Wikipedia

Josh Sims (lacrosse)

For the English footballer, see Josh Sims (footballer).

Joshua S. Sims (born July 29, 1978) is an American former professional lacrosse player. He played in Major League Lacrosse through 2013 and last played box lacrosse in the National Lacrosse League with the Philadelphia Wings in 2010. He starred as a member of the Princeton Tigers men's lacrosse team from 1997 through 2000. He is a two-time NCAA champion, three-time MLL champion, and one-time NLL champion.

Josh Sims
Born (1978-07-29) July 29, 1978 (age 46)
Annapolis, Maryland
NationalityAmerican
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight205 pounds (93 kg)
ShootsRight
PositionTransition/Midfield
NLL draft11th overall, 2000
Rochester Knighthawks
NLL teamsWashington Power (2001–2002)
Colorado Mammoth (2003–2009)
Philadelphia Wings (2010)
MLL team
Former teams		Denver Outlaws
Baltimore Bayhawks (2001–2005)
Denver Outlaws (2006–2009)
Washington Bayhawks (2009–2010)*
Toronto Nationals (2010)
Chicago Machine (2010)
Denver Outlaws (2012)
NCAA teamPrinceton University
Pro career2002–
Career highlights
College highlights
Professional highlights
Professional Lacrosse Hall of Fame, 2024

At Princeton, he earned Ivy League Player of the Year honors, three first team United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-American recognitions and three first team All-Ivy League selections, two NCAA midfielder of the year honors, NCAA Top VIII Award recognition and two-time Academic All-American (first team once) honors. During his college career, Princeton earned four Ivy League championships, four NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament invitations and two NCAA championships.

As a professional, he is a five-time MLL All-star and an NLL All-star. In the MLL, he has earned two league championships and holds the all-time league record for playoff goals scored. He also has an NLL championship. He was selected to the MLL 10th Anniversary team in August 2010 and the Colorado Mammoth 10th Anniversary team in 2011.

Sims is currently Head of Lacrosse for the Premier Lacrosse League.[1]

Background

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As an ambidextrous junior lacrosse midfielder, he scored 20 goals and had 16 assists for the Severn School, earning him All-Anne Arundel County honors from the Baltimore Sun.[2] Sims was an All-Anne Arundel County selection by the Baltimore Sun again as a senior captain when he was also named an All-Metro selection for controlling 72% of his face-offs, while scoring 28 goals and adding 12 assists.[3][4] Sims was a member of the Under-19 Team USA that won the World Championship in Tokyo in 1996.[5]

Collegiate career

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After graduating from Severn, Sims attended Princeton University.[6] He was the first Princeton Student-Athlete to be presented with the NCAA Top VIII Award (the first lacrosse player to be presented with the award since 1983).[7] He was only the fourth Ivy League athlete honored in the award's 27-year history.[7] He was awarded the 1998 & 2000 McLaughlin Award as the best NCAA lacrosse midfielder.[8] He was a first team USILA All-American Team selection in 1998, 1999 and 2000.[9][10][11] He was also first team All-Ivy League in 1998, 1999 and 2000.[12][13][14] Sims earned the 2000 Men's Ivy League Player of the Year.[8] As a freshman, he was a member of the 1997 team that is regarded as the best in school history with a record number of wins during its 15–0 season.[15] He served as co-captain of the 2000 team.[16] Sims is one of two Princeton Lacrosse two-time Academic All-Americans.[17] Following the 1999 season, he was selected as an at-large second team Academic All-American, and following the 2000 season, he was a first team selection.[18] He was also a 2000 USILA Scholar All-American.[8]

The 1997–2000 teams were 6–0 undefeated outright Ivy League Conference champions.[12][13][14][19] Two of these undefeated league champions won the 1997 and 1998 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championships, becoming the first team to threepeat since Syracuse from 1988–90 and the first to be recognized to have done so without an NCAA scandal since Johns Hopkins from 1978–80.[20] The 1999 and 2000 teams also earned NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship invitations, bringing the schools streak to eleven consecutive seasons.[21]

In Sims' first game as a Tiger, he scored the game-winning goal in a 1997 overtime 7–6 victory over Johns Hopkins.[7] Ten years later, ESPN described the goal as a "leaping, behind-the-back" shot,[22] while the Baltimore Sun described the shot by saying that ". . .Sims flicked in a rebound shot blindly behind his back."[23] He was recognized twice in 1997 as Ivy League Rookie of the Week.[24] During the 1998 season, Sims became a scoring threat from midfield as most defenses focused on the All-American trio of Princeton attackmen (Jesse Hubbard, Chris Massey and Jon Hess).[25] In the 1998 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament, Sims scored a game-high four goals in the quarterfinal 11–9 victory over Duke and a team-high three goals, including the game-winning goal in the semifinal 11–10 victory against Syracuse.[26][27] For his efforts, he was named to the All-tournament team.[28] In 1999, he scored a quadruple overtime game-winning goal helping Princeton secure it invitation to the 1999 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament with its seventh consecutive victory.[29] In the 2000 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament, he posted two goals and two assists in the 10–7 quarterfinal victory over Maryland.[30] He also scored in the 12–11 semifinal victory against Virginia.[31] Sims' two goals made him the only person to score multiple goals for Princeton in the championship game 13–7 loss to Syracuse.[32]

Professional career

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NLL career

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Sims played the 2000 and 2001 seasons for the Washington Power of the National Lacrosse League. [33] He then played the 2003 through 2009 seasons with the Colorado Mammoth.[33] Sims was an original member of the Mammoth when they moved from Washington. He helped lead the Mammoth to their 2006 National Lacrosse League Champion's Cup.[34] In 2007 Season he was recognized by the league as one of the top transition players in the game by being named Transition Player of the Week three times and being named to his first National Lacrosse League All-Star Game as a reserve.[35] Prior to the 2009 NLL season, Sims announced his retirement from the indoor lacrosse league, and officially retired after the 2009 season.[36] However, he returned to play the 2010 season for the Philadelphia Wings.[33]

MLL career

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Sims, who did not play in the 2014 season, has played in the MLL since 2001: Baltimore Bayhawks (2001–2005); Denver Outlaws (2006–2009, 2012), Toronto Nationals (2010) and Chicago Machine (2010).[37] Sims was a starter and scored in the inaugural MLL All-Star Game in 2001.[38][39] In 2002 and 2005 he was a member of the Baltimore Bayhawks Major League Lacrosse Champion Steinfeld Cup winners.[40] In the 2002 All-Star game he had a goal and an assist.[41] In the 2002 championship game, he scored four second half goals in the 21–13 victory over the Long Island Lizards,[42] which followed a two-goal semifinal performance in a 15–10 victory over the Boston Cannons.[43] During the 2005 season, he made his third MLL All-Star Game appearance.[44] During the playoff semifinals, he 3 goals and 9 ground balls.[45] One of his goals put the Bayhawks ahead for good.[46] Sims was acquired by the Denver Outlaws on March 6, 2006, for the Outlaws 2006 first-round, 2nd overall, Collegiate Draft Pick that eventually became Kyle Dixon.[47][48] Sims returned to the MLL All-Star game in 2006 and 2007 representing the Outlaws.[49][50] He scored two goals (one for two points) in the 2006 contest.[51] In December, 2009, Sims was picked up by the Washington Bayhawks during the MLL supplemental draft. On February 12, 2010, Sims was traded from the Bayhawks to the Toronto Nationals. In June, Sims was traded from the Nationals to the Chicago Machine.[52]

As of August 2010, Sims was the Major League Lacrosse All-Time leader in post-season goals scored (29). That month, during the MLL championship weekend, he was named to the 11-man MLL 10th Anniversary team.[53] He did not play in 2011, but in 2012 he returned to the Denver Outlaws and even scored 5 goals in one game for them.[54] He began 2013 on the sideline with a hamstring injury for the Bayhawks.[55]

Personal life

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Sims was the founder of Icon Lacrosse, LLC, and former Director of the Boulder Valley Lacrosse Association.[56] According to his Denver Outlaws biography, he is married to Meghan Bauer Sims.[57]

In college, he helped the Tigers to raise approximately $60,000 for the Central Jersey Pediatric AIDS foundation and worked with the Special Olympics.[7] He was an economics major at Princeton and an honors graduate, maintaining a 3.54 GPA.[5][7][58]

In the season 9 December 9, 2011 episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on ABC, Sims' helped build a house in Mardela Springs, Maryland over a span of 106 hours in just five days. The nonprofit Project 911 (911nfp.org) along with The Fusion Cos., an Annapolis modular-home builder, built The Johnson-Goslee Family house.[59][60]

In 2009, Sims was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at his high school, Severn School. In 2020, during the George Floyd protests, Sims renounced this recognition over the school's "failed leadership" in addressing systemic racism.[61]

Statistics

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NLL

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The following are his NLL career stats:[33]

    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team GP G A Pts LB PIM GP G A Pts LB PIM
2001 Washington 11 12 13 25 67 6 1 1 1 2 10 0
2002 Washington 14 11 12 23 74 6 2 3 2 5 13 0
2003 Colorado 14 8 20 28 112 8 2 2 0 2 17 0
2004 Colorado 13 5 12 17 85 15 1 2 0 2 10 0
2005 Colorado 16 14 14 28 111 12 1 1 2 3 5 2
2006 Colorado 16 12 7 19 104 26 3 4 3 7 26 2
2007 Colorado 15 19 20 39 136 12 1 1 0 1 7 2
2008 Colorado 10 5 5 10 59 10 0 0 0 0 0 0
2009 Colorado 3 1 5 6 22 0 1 0 0 0 6 0
2010 Philadelphia 11 2 9 11 49 8 0 0 0 0 0 0
NLL Totals 123 89 117 206 819 103 12 14 8 22 94 6

MLL

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The following are his MLL career stats:[37]

    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team GP G 2ptG A Pts LB PIM GP G 2ptG A Pts LB PIM
2001 Baltimore 14 16 1 9 26 15 3.5 2 2 0 0 4 8 0.5
2002 Baltimore 14 23 2 9 34 27 1.5 2 6 0 0 8 10 1
2003 Baltimore 7 12 2 5 19 20 4 2 4 0 1 7 7 0
2004 Baltimore 3 5 1 1 7 5 0 1 2 0 1 3 7 0
2005 Baltimore 9 18 0 5 23 26 2 2 4 0 2 6 0 0
2006 Denver 11 19 7 11 37 43 4 2 2 0 2 4 9 0
2007 Denver 12 11 2 9 22 19 0 1 2 0 1 3 1 0
2008 Denver 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 3
2009 Denver 9 11 0 8 19 7 1.5 2 6 0 0 6 2 0
2010 Toronto 2 4 1 1 6 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2010 Chicago 7 10 0 5 15 12 2.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2012 Denver 10 13 0 3 16 7 1.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MLL Totals 99 143 16 66 225 183 21.5 16 29 0 7 42 47 1.5

Princeton University

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Season GP G A Pts PPG
1997 15 8 2 10 --
1998 15 32 5 37 --
1999 13 27 16 43 --
2000 15 36 15 51 --
Totals 58 103 38 141 --

References

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  1. ^ Wagner, Bill (July 4, 2019). "Annapolis native Josh Sims assumes pivotal role with PLL". Capital Gazette. Archived from the original on 18 August 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  2. ^ Brown, Doug (1995-06-01). "1995 All-Anne Arundel Boys Lacrosse Team". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 2012-06-12. Retrieved 2010-08-25.
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  22. ^ Swezey, Christian (2007-02-14). "Faceoff Classic seeks to boost lacrosse's visibility: The inaugural Faceoff Classic features two of the nation's best lacrosse rivalries -- Virginia-Syracuse and Johns Hopkins-Princeton". ESPN. Archived from the original on 2012-11-05. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
  23. ^ Hensley, Jamison (1997-05-23). "Princeton flourishes on close calls Tigers have taken three lacrosse titles in overtime thrillers". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 2012-06-12. Retrieved 2010-08-25.
  24. ^ Hensley, Jamison and Katherine Dunn (1997-04-29). "Loyola-hopkins Game Will Have Bye-product: No. 6 Vs. No. 4 Is Worth Fourth Spot, Bye In Ncaas". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 2012-06-12. Retrieved 2010-08-25.
  25. ^ Hensley, Jamison (1998-05-20). "Sims is quick to fill new role Scoring, confidence up as Princeton bids for third straight title". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 2012-06-12. Retrieved 2010-08-25.
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  28. ^ McMullen, Paul (1998-05-26). "'Good run' puts Princeton in rare dynasty category Third straight title a charm for senior trio". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 2012-06-12. Retrieved 2010-08-25.
  29. ^ Wallace, William N. (1999-04-30). "College Lacrosse Notebook: Loyola Of Maryland; Greyhounds Close In On Undefeated Season". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2015-05-27. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
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  33. ^ a b c d "Career Stats". National Lacrosse League. Archived from the original on 2010-08-10. Retrieved 2010-08-19.
  34. ^ "#4 Josh Sims". Colorado Mammoth. Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
  35. ^ "NLL Announces All-Star Game Reserves". National Lacrosse League. 2007-02-22. Archived from the original on 2011-06-11. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
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  38. ^ Schulz, Nick (2001-08-03). "Bayhawks' Millon MVP in 1st MLL all-star game: 3-goal, 4-assist game, Denihan's effort boost Nationals to 24-18 win". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 2012-06-07. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  39. ^ Zrebiec, Jeff (2001-07-25). "Eight Bayhawks are named all-stars". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 2012-06-07. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  40. ^ "denveroutlaws.com: Players". Archived from the original on 2007-03-09. Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  41. ^ Zrebiec, Jeff (2002-07-22). "Bayhawks shine in MLL All-Star Game: Several of team's players help Nationals win, 21-16". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 2012-06-07. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  42. ^ Zrebiec, Jeff (2002-09-02). "Bayhawks reach MLL's peak, 21-13: Near-perfect performance foils Lizards, wins title". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 2012-06-07. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  43. ^ Zrebiec, Jeff (2002-08-26). "Bayhawks cash in, head to title game: Nearly flawless first half, Cattrano's big day earn 15-10 win, Lizards rematch". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 2012-06-07. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  44. ^ "Eight Bayhawks Selected As All-Stars". Chesapeake Bayhawks. 2005-06-22. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
  45. ^ "Bayhawks Top Rattlers, Advance to MLL Championship Game". Chesapeake Bayhawks. 2005-08-20. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  46. ^ Hickling, Dan (2005-08-20). "Bayhawks win, return to championship game: Fending off Rattlers, 20-13, puts them in familiar spot: Long Island stands in way". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 2012-06-07. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  47. ^ "Bayhawks Send Sims To Denver For #2 Collegiate Draft Pick". Chesapeake Bayhawks. 2006-03-06. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
  48. ^ "Lacrosse News: Terps' Walters Goes No. 1 Overall in 2006 MLL Draft". LaxPower. Archived from the original on 2012-02-26. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
  49. ^ "Princeton Well-Represented In Major League Lacrosse All-Star Event: Hubbard, Sims to play against four Tigers from Team USA". CSTV Networks, Inc. 2006-06-15. Archived from the original on 2011-06-22. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  50. ^ "MLL's Top Players To Gather At 2007 MLL All-Star Game". CSTV Networks, Inc. 2007-06-22. Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
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  52. ^ "Major League Lacrosse: Complete Collegiate Draft List". Street & Smith's Sports Group. 2010-06-07. Archived from the original on 2010-09-28. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
  53. ^ "Hubbard, Sims Named To MLL 10th Anniversary Team". Princeton Athletic Communications. 2010-08-21. Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
  54. ^ "Josh Sims Leads Outlaws to Home Win Over Hamilton". Major League Lacrosse. 2012-05-05. Archived from the original on 2012-05-26. Retrieved 2012-07-10.
  55. ^ Wagner, Bill (2013-06-06). "Bayhawks make monstrous move". Capital Gazette. Archived from the original on 2021-11-07. Retrieved 2013-07-04.
  56. ^ "Boulder Lacrosse Staff". Archived from the original on 2007-03-03. Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  57. ^ "#4 Josh Sims, M". Denver Outlaws. Archived from the original on 2011-07-09. Retrieved 2010-08-25.
  58. ^ "Sims earns top NCAA honor". Princeton Weekly Bulletin. 90 (17). 2001-02-19. Archived from the original on 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
  59. ^ Hopkins, Jamie Smith (2011-09-28). "'Extreme Makeover' comes back to Md". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 2012-11-13. Retrieved 2012-07-10.
  60. ^ Hopkins, Jamie Smith (2011-12-09). "Josh Sims on ABC's "Extreme Makeover" Tonight". National Lacrosse League. Archived from the original on 2014-09-07. Retrieved 2012-07-10.
  61. ^ Harris, Naomi (June 19, 2020). "Former pro lacrosse player Josh Sims rejects Severn School honors as alums revolt over racism statement". Capital Gazette. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
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Preceded by
Jim Gonnella
Jay Jalbert
 McLaughlin Award
1998
2000 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Men's Ivy League Player of the Year
2000 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
???
 MLL All-Time Post season goals leader
20??–present 		Succeeded by
current leader

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