Emilia Ward - Lacrosse Coach - Central Michigan University Athletics

Emilia Ward

Title:
Head Coach
E-Mail Address:
ward3e@cmich.edu
Phone:
(248) 444-0291
Year at CMU:
4th year at CMU
Hometown:
Farmington Hills, Mich.
Alma Mater/Year:
Manhattan '08
Experience:
9th year as Head Coach

Emilia Ward was named the second lacrosse coach in Central Michigan history in July 2022 by Zyzelewski Family Associate Vice President/director of athletics Amy Folan.

Ward orchestrated the program's first outright regular season season conference title in 2024, the fourth overall (regular season, tournament) since the Mid-American Conference began sponsoring a women's lacrosse championship in 2021. The season was led by 2024 MAC Goalkeeper of the Year Alexa Martel and 2025 MAC Defensive Player of the Year Jozy Allen, both players marked the first to earn their respective award in program history. Martel and Allen were two of six All-MAC honorees in 2024, joined by first-team attacker Skye DePrado.

Martel became the first in program history to record a 200-plus save season in 2024, one of few to do so across NCAA I that season, then led the nation with 12.00 saves per game in 2025. The Rochester, N.Y.-native graduated as the all-time saves leader (586) in 2025.

Allen set the season draw controls record in 2025 as the first to eclipse 100 (104) in a single season, graduated in 2025 second in both career caused turnovers (81) and draw controls (183).

In Ward's inaugural season, Central Michigan continued its streak of league championships with a MAC tournament run of victories over second-seed Kent State and host Robert Morris en route to the program’s reappearance in the NCAA tournament, after falling to both programs in back-to-back weeks to close the regular season. Coach Ward’s first season in Mount Pleasant featured seven All-MAC selections, including first-team nods for attackers Maggie Diebold, Kelly Hoyt, and Audrey Whiteside and defender Hailie Moore.

Ward served as a volunteer assistant coach at Michigan in 2022 and before that was an assistant at Marquette from 2020-21. She also coached at Northern Michigan from 2015-19, serving as the inaugural head coach of the program.

In 2022 at Michigan, Ward worked with the goalkeepers, a unit that ranked second in the Big Ten, and was among the top 10 in the nation, in goals against average and save percentage as the Wolverines advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament.

Ward helped goalie Arielle Weissman to a bevy of postseason honors: Inside Lacrosse All-America second team, Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association All-America third team, USA Lacrosse Magazine All-America honorable mention, IWLCA West/Midwest All-Region first team and second team All-Big Ten.

During Ward's time at Marquette, she worked directly with the defense and goalkeepers. She also handled operations duties and served as the academic liaison as the program compiled a 3.45 cumulative grade point average during her two seasons.

Ward helped Sophia Leva to 2021 All-BIG EAST honors, the first Marquette goalie in history to earn the honor, after she led the conference in saves, saves per game and save percentage. In 2020 under Ward's leadership, Marquette ranked second in the Big East in saves per game and save percentage. Leva set the season program record for save percentage and Jules Horning broke the career record for saves.

Along with starting the Northern Michigan program, Ward also started the program at Kalamazoo College in 2014. Ward led her 2019 NMU team to a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament berth. She also served as an assistant at Adrian College from 2009-11.

Ward earned four letters at Manhattan College from 2005-08. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications in 2008. She earned a master’s in sports science from the US Sports Academy in 2013.