Phoenix Rise’s Blaine McConnell was named the 2016 NPGL MVP following the Final match. McConnell was one of the Rise’s utility players who was able to knock out bodyweight reps while also taking care of big weight in quadrant 4.
McConnell said after winning the MVP award, “It feels amazing to have won the championship. “That was the goal ever since the end of last season. My training for the whole offseason was focused on just becoming a better athlete to help the team accomplish that goal. Winning the MVP is like icing on the cake. It was never the focus.”
McConnell is the second player from the Phoenix Rise to win the MVP award. In 2015, Danny Nichols earned the MVP distinction after dominating quadrant 4 all season.
The 2016 season was more than just a championship and an MVP award, however. Earlier in the week during a hike with his teammates, fellow Rise athlete, Bjork Odinsdottir, proposed to McConnell. The Rise couple is now engaged.
