Boston's Paul Rabil Earns 2009 MLL Bud Light MVP Award
Published on August 20, 2009 under Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Boston Cannons News Release
Boston, Mass. -Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, announced Thursday that Boston Cannon midfielder Paul Rabil has been selected as the 2009 Bud Light MLL Most Valuable Player, according to MLL Commissioner David Gross. The award was based on the votes submitted by the head coaches and general manager of each of the League's six teams.
This marks the fourth consecutive year that the Bud Light MVP winner is also the Warrior Offensive Player of the Year. It was announced yesterday that Rabil had earned the Warrior Offensive Player of the Year award.
Rabil graduated from Johns Hopkins in 2008 as the school's all-time leader in goals and assists for a midfielder.
This season, Rabil was named as the Bud Light Game MVP twice during the regular season. The first of which came in week three against the Chicago Machine when he opened up the game with a two-point goal. In week six, he punished the Washington Bayhawks with a nine-point game, helping the Cannons to win by a wide 10-goal margin. He has also earned MLL Offensive Player of the Week honors twice this season.
Rabil has scored in each of the twelve regular season games he has played for the Cannons this year, averaging over 4 points per game. This key contributor is a critical element to the Cannons' lineup, not only putting points on the board but stepping up his game in transition as well.
The 2009 MLL scoring leader will be expected to be an impact player in Boston's semifinal game as the #4 seed Cannons take on the formidable #1 seed Denver Outlaws.
All-Time MLL Bud Light MVPs
2001 Ryan Powell, Rochester Rattlers
2002 Greg Cattrano, Baltimore Bayhawks
2003 Jay Jalbert, Long Island Lizards
2004 Conor Gill, Boston Cannons 2005 Gary Gait, Baltimore Bayhawks
Mark Millon, Boston Cannons 2006 Ryan Powell, San Francisco Dragons 2007 John Grant Jr., Rochester Rattlers 2008 John Grant Jr., Rochester Rattlers 2009 Paul Rabil, Boston Cannons
Rabil earned seven first-place votes, adding up to 44 points. For a second time in the end of year awards process, Merrick Thomson of the Toronto Nationals was in the number two spot in the voting, finishing with three first-place votes, totaling 27 points.
You will see both Rabil and Thomson in Annapolis this weekend. Rabil and the Cannons will face the Denver Outlaws in the first playoff game on Saturday, August 22 at 12:00 PM ET while Thomson and the Toronto Nationals play the Long Island Lizards in the second semifinal match of day at 3:00 PM ET.
The winner of Saturday's two semifinals will advance to the New Balance Championship Game at 1 PM ET on Sunday, August 23.
The 2009 New Balance Major League Lacrosse Championship Weekend Presented by Smartlink takes place at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, one of the nation's premier athletic venues. Tailgating is permitted for both Saturday and Sunday beginning 9:00 AM. A number of great attractions will be featured in the fan zone on both days, including the Monster Energy Professional Ninja Motorcycle Stunt Team, the Warrior Lacrosse-Monster Energy Chop Shop, musical performances by Canadian Alt-Rockers MOBILE, the Parisi Speed School Youth Challenge, the Bud Light Lounge, and much more.
Tickets for the 2009 New Balance Championship Weekend Presented by Smartlink are still available. Complete MLL Championship Weekend packages which include tickets to all three playoff games start at just $25 and may be purchased by calling 866-MLL-TIXX or by visiting www.mllchamps.com.
About Anheuser-Busch
Based in St. Louis, Anheuser"âBusch is the leading American brewer, holding a 49.2 percent share of U.S. beer sales. The company brews the world's largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser"âBusch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer. Anheuser-Busch ranked No. 1 among beverage companies in FORTUNE Magazine's Most Admired Global Companies list in 2009. Anheuser"âBusch is one of the largest theme park operators in the United States, is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and one of the world's largest recyclers of aluminum cans. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com.
About Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premiere professional outdoor lacrosse league, commenced play in June of 2001. The MLL is comprised of six teams located in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Long Island, Toronto, and Washington. The season will culminate with the New Balance MLL Championship Weekend Presented by Smartlink, which will take place on Saturday and Sunday, August 22 and 23 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland.
Major League Lacrosse was founded by Jake Steinfeld and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit the Official League website at www.majorleaguelacrosse.com.
Major League Lacrosse Stories from August 20, 2009
- Cannons Make Return to MLL Postseason Saturday - Boston Cannons
- Nationals Face Long Island Lizards Saturday - Hamilton Nationals
- Boston's Paul Rabil Earns 2009 MLL Bud Light MVP Award - MLL
- Boston's Paul Rabil Earns 2009 MLL Bud Light MVP Award - Boston Cannons
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