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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- For the first time this season, the Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team has climbed to the top of the USILA National Coaches Poll as the Captains were slotted first in the latest rankings ahead of the squad's showdown with Williams on Wednesday at Jennings Family Stadium.

After improving to 10-0 last week, Christopher Newport earned 10 first-place votes in Monday's poll while securing 352 total points. That bumped the Captains ahead of No. 2 Tufts, who earned eight first-place votes and 347 points overall.

Following the top-two teams, RIT, Salisbury, and Gettysburg rounded out the top-five.

This marks the second straight season in which the Captains have earned the top spot in the USILA poll. Christopher Newport spent three weeks as the unanimous No. 1 team in the country from April 18 through May 2, 2022.

Meanwhile, the program has made a consistent climb in the rankings this year. Slotted fourth in the preseason poll, the Captains moved to third on February 20 before advancing to second one week later. The rise has coincided with a stretch of nationally-ranked showdowns as Christopher Newport boasts wins over No. 3 RIT, No. 10 Washington & Lee, and No. 14 Dickinson.

On Wednesday, the squad will face another tough test with a 2 p.m. bout against Williams, who is currently slotted just outside of the top-20 while receiving seven votes in the poll. Boasting a 4-2 record, the Ephs have been lurking in the "Others Receiving Votes" category for the past three weeks.

For those fans unable to attend Wednesday's showdown, live stats and a broadcast of the action will be available at CNUsports.com. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the schedule page.

Christopher Newport enters the midweek matinee after toppling Hampden-Sydney, 14-6, on Saturday evening. Against the Tigers, Drew Miller finished with a game-high five points, including the 150th of his career. He became just the seventh player in program history to reach that benchmark, joining an exclusive club that includes current teammates Alex Brendes and Coby Auslander.

Meanwhile, Auslander posted his 103rd career assist during the game against HSC. He now stands just three shy of matching former All-American Matt Crist's all-time program record.

Along with the history-makers on the offensive side, Christopher Newport smothered the Tigers on the other end of the field. Zac Hanway pocketed 13 saves, marking his fourth straight double-digit effort. That equals the longest run of his career. Additionally, Burke Widhelm added two takeaways and helped the squad hold the opposition scoreless for 31 straight minutes while flipping a two-goal deficit into a 12-5 advantage.

Overall this season, the Captains rank 10th in the NCAA in scoring offense with a 17.70 goals-per-game average. The team is also seventh in clearing percentage (.895), ninth in faceoff percentage (.705), and 12th in scoring margin (8.30 goals per game). On an individual level, Warner Cabaniss is seventh in ground balls per game (11.80), while Auslander is 12th in assists per contest (2.90). Brett Jackson is also second with nine man-up tallies.

Williams enters Wednesday after splitting a pair of games last week. The Ephs upended RPI, 13-6, before falling to Connecticut College, 11-9. So far this year, the team has played a demanding schedule, including a pair of top-20 matchups. After dropping a 12-4 decision to No. 6 Union on March 8, the team took down No. 15 Bowdoin, 12-11, on March 18.

The Ephs have been paced by goalie Matthew Freitas, who sits 11th in the NCAA in save percentage (.647) and 15th in saves per game (16.17). Patrick Gaul has also been a force on the defensive side while slotting 30th in the country with a 2.80 takeaways-per-game average. On the other end, Calvin Caputo leads the team with 17 goals and 24 points, while Pearse Glavin has eight assists. On faceoffs, Ian Kim has led the way, winning 40 of his 100 battles.

Wednesday's tilt will mark the second meeting between the two programs. Last year, Christopher Newport posted a 15-2 triumph behind a six-goal eruption from Andrew Cook. On the other end, Freitas made 19 saves for the Ephs while Glavin added two goals.

After Wednesday, the Captains will return to action on Saturday when the squad travels to No. 11 Lynchburg for a 6 p.m. showdown.

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