2026 Coastal Lacrosse Conference All-League Honorees

PITMAN, N.J. -- After orchestrating one of the finest regular season campaigns in program history, 11 members of the Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team earned All-League accolades, while Mason Bellinger, Ryan Miller, and the entire coaching staff secured top individual plaudits, which were announced by the Coastal Lacrosse Conference on Monday morning.

Headlining the honorees, Bellinger was recognized as the league's Defensive Player of the Year. He became just the third Captain in school history to earn that award, joining former legends Max Wayne (2022) and Ryan Young (2023). Meanwhile, Miller was hailed as the conference's Rookie of the Year, placing him alongside Dylan Rice (2018), Warner Cabaniss (2022), and Kevin Miller (2024) as the only Captains to receive that honor.

Along with Bellinger, Mark Davison, Brett Kelley, Kevin Miller, Jackson Platner, AJ Rosacker, Daniel Siaton, and Jamie Smith earned first-team accolades. Ryan Miller was joined on the second-team All-League squad by Colin DeGrassi and Rory Keverline.

Overall, the 11 award-winners marked the third-highest total in program history, falling just shy of the 12 honorees in 2022 and 2023.

Hailed as the USA Lacrosse Magazine and Inside Lacrosse National Preseason Goalie of the Year, Bellinger has managed to exceed even the loftiest of expectations during a remarkable senior campaign. Stockpiling awards throughout the year, the reigning All-American has already been named the USA Lacrosse National Player of the Week on two separate occasions while hauling in five Defensive Player of the Week citations from the Coastal Lacrosse Conference.

So far this season, Bellinger has a league-high 231 saves, which also stands as the fourth-highest total in program history. Among his work, he has pocketed at least 20 stops in three appearances, including a record-setting 26 saves against No. 6 Salisbury on April 8. Currently, his .614 save percentage also stands as the highest by a Captain in school lore. Rounding out his award-winning regular season, the Paramus, New Jersey native has also chipped in with 50 ground balls, nine takeaways, and a pair of points during a well-rounded showcase.

Bursting onto the scene with a dynamic debut campaign, Ryan Miller has quickly established himself as one of the finest up-and-coming talents in the nation. Making a smooth transition to college, the first-year phenom has already established a new freshman record with 34 assists. Meanwhile, his 67 points are the second-most by a freshman in program history, and his 33 goals are the third-highest by a player in his debut season.

A consistent contributor on the attack, Miller has tallied at least one point in 16 of his 17 appearances, including 11 multi-goal eruptions. Unfazed by top-flight competition, he matched his season-high with seven points in a triumph over No. 17 Stevenson on February 21 while driving home hat-tricks in wins against No. 9 Gettysburg on February 14 and No. 14 Amherst on March 21. Affecting the game in a variety of ways, the Mechanicsville, Virginia native also leads all attackmen with nine caused turnovers while slotting fourth on the team with 42 ground balls.

Notching first-team All-Conference honors for the second straight year, Davison has remained one of the top defensemen in the country. The 2025 All-American has continued his decorated career while ranking third in the league with 30 caused turnovers this spring. A starter in all 17 games, he has come through with at least one takeaway in 16 outings, including five strips in a win over No. 6 Salisbury on April 18. The Vienna, Virginia native has also corralled 26 ground balls with a season-high four rollers coming in a triumph over No. 14 Amherst on March 21. 

A reigning All-American, DeGrassi picked up All-League honors for the second straight year after garnering second-team citations in 2025. An imposing presence on the defensive unit, the senior has collected 21 caused turnovers, including three strips during a top-five showdown with No. 1 Tufts and two more in a nationally-ranked duel with No. 12 Washington and Lee. Overall, he has at least one takeaway in 14 of his outings. Meanwhile, the Vienna, Virginia native has also picked up 37 ground balls, including four or more on five occasions.

In his third year with the Captains, Kelley has produced a breakout campaign while establishing himself as one of the top defensemen in the nation. Suffocating the competition, he leads the Coastal Lacrosse Conference with 36 caused turnovers, which also stands as the 10th-highest total in program history. He has posted at least one takeaway in 16 of his appearances while securing two or more in 11 contests. The Herndon, Virginia native also leads all defensemen in the league with 63 ground balls while adding five points, including four goals.

Honored as a Preseason All-American, Keverline has lived up to that billing during an outstanding senior campaign. A critical piece of the squad's elite defensive unit, he has produced 15 caused turnovers as a short-stick defensive midfielder. Remarkably consistent, he has notched at least two strips in five of his appearances, including four battles against nationally-ranked competition. Additionally, the Mount Vernon, Maine native has collected 11 ground balls, including two apiece in wins over No. 12 Gettysburg and No. 14 Amherst.

Picking up first-team All-League nods for the second straight year, Kevin Miller has remained one of the nation's leading playmakers during his third season with the Captains. So far, the junior juggernaut has 58 assists this year, which ranks second on the program's all-time leaderboard. He has posted at least one helper in 40 straight games dating back to 2024, which stands as the longest run in school history. The Mechanicsville, Virginia native also ranks third on this year's squad with 29 goals while boasting a team-high 87 points.

Just the fourth player in program history to earn All-Conference honors during each of his first two collegiate campaigns, Platner picked up right where he left off last spring. A lethal force on the midfield unit, the second-year standout boasts 25 points. Scoring in bunches, he has eight appearances with at least two points, including hat-tricks in league wins over Stockton and Kean. Equally effective against top-25 foes, the Ijamsville, Maryland native had two-goal eruptions in battles with No. 4 Lynchburg, No. 6 Salisbury, and No. 12 Washington and Lee.

Securing All-Conference honors for the second time in his career, Rosacker was previously a second-team selection as a sophomore in 2024. One of the league's most dominant long-stick specialists, the senior star has recorded 17 caused turnovers this year while registering at least one in 13 of his appearances. Meanwhile, his 96 career takeaways are the second-most by an LSM in school history. Stuffing the stat sheet, the Delray Beach, Florida native has also hauled in 20 ground balls, including four in the opener against Elizabethtown.

In his fourth season with the Captains, Siaton has established himself as one of the finest short-stick defensive midfielders in school history. A Preseason All-American, he has made contributions all over the field. On the back end, he boasts 11 caused turnovers, while his 31 ground balls rank first among all midfielders. Equally lethal in transition, he has helped the squad post a remarkable .903 clearing percentage. Meanwhile, the Malvern, Pennsylvania native has also registered six points after collecting a goal and five assists.

One of the finest finishers in Division III history, Smith has tormented the opposition with another historic campaign. After leading the NCAA with 84 goals last year, he currently sits second on the national leaderboard with 73 strikes this spring. That total also stands as the second-highest in program history. Remarkably consistent, he has scored a goal in 35 straight games dating back to last season, including 14 hat-tricks this year. Adding another layer to his offensive heroics, the Kent Island, Maryland native also boasts a career-high 12 assists in 2026.

In addition to the standouts on the field, head coach Mikey Thompson and his assistants were celebrated as the league's Coaching Staff of the Year. Thompson was recognized alongside assistant head coach Zach Thomas as well as assistant coaches Michael Brost, Campbell Pozin, and Chazz Woodson. Together, the staff has guided the Captains to a 15-2 record while claiming the regular season league championship with a pristine 4-0 mark against conference foes.

On a national level, Christopher Newport has spent the entire season ranked in the top-five of the USILA National Coaches Poll while registering five wins against top-25 competition. Excelling on both sides of the field, CNU boasts a 15.18 goals-per-game average, which is the fourth-highest mark in school history, while the team's 14.76 takeaways-per-game rate is the fourth-best in the NCAA. 

The Captains will return to action on Wednesday at 1 p.m. when Christopher Newport opens up the Coastal Lacrosse Conference Tournament with a semifinal showdown against Mary Washington at Jennings Family Stadium.

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