Holly Ward (soccer)

Holly Ward
Ward in 2024
Personal information
Full name Holly Noushin Ward
Date of birth (2003-10-25) October 25, 2003
Place of birth Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Vancouver Rise
Number 19
Youth career
Portland Foothills SC
Mountain United FC
Vancouver Whitecaps Girls Elite
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2024 Texas Longhorns 91 (17)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 Nautsaʼmawt FC[a] 9+ (1+)
2024 Burnaby FC 6 (1)
2025– Vancouver Rise 16 (3)
International career‡
2022 Canada U-20 9 (4)
2025– Canada 4 (2)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 10 August 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of July 2, 2025

Holly Noushin Ward (born October 25, 2003) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Vancouver Rise FC of the Northern Super League and the Canada national team.

Early life

Born in Vancouver, Ward moved to Portland, Oregon in the United States at age three and began playing youth soccer at age four with Portland Foothills SC.[1] At age 13, she moved back to Canada with her family, settling in North Vancouver.[1] In Canada, she played with Mountain United FC, before joining the Whitecaps FC Girls Elite.[2]

College career

Ward played four seasons for the Texas Longhorns at University of Texas, scoring 17 goals in 91 games.[2] In her junior season in 2023, she helped the Longhorns win the Big 12 tournament, dishing out four assists during the tournament and scoring the third goal in a 3–1 win against BYU in the final.[3][4] In her senior season in 2024, she scored a brace against LSU in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament, going on to help Texas win the tournament title in their new conference. In the NCAA tournament, she scored four goals in a 4–1 win against Boston University in the first round, a program record for an NCAA tournament game. She scored her final college goal in a 3–2 loss to Michigan State in the second round.[2][5]

Club career

Ward playing for Vancouver Rise FC in 2025

For the 2022 season, Ward played in League1 British Columbia with Varsity FC. She remained with the club for the 2023 season, with the club changing their name to Nautsaʼmawt FC.[6]

In 2024, she joined Burnaby FC in League1 British Columbia.[7]

Ward was invited to train as a non-roster player with Racing Louisville FC in the 2025 preseason in January.[8]

In February 2025, Ward signed her first professional contract with Vancouver Rise FC, joining her hometown club ahead of the Northern Super League's first season.[9] In her professional debut, she helped create the first goal in NSL history, a penalty kick scored by Quinn, in the league's inaugural game on April 16, 2025. Ward completed a long dribble into the box before being fouled in the 21st minute of the game, a 1–0 win against Calgary Wild FC.[10][11] She scored her first goals on July 19, 2025, netting a brace in a 6-0 victory over Halifax Tides FC.[12][13]

International career

Ward played for Canada at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.[14] She made her senior debut on April 9, 2025, as a 64th-minute substitute in a friendly against Argentina.[15] She scored her first senior goal on June 3, 2025, in a friendly against Haiti.[16][17] With her goal, she became the first player from the Canada's Northern Super League to ever score for the Canada national team.[18]

Career statistics

International goals

Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ward goal.
List of international goals scored by Holly Ward
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 June 3, 2025 Saputo Stadium, Montréal, Canada  Haiti 2–0 3–1 Friendly
2 June 27, 2025 BMO Field, Toronto, Canada  Costa Rica 2–1 4–1

Personal life

Born in Canada, Ward is of American descent through her mother.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c Holly Ward at Canada Soccer
  2. ^ a b c "Holly Ward". Texas Longhorns. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  3. ^ Malinguez, Alistair (March 29, 2024). "How coaching became key for Holly Ward's development". The Daily Texan. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  4. ^ Gordon, Colby (November 4, 2023). "Missimo's brace paces Texas to 3-1 win over BYU and Big 12 soccer championship title". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
  5. ^ Eckert, David (November 15, 2024). "NCAA soccer tournament: How Holly Ward made history in Texas vs Boston University". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  6. ^ "Holly Ward 2023 L1BC Stats". League1 British Columbia.
  7. ^ "Holly Ward 2024 L1BC Stats". League1 British Columbia.
  8. ^ "Racing sets 2025 preseason roster as training kicks off". Racing Louisville FC. January 21, 2025. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  9. ^ Vancouver Rise FC (February 14, 2025). "Holly Ward isn't just fast—she's fearless". Retrieved April 16, 2025 – via Bluesky.
  10. ^ Karstens-Smith, Gemma (April 17, 2025). "First Northern Super League game 'a surreal moment' for players, coaches". Toronto Star. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  11. ^ "Holly Ward: Rise FC's Rising Star". Vancouver Rise FC. June 27, 2025.
  12. ^ "Record-breaking Vancouver Rise crush Halifax Tides 6-0 in NSL romp". Canadian Soccer Daily. July 20, 2025.
  13. ^ "Holly Ward scores brace as Vancouver Rise cruise past Halifax Tides". CBC Sports. July 19, 2025.
  14. ^ "Holly Ward". Canadian Soccer Association. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  15. ^ "Argentina hands Canadian women's soccer team 1st loss of Stoney era". CBC Sports. April 9, 2025. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
  16. ^ Rainbird, Daniel (June 4, 2025). "Viens, Ward lead Canada past Haiti before rowdy crowd in women's soccer friendly". CBC Sports.
  17. ^ Karstens-Smith, Gemma (June 6, 2025). "'I can't even believe it's real': Vancouver's Ward a rising star for Canada, NSL". Toronto Star.
  18. ^ Wong, Brian (June 5, 2025). "From Dreams to Goals: Holly Ward Scores Big for Canada and Canadian Women's Soccer". Let's Go Calgary.

Notes

  1. ^ Varsity FC changed its name to Nautsa’mawt FC in 2023
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