LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Capping off a remarkable campaign, Max Wayne earned the country's highest honor as the fifth-year phenom was celebrated as the Iroquois National Outstanding Player of the Year and was one of 10 Captains to secure All-American honors from the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association.

Along with receiving the Player of the Year award, Wayne was recognized as the William C. Stiles Memorial Outstanding Defenseman. Incredibly, he is the first lacrosse player in the nation to sweep both honors since Salisbury's Eric Martin accomplished the feat in 2004.

In addition to Wayne, Campbell Pozin also earned top honors for his work in 2022. The fourth-year standout was named the National Short Stick Defensive Midfielder of the Year.

Fittingly, Wayne and Pozin also secured first-team All-American accolades and were joined on the top squad by Coby Auslander and Dylan Rice. Meanwhile, Warner Cabaniss, Andrew Cook, Phoenix Hines, and Burke Widhelm collected second-team plaudits, while Brady Altobello and Zac Hanway garnered honorable mention accolades.

Overall, the 10 All-American awards equaled the most by any team in the nation, matching the hauls by Union and York (Pa.).

With their honors, Wayne and Rice became the program's first-ever three-time USILA All-Americans after previously picking up honorable mention plaudits in 2019 and 2021. Meanwhile, Altobello and Hines received recognition for the second straight year, while the other six Captains earned national citations for the first time.

Putting the finishing touches on one of the most legendary seasons in Christopher Newport athletics history, Wayne earned the National Player of the Year honor following another historic campaign. During the season, he ranked 10th in the NCAA with 55 caused turnovers, which also marked the third-most by a Captain in program history. Honored as the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, he also led the league's defensemen with 51 ground balls.

Making his presence felt throughout the season, Wayne recorded at least one takeaway in all 20 games, including six in victories over Grove City on March 2 and No. 19 Ursinus on March 9. He also caused at least two turnovers in each of his final 11 appearances, including 12 total takeaways during the postseason. The Ashburn, Virginia native also collected at least one ground ball in every contest and notched two or more on 15 occasions.

During his career, Wayne started all 84 games since arriving in Newport News, which stands as the longest "Iron Man" streak in program history. Making the most of his time on the field, he wrapped up his tenure ranked second in school lore with 179 caused turnovers and fifth with 193 ground balls.

An integral piece on the defensive side of the ball, Pozin carved out his spot as the nation's top short stick specialist. Capitalizing on elite instincts and game-changing speed, he frustrated the opposition with relentless pressure throughout the 2022 campaign. During the season, he came through with 15 takeaways. Also serving as a wing on faceoffs, he led all short-sticks in the conference with 52 total ground balls.

Among his finest performances during the year, Pozin came through with four caused turnovers against No. 14 Wesleyan in the NCAA Tournament on May 15. He also had at least two takeaways in four other games while snatching seven ground balls in a victory over No. 7 Lynchburg on March 19. The Virginia Beach native also chipped in on the offensive end with seven points, including a pair against No. 10 Gettysburg on March 18.

Anchoring the midfield unit, Auslander established himself as one of the country's leading playmakers in 2022. During the season, the junior handed out 46 assists, which shattered the previous school record and placed him first in the conference and 25th on the national charts. His 76 total points also marked the fourth-most by a Captain and established a new program record for a midfielder.

Picking apart the opposition, Auslander notched at least one point in all 20 games. From March 5-13, he posted at least five assists in three straight outings, including six in a win over No. 19 Ursinus on March 9, which marked the most by a Captain against a nationally-ranked foe. The Pennington, New Jersey native also had nine multi-goal efforts, including five strikes in a win at Southern Virginia on April 6.

Penning the final chapter to one of the most historic careers in Christopher Newport history, Rice established new school records with 72 goals and 105 total points in 2022. His 72 strikes also placed him eighth among all players in the country during the year. Just as effective in all facets of the game, the fifth-year standout ranked sixth in the league with 33 assists, while his 16 caused turnovers were the most by any attackman in the conference.

Effective throughout the year, Rice posted at least two points and scored a goal in each of his 20 appearances. His eight goals against Roanoke on February 12 established a new school record, while his 10-point eruptions against Roanoke and Whittier on March 27 tied his own program standard. Overall, the Mechanicsville, Virginia native wrapped up his career ranked 13th in Division III history with 244 goals and 21st with 339 points.

Bursting onto the scene with a dominant debut campaign, Cabaniss was one of the nation's leading faceoff specialists. Honored as the Coast-to-Coast Conference Rookie of the Year, he established new school records with 135 ground balls and a .651 faceoff percentage. The Richmond, Virginia native also set a new program mark with 17 ground balls at Catholic on March 5, while his 228 faceoff victories marked the second-most by a Captain.

One of the most lethal midfielders in the NCAA, Cook was a prolific scorer during his first year in Newport News. The Richmond transfer deposited 52 goals, which ranked fourth in the conference and were the most by a midfielder in program history. His six tallies against No. 16 Williams on March 30 also marked the most against a nationally-ranked foe in school lore. Additionally, the Mechanicsville, Virginia native stood seventh in the conference with 69 total points.

A long-pole legend, Hines wrapped up a record-setting career with a fitting punctuation mark in 2022. The fifth-year sensation led the conference and ranked ninth nationally with 56 caused turnovers. He posted at least two takeaways in 17 of his appearances while also slotting ninth in the league with 50 ground balls. Overall, the Ashburn, Virginia native wrapped up his tenure with a school-record 187 caused turnovers, while his 215 ground balls placed him fourth on the all-time list.

Locking down the opposition throughout the year, Widhelm was a stabilizing force on the back line. The senior star caused 34 turnovers, which ranked fourth in the conference and seventh on the program's all-time charts. He had at least one takeaway in 15 games, including six against Washington & Lee on March 23. That equaled the seventh-highest single-game total by a Captain. The Richmond, Virginia native also ranked ninth in the conference with 50 ground balls.

An offensive juggernaut, Altobello continued to torch the back of the net from his perch on the midfield unit. During his fourth year with the Captains, he ranked in the conference's top-10 with 40 goals, 21 assists, and 61 points. Especially effective on the man-up unit, the Potomac, Maryland native came through with 10 goals during extra-man opportunities. That led the conference, ranked second in school history, and marked the 17th most in the entire NCAA.

Starring between the pipes, Hanway orchestrated a record-setting season during his junior campaign. Quieting the competition, he established a new school standard with an 8.09 goals-against-average. That also marked the 13th-best rate in the country. A two-time Coast-to-Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the Ocean City, Maryland native also set a new program record with 18 wins, while his .540 save percentage placed him ninth on the all-time list.

Aided by the 10 All-Americans, Christopher Newport compiled an 18-2 record while advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight. Along the way, the Captains won the regular season league title and spent three weeks as the unanimous No. 1 team in the USILA National Coaches Poll.

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