MLL: Rochester’s John Grant Jr. earns second straight Bud Light MLL MVP award
BOSTON, Mass. –Major League Lacrosse, the premier professional lacrosse league, announced Thursday that Rochester Rattlers attackman John Grant, Jr. has been named as the Bud Light Major League Lacrosse Most Valuable Player for the second season in a row, according to Commissioner David Gross. The award was based on votes submitted by the general managers and head coaches of the ten MLL teams.
It is the second time in Grant’s career that he has been named as the Bud Light MVP. He is also the first player in MLL history to earn the award in back-to-back seasons and becomes the second player to earn the honor more than once. Ryan Powell was honored as the Bud Light MVP during the 2001 season with the Rochester Rattlers and in 2006 with the San Francisco Dragons.
In addition, this marks the third year in a row that the Bud Light MVP has also won the Warrior Offensive Player of the Year award.
Grant was named as the Bud Light MVP four times this season while leading the Rattlers to a league-best 9-3 record and the Eastern Conference title. The Rattlers will be the top seed in the upcoming NB ZIP MLL Championship Weekend, which will take place on August 23 and 24 at Harvard Stadium.
Grant, who led the MLL for the second straight season in goals and points, tallied a Rochester team-record 47 goals, including four two-point markers, and 13 assists. He scored at least two goals in all 12 games this year for the Eastern Conference champion Rattlers, including a team record-tying eight goals in wins over Boston and Chicago.
Named as the Offensive Player of the Week three times this season, he earned the award on May 26 after leading the Rattlers to a victory over the Boston Cannons, scoring seven goals, including a two-pointer, and an assist. He earned the award the following week with another nine-point performance against the Philadelphia Barrage, scoring four goals, including a pair of two-point markers, with a season-high three assists.
Grant earned his third Offensive Player of the Week honor after recording a season-high 11 points in a victory over Boston on July 26, scoring eight goals, including a two-pointer, with two assists.
Over the last two seasons, the former University of Delaware attackman has scored 91 goals, including six two-point markers, with 38 assists.
Grant was named as the MLL Offensive Player of the Year for the third time in his career on Tuesday. He received 57 points in the MVP voting, including eight first place votes, to finish ahead of Chicago Machine attackman Kevin Leveille, who had 49 points and five first place votes. Philadelphia Barrage midfielder Matt Striebel was third in the voting, recording 29 points and two first place votes.
All-Time MLL MVPs
2001 – Ryan Powell, Rochester
2002 – Greg Cattrano, Baltimore
2003 – Jay Jalbert, Long Island
2004 – Conor Gill, Boston
2005 – Gary Gait, Baltimore
Mark Millon, Boston
2006 – Ryan Powell, San Francisco
2007 – John Grant, Jr., Rochester
2008 – John Grant, Jr., Rochester
