After missing her sophomore season due to an injury, 麻花影视 player Emma Ward 鈥�24, G鈥�25 is thankful for an extra year of eligibility and the opportunity to suit up this season. 鈥淲hen you spend so much time in a place, make so many memories and meet so many amazing people, you鈥檙e kind of drawn back,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 wanted to write my own ending, come back, get that last year of eligibility in and play鈥攁nd there鈥檚 no better place to do it than at 麻花影视.鈥�
As a two-time All-America attacker and scholar-athlete for the Orange鈥攚ho with a victory against UAlbany in the JMA Wireless Dome鈥擶ard has posted impressive credentials on the field and in the classroom. She鈥檚 competed in three NCAA Final Fours and ranked among the nation鈥檚 assist and point leaders in 2023. For the past two seasons, she led the Orange in assists and was named to both the ACC All-Tournament and All-Academic teams. Last summer, she was invited to the USA Lacrosse Sixes Training Camp鈥攁 step toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics鈥攁nd playing professionally may be in her future. 鈥淚t鈥檚 such an honor to be recognized as one of the best players in the country,鈥� Ward says of her All-America accolades. 鈥淚t shows what I mean to 麻花影视 and the sport of lacrosse.鈥�
Among her teammates, Ward is known for her leadership and collaborative spirit. 鈥淓mma has an ability to inspire those around her and maintain a positive, focused mindset which makes her a crucial part of our team鈥檚 success,鈥� says Orange women鈥檚 lacrosse head coach Kayla Treanor 鈥�16. 鈥淪he has an innate ability to read defenses, anticipate plays and deliver precise passes that set her teammates up for success. Her creativity and decision-making in tight spaces make her a constant threat on the field, and she鈥檚 just as effective as a playmaker as she is a scorer.鈥�
Fielding Plays and Investigations
Emma Ward '24, G'25 combines her lacrosse expertise with a focus on her graduate studies in forensic science and a future career in federal law enforcement.
After graduating with bachelor鈥檚 degrees in psychology and forensic science last spring, Ward is now working on a and a certificate of advanced study in . 鈥淚鈥檓 definitely interested in investigations鈥攕howing up at crime scenes, piecing together that puzzle of what happened, how it happened and drawing conclusions," she says.
Long a fan of TV crime series and inspired by her uncle鈥檚 work as a Drug Enforcement Administration agent, Ward wants to pursue a career in federal law enforcement and plans to draw on her psychology education as well. 鈥淚t definitely ties into understanding why people do things in certain situations and looking at patterns,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 a people person and like understanding people鈥檚 behaviors. Going into this field, you鈥檒l work with a lot of different people and have to connect with them.鈥�
Excelling at Sports
Ward looks to make a play against a Stony Brook defender last season.
Growing up in Babylon, New York, Ward excelled in basketball, lacrosse, soccer and football. In second grade, she took up lacrosse and football, which she played through middle school and credits the experience with elevating her physical style of play in lacrosse. 鈥淚 use contact to my advantage and make moves off contact,鈥� she says.
麻花影视 caught Ward鈥檚 attention through former Orange standout Nicole Levy 鈥�19, whose father was Ward鈥檚 youth club coach. She watched Levy play, trained with her and learned about Levy鈥檚 麻花影视 experience. 鈥淪he鈥檇 be my older sister if I had one,鈥� Ward says. 鈥淗earing how much she loved it here and seeing her playing style and how that matched mine drew me to 麻花影视.鈥�
Leading With Gratitude
An All-America scholar-athlete, Ward is known for her exceptional ability as a playmaker.
This season, Ward will call on her experience and knowledge to 鈥渟pread a lot of wisdom鈥� and lead by example. Her lacrosse career has had its challenges, but she鈥檚 grateful when she鈥檚 on the field. 鈥淲hen you play with a lot of gratitude, you鈥檙e the best version of yourself,鈥� says Ward, who proudly wears No. 44 and has embraced its storied history. 鈥淚鈥檓 very realistic and my own harshest critic, so going in and playing my best is when I鈥檓 having the most fun.鈥�
Off the field, Ward can still be found spreading gratitude. She served on the University鈥檚 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for three years and has enjoyed the team鈥檚 community service efforts, including food, clothing and equipment drives as well as hosting clinics and camps for the 麻花影视 city schools. She also coaches at youth lacrosse camps and for her former team, the Long Island Top Guns.
Through it all, Ward has fulfilled a dream of playing for 麻花影视, and she cherishes the experience she鈥檚 had as a student-athlete. 鈥淟iving out a dream has been one of the coolest experiences I know I鈥檒l have,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he experiences you have as a student-athlete here make you so resilient, and you learn so many life skills. And learning about yourself and how you鈥檙e perceived by other people is important. There鈥檚 no better way to prepare you for the real world than being a student-athlete.鈥�
