Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-Americans
BALTIMORE, Md. -- Mason Bellinger was hailed as the
Inside Lacrosse National Preseason Goalie of the Year, while eight total members of the Christopher Newport men's lacrosse program earned Preseason All-American honors, which were announced by the organization on Friday afternoon.
Along with Bellinger,
Mark Davison and
Kevin Miller garnered first-team accolades, while
Colin DeGrassi was a second-team selection. Additionally,
Jackson Platner and
Jamie Smith were third-team honorees, while
AJ Rosacker and
Daniel Siaton garnered honorable mention citations.
Headlining the award-winners, Bellinger and Miller were consensus first-team Preseason All-Americans after also earning top plaudits from
USA Lacrosse Magazine and the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. Davison, DeGrassi, and Smith were also named Preseason All-Americans by all three organizations, while Platner was previously recognized by USILA, and Siaton was honored by
USA Lacrosse Magazine.
Rounding out the honorees, Rosacker earned national recognition for the first time this year.
Overall, the eight Preseason All-Americans equaled the most by any school in the nation, matching the haul by fellow Coastal Lacrosse Conference member Salisbury. Additionally, CNU, Salisbury, and Tufts were the only programs to place three players on the first-team squad.
In addition to his top individual award from
Inside Lacrosse, Bellinger was previously named the National Preseason Goalie of the Year by
USA Lacrosse Magazine. He is the first goalkeeper in program history to earn either award.
Starring between the pipes, Bellinger ranked 16th in the NCAA with 241 saves last season while compiling a 10.19 goals-against-average and .555 save percentage. Equally effective on the defensive side of the ball, Davison led the Captains with 32 caused turnovers during his sophomore season, while DeGrassi ranked second on the team with 30 takeaways, and Rosacker was third with 28 strips. Meanwhile, Siaton shined as a short-stick specialist while producing nine caused turnovers and 34 ground balls.
On the other side of the field, Miller and Smith teamed up to form one of the nation's most dynamic offensive duos last spring. Miller led the country with 81 assists and 115 points, while Smith boasted an NCAA-high 84 goals. Equally effective on the midfield unit, Platner burst onto the scene with 47 points in 2025, which equaled the third-most by a freshman in school history.
All eight Captains have already made their 2026 debut after leading CNU to a 17-4 triumph in the season opener against Elizabethtown last Friday. Christopher Newport will be back in action on Saturday with a noon trip to Hampden-Sydney.
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