Live Stats // Video Stream

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Exactly 356 days since the program's last game, the 13th-ranked Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team will return to action when the Captains kick off the 2021 campaign on Friday at 7 p.m. with a non-conference showdown against Hampden-Sydney at Hellmuth-Gibson Field.

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, visiting fans will not be permitted to attend Hampden-Sydney athletic events this spring. However, the Tigers will provide live stats and a video stream of Friday's action at HSCAthletics.com. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the schedule page.

While Friday's game will mark the start of Christopher Newport's season, Hampden-Sydney currently sits at 1-0 after upending Southern Virginia, 21-16, on February 20.

The Captains enter the year slotted 13th in the USILA National Coaches Poll after polishing off an abbreviated 2020 campaign with a 5-1 record. Welcoming back an impressive contingent from last year's squad, Christopher Newport returns 11 of the 12 players who earned at least one start last season, including the squad's top-11 scorers. Headlining the veteran standouts, Phoenix Hines, Dylan Rice, and Max Wayne were all honored as Inside Lacrosse All-Americans in 2020, while Alex Brendes was named the publication's National Freshman of the Year.

In addition to last year's honorees, Will Stockhausen and Brady Altobello joined Wayne on the USILA Preseason All-American team in 2021. Stockhausen ranked third on the squad with 11 goals last season, while Altobello was second with eight assists. Meanwhile, Wayne was second on the team and third in the conference with 14 caused turnovers.

Entering the new season, several Captains are fast-approaching career milestones. Rice has 123 goals since arriving in Newport News. That total is just three shy of matching former teammate Matthew Crist's school record of 126. Meanwhile, Hines and Wayne are both making a run at Drew Cornell's career mark of 102 caused turnovers. Hines currently sits second all-time with 99, while Wayne is third with 94.

On the other side of the field, Hampden-Sydney is currently receiving votes in the USILA rankings after a solid showcase in the squad's first action of the year. Against Southern Virginia, Jared Medwar registered seven points, including six goals, while four other Tigers also added hat-tricks. Among the other top scorers, Sean Duffy had four strikes, while Jake O'Brien, Reilly French, and Bobby Clagett had three apiece.

Hampden-Sydney is coming off of a 4-2 season in 2020 and features a solid veteran core. Medwar, O'Brien, and French are all seniors, while faceoff specialist Jake Brummett is also in his fourth season and opened the year with 12 ground balls during a 19-for-39 performance at the 'x' against the Knights.

Friday's battle will mark the 15th all-time meeting between the Captains and Tigers. Both teams currently have seven wins apiece in the series. Last year, Christopher Newport pulled out a 10-9 victory at Jennings Family Stadium after Robby Adams deposited the game-winning strike with 17 seconds left in regulation off a feed from Coby Auslander.

Following Friday's game, the Captains will open up their home slate with a 5:15 p.m. showdown against Southern Virginia on March 3. Out of an abundance of caution due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all home competitions will be closed to the public, but Christopher Newport will provide live stats and a video stream of the action at CNUsports.com.

---ISH---