FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- For the fourth straight year, the Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team earned a first-place vote and finished second overall in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, which was released by the league office on Wednesday morning.

The Captains collected seven total points in the poll, finishing just behind Salisbury, who earned nine points and three first-place votes. Following the top-two teams, Mary Washington was third overall, while Warren Wilson placed fourth.

In addition to earning high marks in the league rankings, CNU previously received recognition in the USA Lacrosse Magazine National Preseason Poll. Finishing just outside of the top-20, the team was one of five programs listed in the publication's "Also Considered" category.

Last season, Christopher Newport finished second in the conference while reaching the league championship for the fifth straight year. Along the way, the 2025 squad compiled an 8-11 record while facing one of the nation's most challenging schedules. The team's opposition finished last year with a combined .691 winning percentage, which was the 12th-highest of any program in the NCAA.

This year's roster features nine players that started at least half of the games last season, including three Preseason All-Americans. Brookelyn Morrison, Faith O'Connor, and Gabby Saia all earned national accolades from USA Lacrosse Magazine on Tuesday. Morrison became the first player in program history to be named a first-team Preseason All-American, while O'Connor and Saia were honorable mention selections.

Along with the national honorees, Christopher Newport features an exciting collection of veteran standouts. Providing the firepower on the offensive end, five returners produced at least 20 goals last year. That group includes O'Connor and Morrison as well as Elena Sorkin, Kate Lamendola, and Drew Stanley.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the field, senior goalie Hadley Chadwick enters her final campaign among the program's all-time career leaders with 357 saves and a 9.63 goals-against-average. Her 31 wins are also third on the program's all-time charts, just five behind record-holders Gayle Robinson and Hanna Slough.

Along with Chadwick's stellar work between the pipes, CNU welcomes back several other defensive dynamos. Morrison already owns the program record with 120 career caused turnovers, while Lamendola is 24th on the all-time charts with 44 strips. Additionally, Saia and Carys May had at least 20 takeaways apiece last year, while Jess Hulse added a dozen during an electric debut campaign.

Christopher Newport will kick off the 2026 season on February 13 with a 5 p.m. showdown against Berry at Jennings Family Stadium.

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