Hall of Fame
Ryan Crawford '99 grew up playing lacrosse with Western New York Lacrosse Association in Hamburg under legendary coach, the late Ed Van Tine. Ryan says he is fortunate to be among a group of players who had the chance to work closely with Coach Van Tine who many credit with growing lacrosse in the Buffalo region.
Ryan's dad, Mark Crawford '69, was a Crusader, and there was little question that Ryan would attend Canisius. What wasn't foreseen was the impact Ryan would have on the school's lacrosse program.
Under coaches Mike Carberry and Jeff Gemmer, Ryan played varsity lacrosse all four years as a midfielder and face-off specialist and would go on to set numerous school records. In 1999, with Ryan as captain, the lacrosse team became the fist in school history to win the WNY Private School Championship, defeating Bishop Timon in the finals. Ryan was named to the All-Western New York first team in both his junior and senior years and was named a High School All-American in 1999.
"Our Crusader team was made up of well-rounded individuals who were focused on academics and excelled on the playing field," Ryan recalls. "I was grateful to be a part of it and the support of the high school and our parents was critical to our success."
Ryan went on to Ithaca College where he played on the men's lacrosse team, earning three letters as a midfielder, while he majored in history with a minor in politics. The team boasted a 35-10 record over the span of Ryan's three seasons and made a pair of NCAA playoff appearances, including a Final Four competition for Division III schools in 2001.
Following Ithaca, Ryan entered the University of Buffalo Law School where he earned his Juris Doctorate in 2006. While at U.B. Law School, he served as Student Bar Association president and clerked at the U.S. Attorney's regional office in Buffalo. Beginning in 2007, he was commissioned a First Lieutenant and served as an attorney on active duty in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps for three years, working primarily as a prosecutor. During his time on active duty, Ryan served with the 82nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan and he currently serves as a Judge Advocate (Major) in the U.S. Army Reserves.
