John Christopher Grant Jr. (born November 7, 1974) is a Hall of Fame professional
lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game was extensively ...
player who has played in
Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse (MLL) was a men's field lacrosse league in the United States. The league's inaugural season was in 2001. Teams played anywhere from ten to 16 games in a summertime regular season. This was followed by a four-team playoff f ...
, the
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is a men's professional box lacrosse league in North America. The league is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The NLL currently has fifteen teams: ten in the United Stat ...
, and the
Ontario Lacrosse Association
The Ontario Lacrosse Association (Ontario Lacrosse) is a not-for-profit sport organization and a member association of the Canadian Lacrosse Association, the national governing body for lacrosse in Canada. The Ontario Lacrosse Association is the ...
. Grant Jr. was named men's lacrosse Offensive Coordinator at
Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins (May 19, 1795 – December 24, 1873) was an American merchant, investor, and philanthropist. Born on a plantation, he left his home to start a career at the age of 17, and settled in Baltimore, Maryland where he remained for most ...
in 2020 and resigned after two seasons.
Personal
Grant is the son of John Grant Sr., a former star in the
Ontario Lacrosse Association
The Ontario Lacrosse Association (Ontario Lacrosse) is a not-for-profit sport organization and a member association of the Canadian Lacrosse Association, the national governing body for lacrosse in Canada. The Ontario Lacrosse Association is the ...
and the original
Philadelphia Wings. Grant Jr., known as Junior, has a physical education degree from the
University of Delaware
The University of Delaware (colloquially UD or Delaware) is a public land-grant research university located in Newark, Delaware. UD is the largest university in Delaware. It offers three associate's programs, 148 bachelor's programs, 121 mas ...
. He is married to Raygen Rogers and has one daughter, Gabrayel Grant, born in 2010.
OLA career
Grant began his
Ontario Lacrosse Association
The Ontario Lacrosse Association (Ontario Lacrosse) is a not-for-profit sport organization and a member association of the Canadian Lacrosse Association, the national governing body for lacrosse in Canada. The Ontario Lacrosse Association is the ...
career with the
Peterborough Lakers in the
OLA Junior A Lacrosse League
The Ontario Junior Lacrosse League (OJLL) is considered the most competitive Junior A men's box lacrosse league in the world and the number one source for talent for the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The OJLL is sanctioned by the Ontario Lacrosse ...
. 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
Major Series Lacrosse (MSL) is a Senior A box lacrosse league based in Ontario, Canada sanctioned by the Ontario Lacrosse Association. Most of the star players in the league play or have played in the National Lacrosse League. Each year, the play ...
(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
The Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) is a men's Senior A box lacrosse sanctioned by the Canadian Lacrosse Association. It consists of seven teams, based in cities throughout southwestern British Columbia. Each year, the playoff teams battle for ...
with the
Coquitlam Adanacs
The Coquitlam Adanacs are a Canadian box lacrosse team based in Coquitlam, British Columbia. The Adanacs play in B.C.'s seven team Western Lacrosse Association (WLA), whose champion competes against Ontario's Major Series Lacrosse champion for ...
, earning All-Star recognition.
Grant came back to the Peterborough Lakers in 2004 and led the team to a
Mann Cup
The Mann Cup is the trophy awarded to the senior men's box lacrosse champions of Canada. The championship is a best-of-seven, East vs West series played between the league champions of Major Series Lacrosse, the East, and Western Lacrosse Associati ...
victory, earning the
Mike Kelley Memorial Trophy The Mike Kelley Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the Most Valuable Player of the Mann Cup competition.
The trophy is named after Michael Edward Francis "Mike" Kelley who was the owner and manager of the Hamilton Tigers lacrosse club in the ea ...
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.
Grant suited up for the Peterborough Lakers of Major Series Lacrosse on July 9, 2009, a surprisingly early comeback from his surgery. 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
The Buffalo Bandits are a professional box lacrosse team in the East Division of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). They play at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. The Bandits played in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1992 to 1997, t ...
in 1995, but he didn't sign, instead opting to attend college at
SUNY Morrisville, where he stayed for two years, playing for future Yale coach
Andy Shay. Grant transferred to the
University of Delaware
The University of Delaware (colloquially UD or Delaware) is a public land-grant research university located in Newark, Delaware. UD is the largest university in Delaware. It offers three associate's programs, 148 bachelor's programs, 121 mas ...
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 The "Lt. Col. J. I. Turnbull Award"''Go to' (box title is "2009 USILA Coaches of the Year Announced") ''and then scroll down'' to the lower box, entitled "2009 USILA Special Awards". The fourth regular award listed is: "Lt. Col. J. I. 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.
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
Lyle Thompson (born September 9, 1992) is an Iroquois professional lacrosse player at the attack position for the Cannons Lacrosse Club of the Premier Lacrosse League and the Georgia Swarm of the National Lacrosse League. He shared the 2014 Tewa ...
did this in 2013.
In 2010, Grant was inducted into the NJCAA Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
NLL career
Grant was drafted by the
Buffalo Bandits
The Buffalo Bandits are a professional box lacrosse team in the East Division of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). They play at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. The Bandits played in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1992 to 1997, t ...
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
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
Grant set a
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is a men's professional box lacrosse league in North America. The league is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The NLL currently has fifteen teams: ten in the United Stat ...
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 for his record-breaking achievement. After the regular season, Grant was named the 2007 NLL
MVP
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
, and then on May 12, 2007, Grant capped off his extraordinary season by being named
Champion's Cup
The National Lacrosse League Cup is the trophy awarded each year to the champions of the National Lacrosse League. Prior to 2018, the league awarded the Champions Cup.
Winners
Most Valuable Players
All-time Finals appearances since leagu ...
game MVP, as the Knighthawks defeated the
Arizona Sting
The Arizona Sting was a member of the National Lacrosse League from 2004 to 2007. They played at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, from 2001 to 2003 as the Columbus Landsharks. On August 28, 2003, it was announced that the team was relocating to ...
13–11 to win their second championship. On May 25, 2007, Rochester Mayor
Robert Duffy awarded Grant the
Key to the City
The Freedom of the City (or Borough in some parts of the UK) is an honour bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary. Arising from the medieval practice of granting respected ...
in recognition of the Knighthawks' championship.
Grant missed the entire 2009 season after having emergency surgery to remove an infection in his knee. 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
Matt Vinc (born June 9, 1982 in St. Catharines, Ontario) is a Canadian professional lacrosse goaltender who plays for the Buffalo Bandits in the National Lacrosse League and for the Peterborough Lakers of the Major Series Lacrosse.
He was a memb ...
, plus transition players
Matt Zash
Matt Zash (born October 18, 1983 in Massapequa, New York) is a retired lacrosse player, formerly of the Philadelphia Wings in the National Lacrosse League, and of the Long Island Lizards of Major League Lacrosse. He plans to wed in the summer of ...
and
Brad Self
Brad Self (born February 27, 1981, in Peterborough, Ontario) is a retired dual-sport athlete who was most recently a lacrosse player for the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League and the Peterborough Lakers of Major Series Lacrosse lea ...
.
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.
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
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
. He scored his 1000th career point in January and his 500th career goal in March, set a new NLL record with 116 points in a season, and was named
MVP
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
for the second time in his career.
MLL career
He played for the
Rochester Rattlers
Rochester may refer to:
Places Australia
* Rochester, Victoria
Canada
* Rochester, Alberta
United Kingdom
* Rochester, Kent
**City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area
**History of Rochester, Kent
**HM Prison R ...
in their inaugural season in
2001
The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...
, 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 The National Football League Offensive Player of the Year Award is an annual American football award given by various organizations to the National Football League (NFL) player who is considered the top offensive player during the regular season. Or ...
honors. After not playing in the league from 2002 through 2004, he returned to the Rattlers for the 2005 season. In
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
, Grant broke the league's single-season points record with 71 points, was named Offensive Player of the Year for the second time, and was awarded the
Major League Lacrosse MVP Award Major League Lacrosse (MLL) was a professional men's field lacrosse league consisting of nine teams in the United States. Since the league's first season in 2001, the MLL gave several annual awards to players and coaches.
Most Valuable Player
...
. 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
The New York Lizards, originally the Long Island Lizards, were a Major League Lacrosse (MLL) team based in Hempstead, New York, located on Long Island. They are original members of the MLL. They lost the league's inaugural game on June 7, 2001 to ...
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 Gage
Joseph William "Jody" Gage (born November 29, 1959) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He was drafted in the third round, 45th overall, by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft.
Biography
As a youth, Gage play ...
—the same GM who traded Grant away from the Knighthawks—cited 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
The Chesapeake Bayhawks were a Major League Lacrosse (MLL) professional men's field lacrosse team based in Annapolis, Maryland since 2010. They played in the greater Baltimore metro area beginning with the MLL's inaugural 2001 season, as the Balti ...
.
Grant Jr. was traded to the
Denver Outlaws
The Denver Outlaws were a Major League Lacrosse professional men's field lacrosse team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They began playing in the MLL in 2006 as an expansion team.
Since joining the league, the Outlaws have played in the ...
, 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
The Ohio Machine were a Major League Lacrosse (MLL) professional men's field lacrosse team based in Obetz, Ohio. They first played in the 2012 MLL season and continued through the 2018 season.
On August 19, 2017, the Machine won their first cha ...
, in June 2016 following a 2–6 start to the Outlaws' season. In the Machine's final game of the regular season, Grant Jr. scored ten goals in a huge victory over the
New York Lizards
The New York Lizards, originally the Long Island Lizards, were a Major League Lacrosse (MLL) team based in Hempstead, New York, located on Long Island. They are original members of the MLL. They lost the league's inaugural game on June 7, 2001 to ...
, 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. Grant Jr., at 42, announced his retirement from the league on April 19, 2017.
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. He entered the season only needing five points to surpass
Paul Rabil
Paul Rabil (born December 14, 1985), is an American former professional lacrosse player and co-founder of the Premier Lacrosse League. He played for the Cannons Lacrosse Club and Atlas Lacrosse Club of the Premier Lacrosse League, as well as the ...
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
The Atlanta Blaze were a professional men's field lacrosse team in Major League Lacrosse (MLL). The Blaze became the ninth team in MLL as an expansion team for the 2016 Major League Lacrosse season, 2016 season and played its home games at Atlanta ...
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.
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.
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.
International lacrosse career
In 2006, Grant and
Gary Gait
Gary Charles Gait (born April 5, 1967) is a Canadian retired Hall of Fame professional lacrosse player and currently the head coach of the men’s lacrosse team at Syracuse University, where he played the sport collegiately. On January 24, 2017, ...
led the
Canadian national lacrosse team to an historic victory in the
2006 World Lacrosse Championship
6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number.
In mathematics
Six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number; it is the second small ...
over the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, 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:
*
1998 World Lacrosse Championship, silver medal
*2002
Heritage Cup, silver medal
*
2002 World Lacrosse Championship, silver medal
*
2003 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship, gold medal
*2004
Heritage Cup, gold medal
*
2006 World Lacrosse Championship
6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number.
In mathematics
Six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number; it is the second small ...
, gold medal
*
2007 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship, gold medal
*
2010 World Lacrosse Championships
The 2010 World Lacrosse Championship was held between 15–24 July. This international men's field lacrosse tournament organized by the Federation of International Lacrosse took place in Manchester, United Kingdom. This was the third time that ...
, silver medal
*
2011 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship, gold medal
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:
Major League Lacrosse
Reference:
Canadian Lacrosse Association
University of Delaware
:
''(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
Awards
See also
*
1999 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
*
NCAA Men's Division I Lacrosse Records NCAA Division I men's lacrosse records listed here are primarily records compiled by the NCAA's Director of Statistics office.
Included in this consolidation are the NCAA men's Division I individual single-season and career leaders. Official NCAA ...
*
NLL records
This article lists all-time records for the National Lacrosse League, as well as the predecessors ''Major Indoor Lacrosse League'' and ''Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League''.
Franchise records
''Through the end of the 2021-22 season''
All time records ...
*
University of Delaware Mens Lacrosse
The Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens men's lacrosse team represents the University of Delaware in NCAA Division I men's college lacrosse. Delaware currently competes as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) and plays its home games at D ...
External links
University Of Delaware 1999 SeasonJohn Grant, Jr.'s Championship Career of Defying the OddsJohn Grant Jr. highlights from UDel team
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grant, John Jr.
1974 births
Living people
Canadian lacrosse players
Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens men's lacrosse players
Lacrosse people from Ontario
Major League Lacrosse major award winners
Major League Lacrosse players
Morrisville State College alumni
National Lacrosse League All-Stars
National Lacrosse League major award winners
Rochester Knighthawks players
Sportspeople from Peterborough, Ontario
Hamilton Nationals players
Colorado Mammoth players
University of Delaware alumni
Johns Hopkins Blue Jays men's lacrosse coaches