PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Josh Ward of the Vermont State University Castleton men's ice hockey team was named Little East Conference Goalie of the Week for the week ending February 22.

Ward and the Castleton Spartans battled a nationally competitive Norwich University squad to a 1–1 tie in the final regular-season contest of the 2025–26 season before falling 1–0 in a shootout. Ward stood on his head throughout the night, turning aside a career-high 57 shots. The effort marked the most saves by a Castleton goaltender since the 2022–23 season, when Brandon Collett stopped 61 shots against Hobart College.

The performance ranks as the second-most saves by a Little East Conference goaltender this season, trailing only Ben Skelton of Keene State College, who made 60 saves against Salve Regina University on February 3. Ward matched his heavy workload with efficiency, posting a 0.94 goals-against average on the night.

Ward and the sixth-seeded Spartans hit the road for the first round of the LEC Hockey Conference Tournament, traveling to third-seeded Plymouth State University on Wednesday, February 25, for a 6 p.m. puck drop.