NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Christopher Newport women's lacrosse squad will be led by five team captains in 2023 as Hope Hunter, Julia Iapicca, Kendall Krause, Riley Rafterry-Lee, and Kelsey Winters were selected to hold leadership roles with the program during the upcoming season.

Rafterry-Lee will serve as a team captain for the fourth time in her career, while Krause and Winters return for the second straight season. Meanwhile, Hunter and Iapicca were named to the leadership role for the first time.

Although an injury sidelined her for most of the 2022 campaign, Hunter has been an impactful player on the midfield unit during her time with the program. A dynamic presence on both sides of the ball, she has appeared in 26 games over the past three seasons while contributing 16 points and 32 ground balls. The Bowie, Maryland native has five multi-goal efforts in her career and ranked among the league-leaders with 15 takeaways as a sophomore in 2021.

Despite missing her junior campaign after sustaining a preseason injury, Iapicca has remained a valuable presence over the last three years. During her time on the field, the senior midfielder has seen action in 24 games while earning 18 starts. On the offensive side, she led the conference with a .625 shooting percentage in 2021 while depositing 25 goals. Meanwhile, the Frederick, Maryland native also has 27 takeaways and 31 ground balls in her tenure.

A reigning All-American, Krause has pieced together a decorated career with the Captains. Entering her fifth season, she is a three-time All-Conference selection and a two-time All-State and All-Region performer. In 61 career games, she ranks eighth in program history with 61 caused turnovers and 14th with 107 ground balls. The Ellicott City, Maryland native also boasts 94 career points, including a career-high 38 goals during the 2022 campaign.

The first four-time team captain in program history, Rafterry-Lee has been a leader both on and off the field throughout her tenure. Over the past four seasons, she has seen action in 51 games while making 46 starts. A staple on the defensive unit, she has 27 caused turnovers and 46 ground balls since arriving in Newport News. The Bowie, Maryland native is also the reigning Coast-to-Coast Conference Women's Lacrosse Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

One of the nation's elite offensive threats, Winters has hauled in All-American honors during each of the past two seasons. Anchoring the attack, the senior standout sits second in school history with 136 assists, including a record-setting 66 during her junior campaign. She also sits seventh all-time with 207 points. Overall, the Harwood, Maryland native is a two-time All-Conference and All-Region selection and the 2022 VaSID All-State Player of the Year.

The five team captains will lead a program that is coming off of a successful 2022 season in which Christopher Newport climbed as high as 22nd in the IWLCA National Coaches Poll while advancing to the Coast-to-Coast Championship for the second straight season.

---ISH---