Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/20/19
Staff Report
Former La Salle great Matt Rambo of the league finalist Whipsnakes has been named the inaugural Jim Brown Most Valuable Player of the Premier Lacrosse League.
Rambo, who won the Tewaaraton Award for NCAA champion Maryland in 2017 and was the Phillylacrosse.com Player of the Year for PIAA champion La Salle in 2013, completes an amazing trifecta of major awards.
Rambo – who is also an assistant coach at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy – is also on the Team USA roster for the World Indoor Championships in Langley, British Columbia. Team USA opened play Thursday night by falling to Canada, 16-6. Rambo is expected to join the team after Saturday’s PLL title game Saturday vs. Redwoods at Chester’s Talen Energy Field.
Rambo, also named the PLL Attackman of the Year, also played a starring role for the Philadelphia Wings in the NLL this year as a rookie. In his first full pro outdoor season this year, he led the PLL in assists and scoring and helped the Whipsnakes post the league’s top record in the regular season.
“I just want to thank Paul and Mike (The Rabils) this year,” said Rambo in his acceptance speech. “It’s been an unbelievable professional year for me.
“Just getting this award … I met Jim Brown a couple years ago. I coached a Legends team his son was on. What a humble great family they are! Just having small conversations at the tournament with him was just so amazing, talking to the greatest athlete almost ever.
“I want to thank my girlfriend, my family, my parents for everything they have done for me. Especially (Whipsnakes) coach (Jim) Stagnitta over there – he’s part of my family. My teammates … we battle and we have a great culture at the Whipsnakes. I truly couldn’t do this without all these guys. We’re all so thankful for the PLL – thanks to the PLL and the Whipsnakes.”
