LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- After leading the Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team to the program's fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Quarterfinals during the spring, eight Captains were named All-Americans by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association on Thursday afternoon.
Following a record-setting season,
Kevin Miller hauled in first-team accolades, becoming just the seventh Captain - and the first sophomore - to earn a spot on the top squad. Also making history,
Warner Cabaniss garnered second-team recognition and became the school's first-ever four-time USILA All-American.
Along with Miller and Cabaniss,
Mason Bellinger was a third-team selection, while
Mark Davison,
Colin DeGrassi,
Brett Jackson,
Jackson Platner, and
Jamie Smith were honorable mention recipients.Â
Among this year's honorees, Jackson joined Cabaniss as a multi-time All-American after the senior star was previously recognized as a sophomore in 2023. Meanwhile, Platner became just the second freshman in school history to earn All-American accolades. In that exclusive club, he joined Cabaniss, who was celebrated during his debut campaign in 2022.Â
Overall, the eight total All-Americans marked the third-most in school history, trailing only the 2022 and 2023 squads, which produced 10 apiece.
Orchestrating a season for the history books, Miller established himself as one of the nation's top playmakers throughout his second year with the Captains. During the season, he dished out 81 assists, which established a new program record, led the entire NCAA, and marked the ninth-highest total in Division III lore. It also was the second-most by a sophomore and the 11th-most by any collegiate lacrosse player in the history of the sport.
Tormenting the opposition, Miller dished out at least one assist in all 22 games, marking the longest streak in school history. Among his highlights, he established new single-game standards with eight helpers and 13 total points against Hampden-Sydney on February 8. Later, he had five other six-assist efforts, which matched the fourth-highest total by a Captain.
Along with setting up his teammates, Miller also chipped in with 34 goals while setting a new single-season school record with 115 points. That total also led the NCAA. The Richmond, Virginia native eventually had 10 multi-goal efforts during the year, including four hat-tricks. Those eruptions included a four-goal showcase against No. 18 Stevenson on February 22 and a three-goal surge at No. 10 Washington and Lee on March 31.
One of the most decorated faceoff specialists in NCAA history, Cabaniss polished off his career with one final award-winning campaign. During his senior season, he posted a .669 faceoff percentage, which set a new school record and placed him 17th in the country. His 164 ground balls and 281 total victories also slotted third on the school's single-season charts and ranked in the top-15 on the NCAA leaderboard in 2025.
Controlling possession throughout the year, Cabaniss won at least 70 percent of his faceoffs in 13 of his 22 appearances, including nationally-ranked battles against No. 8 Gettysburg on March 14, No. 16 Lynchburg on March 15, and No. 2 Salisbury on May 4. He also captured double-digit victories in all nine bouts against top-25 competition and had 10 or more ground balls on five occasions.
Rewriting the record books, Cabaniss graduated as the program's career leader with a .650 faceoff percentage and 700 ground balls. His 1,108 total victories also established a new school standard, marked the fifth-most in Division III history, and placed him ninth among all collegiate lacrosse players. For his work, the Richmond, Virginia native amassed nine All-American citations from three different organizations over the past four years.
Taking over between the pipes, Bellinger added another chapter to Christopher Newport's storied history of legendary goalies, becoming the fourth straight starter to earn All-American accolades. During his junior year, he ranked third in school history with 241 total saves and 17 victories. Meanwhile, his .555 save percentage slotted him sixth on the program's all-time charts and placed him in the top-50 nationally.
Filling the year with highlight-reel efforts, Bellinger notched at least 10 saves in 13 of his appearances, including all five playoff games. Headlining his work, he pocketed 19 saves at Roanoke on March 8 before matching that total in the NCAA Quarterfinals against No. 8 Bowdoin on May 17. Those efforts equaled the third-highest total by a CNU goalie in school history.
Just as effective in all facets of the game, Bellinger forced 12 turnovers and hauled in 65 ground balls, which marked the highest amount by a goalie in program lore. Meanwhile, on the offensive end, the Paramus, New Jersey native added five points, including assists against No. 1 Tufts on March 20 and No. 16 Lynchburg during the NCAA Tournament on May 11. Putting that into perspective, every other goalie in school history combined for five career points. Bellinger matched that in one season.
A dominant presence on the back line, Davison built upon an impressive freshman season with an even greater sophomore campaign. During his second year in Newport News, he caused 32 turnovers, which equaled the 12th-most in program history. Among his highlights, he produced seven takeaways against John Carroll on March 5, tying the fourth-highest total by a Captain. He also notched six strips in a top-five tilt against No. 1 Tufts on March 20.
Overall, Davison forced at least one miscue in 14 of his appearances and collected two or more on eight occasions, including three in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against Grove City on May 10. Meanwhile, the Vienna, Virginia native also added 41 ground balls, including multiple rollers in all three outings during the national playoffs. Rounding out his work, he chipped in with four points, including an assist at No. 10 Washington and Lee on March 31.Â
Just as effective on the defensive unit, DeGrassi helped suffocate the competition throughout his senior season. After starting the final 16 games of his junior year, he cracked the lineup in all 22 contests in 2025 while rewarding the Captains with an All-American campaign. Frustrating the competition, he had a takeaway in 19 bouts while becoming just the 11th player in program history to cause at least 30 turnovers in a single season.
During a three-week showcase in the middle of the regular season, DeGrassi had two strips in top-25 tilts against No. 8 Gettysburg on March 14, No. 16 Lynchburg on March 15, No. 1 Tufts on March 20, and No. 10 Washington and Lee on March 31. Later, the Vienna, Virginia native kicked off the postseason with four takeaways in the league playoffs against Kean on April 30. Meanwhile, he also added 41 ground balls, which tied Davison for the team-lead among defensemen.
One of the finest offensive contributors in school history, Jackson capped off his career with another sensational season. During the 2025 campaign, the senior star landed 61 goals, which marked the sixth-highest total by a Captain. Seven of his strikes came against No. 16 Lynchburg in the third round of the national playoffs on May 11, which equaled the program's fifth-highest single-game total and the top effort in a postseason bout.
Consistent throughout the year, Jackson ended his tenure with at least one goal in 23 consecutive games, marking the fourth-longest scoring streak by a Captain. Amazingly, he contributed 17 multi-goal efforts in 2025, including 12 hat-tricks. Aided by that performance, the Fairfax, Virginia native wrapped up his career ranked fourth in school history with 171 goals and seventh with 209 points. His 25 man-up tallies also equaled the program record.
Penning one of the most incredible opening chapters in school history, Platner put together a dynamite debut campaign while starting the final 19 games of the season. Bursting onto the scene, the first-year phenom stockpiled 47 points, which was the third-highest total by a freshman in school history. Along the way, he amassed 24 goals and 23 assists, becoming only the third freshman to record a 20-20 season.
Making a smooth transition to college, Platner registered at least one point in 18 of his appearances, including eight battles against top-25 competition. Stepping up under the bright lights, he posted a season-high four assists against No. 16 Lynchburg in the third round of the national tournament on May 11 before landing a hat-trick in the NCAA Quarterfinals against No. 8 Bowdoin on May 17. Overall, the Ijamsville, Maryland native had multiple points in 15 games, including all five postseason tilts.
Dominating the competition throughout his junior season, Smith established himself as one of the finest finishers in collegiate lacrosse. During the year, he led the nation with 84 goals, which also established a new single-season school record. His 13 man-up strikes also tied the program standard and placed him first in the country, while his 90 points marked the fifth-highest total by a Captain.
Remarkably consistent, Smith scored at least two goals in 21 of his 22 appearances. He kicked off the year with eight blasts against Hampden-Sydney on February 8, which equaled the third-most in program history. Meanwhile, his three man-up darts against Montclair State on March 29 tied the single-game school standard. Just as effective against nationally-ranked competition, the Kent Island, Maryland native scored at least twice in all nine battles with top-25 foes, including five goals against No. 16 Lynchburg and No. 8 Bowdoin during the NCAA Tournament.
Led by the All-Americans, Christopher Newport finished the 2025 season with an 18-4 record while advancing to the NCAA Quarterfinals.
---ISH---