NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Following a remarkable 2025 campaign, Christopher Newport standout Brookelyn Morrison was named the Virginia State Women's Lacrosse Player of the Year, while six total Captains collected All-State honors from the Virginia Sports Information Directors on Wednesday afternoon.

Along with Morrison, Kate Lamendola and Madi Rozgonyi garnered first-team All-State plaudits, while Maelyn Eversole, Faith O'Connor, and Gabby Saia picked up second-team citations.

With her honor, Morrison became just the third Captain in program history to earn the VaSID Player of the Year award, joining Christopher Newport Hall of Famer Meaghan Galvin (2016, 2017) and four-time All-American Kelsey Winters (2022, 2023, 2024). Incidentally, the three CNU legends are also the only Division III standouts in the entire state to receive the Player of the Year award as juniors.

Across all levels of the sport, only eight juniors have ever received the state's highest honor in women's lacrosse. Along with the three Captains, the decorated contingent includes Virginia Tech standout Paige Petty (2020), James Madison star Isabella Peterson (2022), and University of Virginia legends Amy Appelt (2004), Courtney Swan (2014), and Sammy Mueller (2019).

Along with her top individual award, Morrison also became the ninth Captain to earn All-State accolades three times. She was previously a second-team pick as a freshman and a first-team selection as a sophomore. Rozgonyi also secured her second career citation after she was recognized last year as well.

Overall, the six honorees equaled the most in program history, tying the award-winning contingents in 2013, 2023, and 2024.

Making her mark on the midfield unit, Morrison put together one of the most well-rounded campaigns in program history during her junior season. A third-team All-American, she led the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference with 43 caused turnovers and 42 ground balls. Her 43 takeaways also ranked second on the program's all-time single-season charts, while her 98 draw controls placed her fourth in school history.

Meanwhile, on the offensive end, Morrison finished with 47 points after producing 30 goals and 17 assists. Putting her contributions into perspective, she was one of only 12 players in the entire NCAA to record at least 40 takeaways, 40 ground balls, 40 draws, and 40 points during the 2025 season.

Showcasing her versatility throughout the year, Morrison caused at least one turnover in all 19 games, marking the longest single-season streak in school history. She also had multiple draw controls in 18 of her appearances and pocketed a point in 16 contests. Among her finest efforts, the Ashburn, Virginia native tied the single-game school record with 14 draws in a win at No. 17 Roanoke on April 5, while she notched six goals and nine total points in the league semifinals against Mary Washington on April 30.

For her work during the year, Morrison was a first-team All-Conference, All-State, and All-Region selection while hauling in All-American honors from both the IWLCA and USA Lacrosse Magazine.

Equally impressive as a midfielder, Lamendola also garnered All-American nods from USA Lacrosse Magazine after putting together a sensational sophomore season. Starring on both ends of the field, she tallied 35 points and 30 caused turnovers. Her 30 strips equaled the seventh-most in program history and the second-highest total by a sophomore. Additionally, she hauled in 27 ground balls, and her 11 free-position goals ranked second among league competitors.

Among her highlights, Lamendola had six caused turnovers and five goals in the opener at Lynchburg on February 15, becoming the first player in program history to record five of each in a single contest. Overall, the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native had two or more strips in eight of her outings while also notching eight multi-goal efforts. In her first year as a full-time starter, she notched a point in 17 games while earning first-team All-Conference and All-State accolades.

Wrapping up her career as one of the most accomplished defenders in program history, Rozgonyi put together one last award-winning season. Ranked among the league leaders in a variety of categories, she slotted third among conference competitors with 38 ground balls and fifth with 57 draw controls. Meanwhile, on the back end, she caused 24 turnovers and was one of only five players in the league with at least 20 rollers, 20 takeaways, and 20 draws.

During the year, Rozgonyi forced a miscue in 15 contests, including four strips against Rowan on March 21. Meanwhile, in the middle of the field, she snatched at least one draw in 18 games with a season-high six coming against Mary Washington in the league semifinals on April 30. Overall, the Elkridge, Maryland native finished her tenure ranked second in school history with 103 caused turnovers, while her 80 consecutive starts established a new "Iron Man" record.

Adding her own fitting punctuation mark to a productive career, Eversole finished her tenure in style while anchoring the attack. A first-team All-League and All-Region pick, she served as one of the league's top facilitators while ranking third in the conference with 23 assists. Just as effective as a finisher, she slotted sixth in the league with a .439 shooting percentage while scoring 29 goals. Her 52 total points placed her fifth on the conference charts as well.

A consistent force on the offensive end, Eversole recorded a point in 17 of her 19 outings, including nine multi-goal efforts. Stellar throughout the year, she was especially effective against top-flight competition. She produced four goals and five total points against No. 5 Salisbury on April 19 before matching that performance against the Sea Gulls in the league championship on May 3. The Lexington, Virginia native also had a season-high four helpers against Ursinus on March 8.

Orchestrating a breakout campaign during her second year in Newport News, O'Connor tormented the opposition with 36 goals, which led the team and placed her sixth in the league. Her 47 points also ranked sixth among conference competitors and slotted her second on the team. In her first year as a starter on the attack, she was eventually honored as a first-team All-League selection and a second-team All-State and All-Region pick.

During the season, O'Connor landed 11 multi-goal efforts, including five strikes during a victory at No. 17 Roanoke on April 5 and four tallies against No. 9 Washington and Lee on April 26. In the end, she had at least two goals against four nationally-ranked programs during the year. Just as dominant in the playoffs, the Great Falls, Virginia native erupted for a season-high seven points, including five goals, during the league semifinals against Mary Washington on April 30.

Starring on the back line, Saia solidified her spot as one of the region's top defenders during a remarkable sophomore season. Starting all 19 games, she ranked 11th in the conference with 22 caused turnovers while also snatching 22 ground balls. An All-League, All-State, and All-Region honoree, she made the most of her first year as a full-time starter while clamping down on opposing attacks throughout the 2025 campaign.

A dependable defensive presence, Saia caused a turnover in 14 of her outings and had multiple strips on seven occasions. Among her finest moments, she forced three miscues at Haverford on March 15 before adding two takeaways in back-to-back appearances against Mary Washington and No. 7 Salisbury during the conference playoffs. For her postseason heroics, the Monroeville, New Jersey native was named to the league's All-Tournament team.

Overall, Christopher Newport reached the conference championship for the fifth straight season while climbing as high as 15th in the IWLCA National Coaches Poll.

VaSID Women's Lacrosse Major Awards
Player of the Year: Brookelyn Morrison, CNU
Defensive Player of the Year: Libby Ford, Washington and Lee
Rookie of the Year: Makenzie Mickelsen, Southern Virginia
Coach of the Year: Lindsey Lutz, Shenandoah

First Team
Attack: Grace Koutouzis, Roanoke
Attack: Maddie McDonald, Roanoke
Attack: Hannah Van Son, Washington and Lee
Attack: Ainsley Buckner, Shenandoah
Attack: Lilly Fowler, Randolph-Macon
Midfield: Brookelyn Morrison, Chris. Newport
Midfield: Emma Marsh, Washington and Lee
Midfield: Kate Lamendola, Chris. Newport
Midfield: Taylor Mittelstadter, Randolph-Macon
Defense: Libby Ford, Washington and Lee
Defense: Cat Caples, Washington and Lee
Defense: Madi Rozgonyi, Chris. Newport
Defense: Julianna Fohner, Shenandoah
Goalkeeper: Iman Haddad, Washington and Lee

Second Team
Attack: Lara Baki, Washington and Lee
Attack: Maelyn Eversole, Chris. Newport
Attack: Sydney Dumas, Lynchburg
Attack: Faith O'Connor, Chris. Newport
Midfield: Betty Boatwright, Washington and Lee
Midfield: Neely Morris, Lynchburg
Midfield: Paige Mayers, Bridgewater
Midfield: Alex Ripkin, Shenandoah
Defense: Laila Omar, Randolph-Macon
Defense: Talia Maria, Shenandoah
Defense: Abby Dunn, Marymount
Defense: Gabby Saia, Chris. Newport
Goalkeeper: Hannah Smith, Marymount

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