For the third straight year and the fifth time in his career, Rochester Knighthawks foward John Grant was chosen today as a National Lacrosse League First Team All-Pro.

The designation makes him essentially a finalist for the Most Valuable Player award, which will be announced tomorrow.

With all those First Team selections, he's been a finalist before.

And a finalist he has stayed.

This just might be Grant's year to claim Rochester's first-ever MVP award. He led the league in goals (51) and points (111), and tied for the league high in shorthanded goals (five). He handed out 60 assists, one shy of the league lead.

Oh, and Grant is the best player on a team which finished 14-2, tied for the most regular-season wins in league history.

But Grant has competition for the MVP award, as he always does. Past spoilers Steve Dietrich (2006) and Colin Doyle (2005) are not in the running this time around, but Buffalo Bandits forward John Tavares (2000, 2001) is.

Tavares, marking his fifteenth consecutive All-Pro selection, put up impressive this numbers, too, tallying 42 goals and 61 assists for 103 points, the fourth-best total in the league.

If there can be any disappointment in Tavares' season (aside from not winning the Champion's Cup), it is that he still hasn't quite caught Gary Gait for the career goal-scoring record. Tavares already owns the marks for assists and points, but is stuck five goals shy of Gait's total of 596 goals.

The third serious competitor in the MVP race is Dan Dawson. The Arizona Sting forward was third in goals scored, with 47, and tied for second in assists, 60. His 107 points ranked third in the NLL.

Also on the First Team are three award winners already announced -- Rochester's Steve Toll (Transition Player of the Year), Minnesota's Ryan Cousins (Defenseman of the Year) and San Jose's Anthony Cosmo (Goaltender of the Year).

After Dietrich, a goaltender, won the Most Valuable Player award last season, it is important to note that Grant, Tavares and Dawson happen to be the top three vote-getters other than Toll, Cousins and Cosmo, who are also eligible for the MVP award.

In all likelihood, though, the race is between the three prolific scorers.

The next five runners in the MVP balloting -- Gavin Prout (Colorado), Doyle (San Jose), Casey Powell (New York), Lewis Ratcliff (Calgary), and Shawn Williams (Rochester) -- were named as Second Team All-Pros, as was Goaltender of the Year runner-up Nick Patterson (Minnesota).

One perennial All-Pro was left out: Toronto forward Josh Sanderson, perhaps a victim of the Rock's poor 6-10 season. Sanderson finished with 31 goals and 54 assists, off from his usual production but, at 85 points, still the ninth-best scoring total in the league. He had been named an All-Pro the past five seasons.

The All-Pro teams were selected by a vote among the governors, general managers, and head coaches of the thirteen NLL clubs.

In alphabetical order, sketches on the All-Pro Team members:

Anthony Cosmo led all NLL goaltenders in both goals-against average (10.22) and save percentage (79.2)... appeared in fifteen games, posting an 8-5 record... named Goaltender of the Year... first All-Pro selection.

Ryan Cousins scooped up 108 loose balls as the anchor of the Swarm defense... added nine goals and fourteen assists... named Defenseman of the Year... first career All-Pro selection.

Dan Dawson tied for the league lead with 60 assists, and his 107 points ranked second in the NLL... scored twelve power play goals... third career All-Pro selection, second on the First Team.

Colin Doyle scored 22 goals and dished out 59 assists, tied for fourth-best in the NLL in the latter category... led Stealth to a 9-7 finish and playoff berth after starting the season 1-5... seventh consecutive All-Pro selection (eight overall), fifth time on the Second Team.

John Grant led the NLL in goals scored (51) and points (111), and finished just one off the pace in assists (60)... five shorthanded goals, tied for NLL lead... set new single-game points record, fifteen, vs. New York on 27 January... seventh All-Pro selection, fifth on First Team.

Nick Patterson recorded an 11.43 goals-against average and 77.5 save percentage... backstopped the Swarm to a 9-7 record and second consecutive playoff berth... second All-Pro selection, both on second team.

Casey Powell scored 29 goals and served up 51 assists for the first-year Titans... scored eight power play goals... Titans' captain... first All-Pro selection.

Gavin Prout finished sixth in the NLL in scoring with 89 points, on 30 goals and 59 assists... scored eleven power play goals and two shorthanded goals... fourth All-Pro selection, second on First Team.

Lewis Ratcliff scored 50 goals this season, second-best in the league... added 54 assists for 104 points total... seventeen power play goals scored... second consecutive All-Pro selection, both to Second Team.

John Tavares scored 42 goals and dished out a league-best 61 assists... third in NLL with 103 points... fifteenth consecutive All-Pro selection, all but two (2002, 2006) to the First Team.

Steve Toll scored 14 goals and handed out 24 assists in 2007... scooped up 177 loose balls, third-best in the league... named first-ever Transition Player of the Year last week... first All-Pro selection.

Shawn Williams recorded 36 goals and 55 assists this season... his 91 points ranked fifth-best in the league... added fifteen power play goals and three shorthanded goals... second career All-Pro selection (2004 First Team).