Vancouver, BC – The National Lacrosse League (NLL) announced on May 8 that the following Vancouver Warriors have been nominated for league awards. The winners will be announced from May 13 to 17.
Ryan Dilks: Defensive Player of the Year
In his first season with the Warriors, Dilks recorded a league-high and franchise record 46 turnovers caused, as well as 102 loose balls while playing in all 18 games. His strong presence both on and off the floor has led him to be named a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Dilks won this award previously, having been named the Defensive Player of the Year for the 2015.16 season as a member of the Saskatchewan Rush.
“His play on the floor was exceptional,” said General Manager and Head Coach Curt Malawsky. “He’s a right-handed defender who always picked up the toughest check no what hand they were. You’d never know he’s a guy that’s been in the league for 13 years. He’s still in his prime and was a huge part of our late season run. You don’t fully appreciate his skill set and leadership until he’s in your room.”
Owen Grant: Rookie of the Year
Recording eight goals (including a league-leading four shorthanded) and 14 points to go along with 96 loose balls, Owen Grant has been named a finalist for the Rookie of the Year Award. Grant led all rookies with 25 forced turnovers and finished 10th among rookies and sixth overall in defensive scoring. Grant is the second player in team history to be named a finalist for the Rookie of the Year Award, following Reid Bowering in 2021.22.
“He’s NLL athletic. He can play for 60 minutes,” said Malawsky. “He’s very physical and he plays to win. He picked up a lot of the tough right-handed checks on defence this season. The poise he showed for a rookie in the NLL is wise beyond his years.”
Keegan Bal: Sportsmanship Award
Setting career-highs across the board offensively in 2023.24 with a franchise record 49 goals, 56 assists and 105 points along with just two penalty minutes, Keegan Bal has been named a finalist for the Sportsmanship Award, which “honors the combination of character and performance” shown by a player. This is the second time in his career that Bal has been named a finalist for the award, having also been nominated in 2021.22.
“We talk about playing the game the right way, playing the game respectfully and being humble, while playing with passion and heart, and he does that,” said Malawsky. “Guys are trying to take him down, guys are trying to intimidate him, and he just doesn’t react. He does his job and shows great mental fortitude. We couldn’t be prouder of him.”
Curt Malawsky: General Manager of the Year & Les Bartley Award (Coach of the Year)
General Manager and Head Coach Curt Malawsky has been announced as a finalist for the General Manager of the Year Award as well as the Les Bartley Award for Coach of the Year. This is the first time that Malawsky has been nominated for General Manager of the Year. Malawsky is the reigning Les Bartley Award winner and was also named a finalist in 2013.14 and 2018.19.
In his first season in Vancouver, Malawsky led the Warriors to a team-record eight wins behind the bench and saw many of his players achieve career highs in points and other categories. In his first season as a General Manager, Malawsky spear-headed the key free agent signings of Ryan Dilks and Kevin Crowley, and then stole the headlines at the NLL Draft, turning two first round picks into four, drafting Brayden Laity, who stepped into a prominent role this season, as well as promising college stars in Payton Cormier and Brock Haley, and goaltender of the future in Connor O’Toole. Overall Malawsky oversaw the overhaul of the Warriors roster, with 13 new players wearing Warriors colours compared to the roster that finished 4-14 in the 2022-23 season.
