Vancouver, B.C. – The Vancouver Warriors announced today that forward Keegan Bal has re-signed a one-year contract and defenceman Reid Bowering has re-signed a multi-year contract with the club, pending NLL approval.
Bal, 31, led the Warriors in scoring last season with 87 points (34-53-87) in 17 games played and was voted Most Valuable Player during the team’s annual fan vote. Concluding the season with a 24-point lead on the next closest teammate, Bal also led Vancouver in almost every offensive category including goals, assists, power play goals (9), power play points (24), and shots on goal (145).
The 6’2”, 205-pound right-handed forward has appeared in 75 career regular season games played over parts of six seasons with the Vancouver Warriors (64) and Vancouver Stealth (11), compiling 340 points (129-211-340) and 19 penalty minutes. He also led the Warriors in scoring during the 2021.22 season thanks to a 99-point campaign (44-55-99) which saw him rank t-4th in goals and t-6th in points in the entire NLL.
A native of Coquitlam, BC, Bal was originally selected by the Toronto Rock in the third round, 25th overall in the 2013 NLL Entry Draft. After obtaining his master’s degree from Durham University in England, he signed as a free agent with the Vancouver Stealth in 2015.
“When you have an Ownership group committed to winning and willing to do what it takes to get there, it makes resigning a no-brainer,” says Bal. “I believe in what we are building here. It’s going to be special.”
Bowering, 25, appeared in 15 games for the Warriors in 2022.23 during his sophomore season, recording 17 points (5-12-17) to lead all Vancouver defencemen in scoring and rank t-7th in the NLL among defenders. On the defensive side of the field, he registered 22 blocked shots to rank second among all positions in the entire league and 210 loose balls to finish second among NLL defencemen, earning Best Defenceman honours on the Warriors, as voted by the fans. Bowering was also named a finalist for NLL Transition Player of the year this past season.
Having made his NLL debut in 2021.22, the 6’0”, 190-pound left-handed defenceman has accumulated 42 points (18-24-42) in 33 career games over two seasons. He was named an NLL Rookie of the Year finalist following his first season after leading all defencemen in scoring (13-12-25), ranking first among all positions in the league for blocked shots (26), and finishing third among all players in loose balls (214).
“I’m excited to re-sign in Vancouver,” comments Bowering. “After many discussions with team management and our leadership group, it’s clear that we have high expectations for our team long into the future.”
“Everyone is extremely motivated to be a winning lacrosse club in the city of Vancouver,” continues Bowering. “Not only for us but for the fans. I am already getting pumped up for next season and can’t wait to be back in Rogers Arena playing for our great fans.”
A product of Coquitlam, BC, Bowering was originally selected by Vancouver in the first round, second overall in the 2020 NLL Entry Draft. He previously spent five seasons playing junior lacrosse with the Coquitlam Adanacs of the BCJALL, winning two Minto Cup Championships (2016 & 2018).
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