Hopkins in 2020 and resigned in 2022 to "pursue other opportunities in the lacrosse world.[24][25] He coached at the Maryland school, Gerstell Academy, for one year, in between Hopkins and the Redwoods Lacrosse Club. He was named an assistant coach for Redwoods Lacrosse Club on December 29, 2022.[1]

International lacrosse career

In 2006, Grant and Gary Gait led the Canadian national lacrosse team to an historic victory in the 2006 World Lacrosse Championship over the United States, 15–10. Grant led the tournament in points and assists and was selected for the All-World team. He has also represented Team Canada in the following events:

Accomplishments

  • 1994 OLA Junior A Most Valuable Player
  • 1995 MSL Rookie of the Year
  • 1999 USILA National Collegiate Player of the Year
  • 1999 National Collegiate Attackman of the Year
  • 2000 NLL Rookie of the Year
  • 2000 MSL Most Valuable Player
  • 2001 MLL Offensive Player of the Year
  • 2003 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship Champions (Canada)
  • 2004 Heritage Cup Champions (Canada)
  • 2004 Mann Cup Champions (Peterborough Lakers)
  • 2004 Mann Cup Most Valuable Player
  • 2006 World Lacrosse Championship Champions (Canada)
  • 2006 World Lacrosse Championship- All World Team
  • 2006 Mann Cup Champion (Peterborough Lakers)
  • 2007 NLL Most Valuable Player
  • 2007 NLL Champions Cup Champion (Rochester Knighthawks)
  • 2007 NLL Champions Cup Most Valuable Player
  • 2007 World Lacrosse Championships Champion (Canada)
  • 2007 MLL Offensive Player of the Year
  • 2007 MLL Most Valuable Player
  • 2007 Mann Cup Champion (Peterborough Lakers)
  • 2007 Mann Cup Most Valuable Player
  • 2008 MLL Offensive Player of the Year
  • 2008 MLL Most Valuable Player
  • 2008 MLL Steinfeld Cup Champion (Rochester Rattlers)
  • 2009 MLL Steinfeld Cup Champion (Toronto Nationals)
  • 2010 Mann Cup Champion (Peterborough Lakers)
  • 2010 World Lacrosse Championship- All World Team (Top Attackman)
  • 2012 NLL Most Valuable Player
  • 2012 MLL Steinfeld Cup Champion (Chesapeake Bayhawks)
  • 2012 Mann Cup Champion (Peterborough Lakers)
  • 2013 MLL Steinfeld Cup Champion (Chesapeake Bayhawks)
  • 2014 MLL Steinfeld Cup Champion (Denver Outlaws)

Statistics

NLL

Reference:[26]

John Grant Jr. Regular Season Playoffs
Season Team GP G A Pts LB PIM Pts/GP LB/GP PIM/GP GP G A Pts LB PIM Pts/GP LB/GP PIM/GP

2000 Rochester Knighthawks 12 37 40 77 76 32 6.42 6.33 2.67 2 9 7 16 9 6 8.00 4.50 3.00
2001 Rochester Knighthawks 14 42 48 90 124 18 6.43 8.86 1.29 1 3 1 4 5 0 4.00 5.00 0.00
2002 Rochester Knighthawks 16 52 53 105 102 43 6.56 6.38 2.69 2 6 5 11 10 0 5.50 5.00 0.00
2003 Rochester Knighthawks 16 46 53 99 115 20 6.19 7.19 1.25 2 6 7 13 17 4 6.50 8.50 2.00
2004 Rochester Knighthawks 5 16 19 35 34 6 7.00 6.80 1.20
2005 Rochester Knighthawks 15 49 56 105 83 31 7.00 5.53 2.07 2 7 6 13 7 2 6.50 3.50 1.00
2006 Rochester Knighthawks 16 54 43 97 86 22 6.06 5.38 1.38 2 8 2 10 8 2 5.00 4.00 1.00
2007 Rochester Knighthawks 15 51 60 111 81 40 7.40 5.40 2.67 3 8 7 15 24 0 5.00 8.00 0.00
2008 Rochester Knighthawks 16 47 45 92 116 16 5.75 7.25 1.00
2010 Rochester Knighthawks 15 39 44 83 85 17 5.53 5.67 1.13
2011 Colorado Mammoth 16 36 47 83 45 12 5.19 2.81 0.75 1 3 1 4 3 0 4.00 3.00 0.00
2012 Colorado Mammoth 14 50 66 116 57 24 8.29 4.07 1.71 1 5 2 7 4 0 7.00 4.00 0.00
2013 Colorado Mammoth 16 43 48 91 42 22 5.69 2.63 1.38 1 2 3 5 1 0 5.00 1.00 0.00
2014 Colorado Mammoth 17 40 51 91 64 20 5.35 3.76 1.18 1 2 5 7 2 0 7.00 2.00 0.00
2015 Colorado Mammoth 18 34 57 91 42 10 5.06 2.33 0.56 1 1 2 3 5 2 3.00 5.00 2.00
2016 Colorado Mammoth 15 30 45 75 47 14 5.00 3.13 0.93 1 0 3 3 3 0 3.00 3.00 0.00
2017 Colorado Mammoth 2 2 3 5 3 2 2.50 1.50 1.00
238 668 778 1,446 1,202 349 6.08 5.05 1.47 20 60 51 111 98 16 5.55 4.90 0.80
Career Total: 258 728 829 1,557 1,300 365 6.03 5.04 1.41

GPGames played; GGoals; AAssists; PtsPoints; LBLoose balls; PIMPenalty minutes; Pts/GPPoints per games played; LB/GPLoose balls per games played; PIM/GPPenalty minutes per games played.

Major League Lacrosse

Reference:[27]

    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team GP G 2ptG A Pts GB PIM GP G 2ptG A Pts GB PIM
2001 Rochester 14 41 3 15 59 15 5.0 1 0 0 0 0 3 1.0
2005 Rochester 12 21 2 17 40 14 6.0 1 0 0 3 3 1 0.0
2006 Rochester 11 28 2 19 49 17 10.5 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
2007 Rochester 12 44 2 25 71 27 4.0 2 2 0 5 7 7 1.0
2008 Rochester 12 47 4 13 64 21 7.5 2 5 0 2 7 3 0.0
2009 Toronto 1 5 0 0 5 0 0.0 2 2 0 1 3 3 1.0
2010 Toronto 11 19 4 13 36 15 .5 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
2011 Hamilton / Long Island 10 12 0 10 22 9 5.0 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
2012 Chesapeake 10 20 1 11 32 12 0.0 2 4 0 2 6 2 0.0
2013 Chesapeake 11 20 0 12 32 13 3.0 2 6 0 1 7 2 0.0
2014 Denver 12 28 0 26 54 15 2.5 2 7 0 4 11 3 0.0
2015 Denver 10 24 0 18 42 15 3.0 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
2016 Ohio / Denver 8 13 0 10 23 6 1.5 2 8 0 4 12 1 0.0
MLL Totals 136 333 18 190 541 160 48.5 16 34 0 22 56 18 2.0

Canadian Lacrosse Association

    Regular Season   Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1991Peterborough LakersOLA Jr A181215272200000
1992Peterborough LakersOLA Jr A183118493413142
1993Peterborough LakersOLA Jr A2078461245161712296
1994Peterborough LakersOLA Jr A228674160201838377520
1994Peterborough LakersMSL2437000000
1995Peterborough LakersOLA Jr A176645111511128154324
1995Peterborough LakersMSL34812400000
1996Peterborough LakersMSL2466621283251812304
1997Peterborough LakersMSL162936651600000
1998Peterborough LakersMSL2538211120
1999Peterborough LakersMSL10182139241118173514
2000Peterborough LakersMSL154658104284815234
2002Coquitlam AdanacsWLA13303969161026255114
2003Coquitlam AdanacsWLA175435894169101910
2004Peterborough LakersMSL435801835407531
2005Peterborough LakersMSL40000678158
2006Peterborough LakersMSL59112001737407722
2007Peterborough LakersMSL71216286142645714
2008Peterborough LakersMSL113430644813152810
2009Peterborough LakersMSL355104814142810
2010Peterborough LakersMSL615153041834437712
2011Peterborough LakersMSL1638428061120244412
2012Peterborough LakersMSL824133712153732696
Junior A Totals9527319847112736866515352
Senior A Totals166396402798199152303341644161

University of Delaware

     
Season Team GP G A Pts PPG
1998 University of Delaware 15 40 27 67 4.46
1999 University of Delaware 17 56 54 110 (a) 6.47
NCAA Totals 32 96 81 177 5.53 (b)
(a) 11th in NCAA Men's Division I Single Season Total Points
(b) 15th in NCAA Men's Division I Career Points-per-Game

1999 Season Game Log

     
OpponentGAPtsOpponentGAPts
Gannon549North Carolina #154711
Harford336Penn State #9415
Hofstra #17415Loyola #1011
Butler #18213Drexel325
Mt. St. Mary's437Vermont279
Navy #10448Penn404
Rutgers5510UMBC #10347
Towson #11279Virginia #2437
Georgetown #8314

See also

References

  1. PLL (2022-12-29). "Redwoods LC hire Pro Lacrosse Hall of Famer John Grant Jr. as an Assistant Coach". Premier Lacrosse League. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  2. "Lakers Team Stats: John Grant Jr. Stats". Bible-of-Lacrosse.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  3. http://www.peterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1646884
  4. "University Of Delaware 1999 Season Results and Game Stories". 1999. Archived from the original on 2004-07-01. Retrieved 2017-02-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. "Knighthawks' Grant earns NLL honor". Democrat and Chronicle. January 31, 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-01.
  6. "GRANT TO MISS 2009 SEASON". August 9, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-29.
  7. Matthews, Bob (October 28, 2010). "John Grant Jr. traded to Colorado Mammoth from Rochester Knighthawks". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. Gannett Company. pp. 1D, 5D. Archived from the original on October 29, 2010. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
  8. Nikulin, Pol (January 22, 2012). "Colorado completes two-game sweep in Alberta". NLL.com. Archived from the original on September 9, 2012. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
  9. Rosenhoch, Alan (March 3, 2012). "Grant hits 500-goal milestone as Mammoth edge Bandits". NLL.com. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  10. "BREAKING NEWS: Grant sets new single-season scoring record". NLL.com. April 28, 2012. Archived from the original on May 1, 2012. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
  11. "John Grant Jr. wins Most Valuable Player Award, presented by Reebok Lacrosse". NLL.com. 2012-05-03. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
  12. "Grant Sets Points Record In Rattlers Win". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. August 11, 2007. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  13. "Grant Honored As 2007 Warrior Offensive Player Of The Year". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. August 15, 2007. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  14. "Grant named 2007 Bud Light Major League Lacrosse Most Valuable Player". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. August 24, 2007. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-30.
  15. "John Grant Jr. | Chesapeake Bayhawks Lacrosse". Archived from the original on 2012-09-11.
  16. "Outlaws Announce Blockbuster Trade | Denver Outlaws Lacrosse". Archived from the original on 2015-03-29.
  17. "John Grant Jr. to the Machine". Archived from the original on 2019-07-10. Retrieved 2019-07-10.
  18. "Outlaws win second MLL championship". Archived from the original on 2019-07-10. Retrieved 2019-07-10.
  19. John Grant Jr. retires from Major League Lacrosse
  20. Junior comes out of retirement
  21. John Grant Jr. reclaims scoring record
  22. "2019 MLL All Stars announced". Archived from the original on 2019-07-10. Retrieved 2019-07-10.
  23. ""Inaugural Pro Lacrosse Hall of Fame Class Inducted on Long Island"". Merola, Lauren, premierlacrosseleague.com. 2022-06-20. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
  24. "John Grant, Jr. Named Men's Lacrosse Offensive Coordinator". hopkinssports.com.
  25. Demling, Tanner (2022-05-17). "John Grant, Jr., Stepping Down as Offensive Coordinator at Johns Hopkins". Lacrosse Bucket. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
  26. "National Lacrosse League Pointstreak Stats". NLL.com. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  27. "John Grant Jr". Pointstreak.com. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
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