Bio

Boston Pizza RDP Athlete of the Week for March 16, 2026

Tora Ward, an Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Women’s Hockey First All-Conference team selection, was one of the most valuable players in the ACAC Championship series between the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens and Lakeland College Rustlers. She led the RDP Queens to the final game of the best-of-five championship, where the Queens were edged 1-0 in overtime, earning an ACAC silver medal.

In game three, Saskatoon’s Ward made 19 saves as the Rustlers downed the Queens 3-1 in Lloydminster.

Ward turned aside 22 of the Rustlers’ shots in game four at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. Lakeland College picked up a 5-1 decision.

In the final game, Ward, a Bachelor of Education student, gave the Queens a chance to win. She stopped 42 shots (0.977), but the Rustlers scored on the power play in overtime to seal the win.

Ward led the ACAC Women’s Hockey playoffs with 207 saves and a 0.941 save percentage. She ranked second in the post-season with a 1.84 goals-against average.

Congratulations!

Boston Pizza RDP Athlete of the Week for March 2, 2026

Tora Ward, a third-year goaltender, was the backbone of the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Hockey team’s success in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Women’s Hockey best-of-three semi-finals against the NAIT Ooks. Over two games, Ward impressively stopped 95.1 per cent of the Ooks’ shots, helping the RDP Queens advance to the finals.

In the Queens’ 2-1 victory in the opening game, Saskatoon’s Ward was solid between the pipes, making 27 saves (0.964).

The NAIT Ooks led 2-1 late in the second period of game two, but Ward’s brilliant play sparked an RDP Queens’ comeback. Teammate Rylee Mepham scored twice in the third period to solidify a 3-2 win and the series victory. Ward, a Bachelor of Education student, stopped 31 shots (0.939).

Next, Ward and the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens will face-off against the Lakeland College Rustlers on the road on Friday, March 6 in the best-of-five ACAC Championship. The RDP Queens will host the Rustlers in game two on Saturday, March 7 at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre at 5 pm.

Congratulations!

Boston Pizza RDP Athlete of the Week for December 1, 2025

Tora Ward delivered a stellar performance in the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Hockey team’s 1-0 victory over the NAIT Ooks on Saturday evening. Ward, a Bachelor of Education student, made 30 saves to earn a shutout and the North Star Sports Queens Player of the Game Award.

Ward has been a cornerstone of the Queens’ success this season, helping the team sit in second place (11-4) in Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Women’s Hockey after 15 games. She ranks fifth in the league with a 1.96 goals-against average. In seven starts, Saskatoon’s Ward has won five games (0.714) and holds an impressive 0.925 save percentage.

Next, Ward and the RDP Queens will challenge the SAIT Trojans on Saturday, January 10 in Calgary.

Congratulations!

Boston Pizza RDP Athlete of the Week for February 3, 2025

Tora Ward (Bachelor of Education) was outstanding in the Queens’ net against the NAIT Ooks Friday evening. Despite being outshot 42-20, Ward (0.976) and the Queens earned an important 2-1 home victory. Ward was instrumental in the RDP Queens killing off all nine of NAIT’s power play opportunities, helping her team maintain its top ranking on the penalty kill (93.9 per cent).

In the third period, the Ooks fired a game-high 15 shots at Ward, but they only managed to get one by the talented second-year netminder. Saskatoon’s Ward was recognized as the North Star Sports Queens Player of the Game. Ward sits fifth in the league with a 2.41 goals against average.

Next, Ward and the third seed RDP Queens (12W-6L-1 OTL-0 SOL) will face-off against the fourth place SAIT Trojans (5W-10L-2 OTL-2 SOL).

Congratulations!

RDP Athlete of the Week for October 10, 2023

It was quite an impressive start for goaltender Tora Ward to her Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) career as she earned her first shutout and win in her first ACAC start which led to her first Queens Athlete of the Week honour. A lot of firsts for Ward in her opening week of action.

Head Coach Kelly Coulter and the rest of the coaching staff recruited her from the Saskatoon Stars program in Saskatchewan where she posted a .901 save percentage, a 2.55 goals-against-average and had three shutouts in 31 games started over two seasons.

In the one month of pre-season, Coulter explained Ward worked tremendously hard and does everything right as a goaltender. She communicates well with her defensive pairings and is a very good puck-handling goaltender. Leading up to the opening game against the Olds College Broncos, the coaching staff wanted to give her a taste of college hockey right away, so she was given the opportunity to open up the Queens season as the starting goaltender. Ward did not disappoint the coaches as she stopped all 24 shots she faced in Olds and earned herself a shutout.

A couple of fun facts about Ward is that she is an avid golfer on top of playing hockey and the Saskatoon goaltender is also fluent in French.

Ward and the Queens will be in action this weekend as they take on the Lakeland College Rustlers in a home-and-home series that starts in Lloydminster on Friday night.

Congratulations Tora on the milestones of your first shutout and win. Looking forward to cheering you and the Queens on as the season continues!