Saskatchewan Rush forward Mark Matthews named 2018 NLL MVP

Saskatchewan Rush forward Mark Matthews is the 2017-18 National Lacrosse League (NLL) MVP.

The Oshawa, Ont., native broke a record with 84 assists in a single season, and led the league in points with 116.

Matthews, 28, helped quarterback Saskatchewan’s offence to its third championship title in franchise history.

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The league named Matthews MVP on Aug. 7 as part of its year-end award announcements. This is Matthews’s first time winning the league’s most valuable player. He was a finalist for the award in each of the last three seasons.

The University of Denver product is the first player in Rush franchise history to earn MVP honours.

A three-time all-star, Matthews was the first overall pick by the Rush in the 2012 NLL entry draft, and was the NLL rookie of the year in 2013. He was named Champion’s Cup MVP in 2015 when the Rush won their first of three championships.

Fellow teammate and Rush forward Robert Church was also nominated.