NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Warner Cabaniss and AJ Rosacker have been named team captains for the Christopher Newport men's lacrosse program, while Mason Bellinger and John Santoro will serve as assistant captains during the upcoming spring campaign.

All four standouts will hold their leadership positions for the first time in 2025.

One of the country's leading faceoff specialists, Cabaniss has secured national recognition during each of his three seasons with the Captains. Overall, the senior star has seven total All-American awards and is a three-time All-Conference, All-State, and All-Region selection. Rewriting the record books, the Richmond, Virginia native already ranks first in school history with 536 career ground balls and 827 faceoff victories. His .644 career winning percentage is also the highest in program history, while his .666 rate in 2023 stands as the top single-season mark by a Captain.

An elite long-stick midfielder, Rosacker hauled in All-League accolades last year while ranking fourth in the Coastal Lacrosse Conference with 39 caused turnovers. While leading the Captains to an appearance in the NCAA Quarterfinals, he forced at least two takeaways in every game during the national playoffs. In his career, the junior juggernaut has appeared in 39 contests, including all 11 postseason bouts over the past two years. A native of Delray Beach, Florida, he has produced 51 career caused turnovers, while his 1.31 takeaways-per-game average is the ninth-highest in school history.

Making his mark between the pipes, Bellinger has appeared in 11 games as a goalie over the last two seasons. During his time in the crease, the junior has collected 17 saves while boasting a .531 save percentage. Among his finest efforts, he has three scoreless outings, including perfect appearances against Berry and Kean last year. The Paramus, New Jersey native also saw action in the NCAA Tournament in 2023 after finishing off a 17-12 win over No. 7 Gettysburg, which helped propel the Captains to their second Final Four berth in school history.

A key contributor on the midfield unit, Santoro took part in 18 games last year, including all five postseason bouts. Along the way, he produced six points and was especially dominant under the bright lights. He erupted for a pair of strikes in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament against Cabrini after notching an assist in a top-five victory over No. 4 Dickinson during the regular season. A native of Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, the senior has made 25 appearances since arriving in Newport News, including nine battles against nationally-ranked competition.

Christopher Newport is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which the Captains compiled a 16-6 record while advancing to the NCAA Quarterfinals. 

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