PITMAN, N.J. -- For the third time this season, Mason Bellinger was named the Coastal Lacrosse Conference Defensive Player of the Week after he led the Christopher Newport men's lacrosse program to another top-25 victory with a historic performance on Saturday at the USA Lacrosse Headquarters.

Previously, Bellinger was named the league's Defensive Player of the Week on February 9 and February 23. With his third defensive honor of the year, he became just the third player in program history to earn three awards in a single season, joining fellow All-Americans Zac Hanway (2024) and Warner Cabaniss (2025).

Along with his award-winning work in 2026, Bellinger was also named the Defensive Player of the Week as a junior on March 10, 2025. His four total honors are tied for the third-most in school history, trailing only Cabaniss and Hanway, who were recognized seven times apiece.

Making just one appearance last week, Bellinger made the most of his lone outing with a remarkable performance on Saturday against No. 14 Amherst. During the 12-9 victory over the Mammoths, he established a new career-high with 20 saves while adding six ground balls and a caused turnover.

His 20 stops marked the third-most by a Captain in program history and the highest total since former legend Andy McGregor set the school standard with 25 saves against Stevenson in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on May 8, 2013. Jackson Tyler also grabbed 21 in a battle with Randolph-Macon on April 8, 2009.

Among his highlights against Amherst, Bellinger recorded nine saves in the third quarter, which marked the second-highest total in a single period in program history. That performance included a remarkable stretch in the 34th minute during which he stoned a low liner from the left alley, slid across the crease, and pocketed a second-chance rip from the right side just four seconds later.

Later in the period, during a lengthy two-minute possession by the Mammoths, he kept the cage closed with three more saves, including an acrobatic stop from pointblank range after a shooter slipped behind the defense.

Along with his work in the third quarter, Bellinger filled up his highlight reel throughout the contest. In the opening stanza, he snatched four of Amherst's first five on-target attempts of the game, including a high heater from the right alley during the squad's initial surge. After slipping out of the crease, he also added an outstretched interception on a last-second feed to kill the Mammoths' final rush of the period.

Among his efforts in the second stanza, Bellinger handled a long-pole dart during an unsettled situation in the 24th minute and made a lunging stop to swallow a five-hole blast at the tail end of the quarter. Then, in the final period, he polished off the contest with two more saves, including his 20th stop on a step-down snipe from 15 yards out in the waning moments of regulation.

During his performance on Saturday, Bellinger also hauled in his 400th career save, joining McGregor, Hanway, Matt Hayden, and Scott McAneney as the only Captains to reach that plateau.

Honored as the USA Lacrosse and Inside Lacrosse National Preseason Goalie of the Year prior to the start of the 2026 campaign, Bellinger has certainly lived up to the hype so far this season. The fourth-year phenom currently ranks third in the NCAA with 148 saves while also boasting a .565 save percentage and 10.03 goals-against-average.

Bellinger and the rest of his teammates will return to action on Saturday when Christopher Newport kicks off Coastal Lacrosse Conference play with a noon test against Stockton. That contest will also serve as the program's annual Senior Day.

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