2026 IWLCA All-Region Honorees

Women's Lacrosse

Five Captains Pick Up All-Region Honors from Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association

NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. -- Five members of the Christopher Newport women's lacrosse program earned All-Region accolades on Friday afternoon as Brookelyn Morrison, Faith O'Connor, Gabby Saia, and Elena Sorkin were first-team honorees, while Kate Lamendola secured second-team nods from the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association.

With her award, Morrison became just the third player in program history to earn four All-Region citations. In that exclusive club, she joined CNU Hall of Famer Meaghan Galvin and longtime legend Kelsey Winters. Meanwhile, Lamendola, O'Connor, and Saia were celebrated for the second straight year, while Sorkin garnered her first career All-Region plaudit.

Overall, the five honorees equaled the fourth-most in program history, trailing only the six award-winners during each of the last three seasons.

A reigning All-American, Lamendola has continued to stockpile awards during another standout campaign. Flashing her versatility, the third-year star has helped anchor the midfield unit. During her junior season, she ranks third on the team with 28 caused turnovers while also boasting 29 points, including 22 goals. Overall, she has recorded at least one point in 19 of her 21 appearances while registering a takeaway on 14 occasions. 

Among her efforts, Lamendola starred in the squad's 13-12 win over No. 6 York (Pa.) on March 21. During that game, she erupted for a season-high four goals, including a go-ahead blow in the second stanza and a fourth-quarter strike, which gave the Captains a little extra cushion. Meanwhile, on the other end of the field, she has notched at least two caused turnovers in nine games, including four strips against St. Mary's (Md.) on February 28.

The first Captain to earn first-team All-American honors from USA Lacrosse Magazine, Morrison has put on a clinic throughout her senior campaign. She has already established a new single-season school record with 124 draw controls, while her 52 caused turnovers are just two shy of matching her own program standard set in 2024. Just as effective on the offensive end, she has set new career-highs with 46 goals, 30 assists, and 76 total points.

Rewriting the history books during the spring, Morrison tied the school record with eight caused turnovers in the opener against Berry on February 13. Less than a month later, she pocketed 12 draw controls against Lynchburg on March 7, which equaled the eighth-most by a Captain. Just as effective in the postseason, she erupted for nine points against Meredith on May 9, which marked the highest total in an NCAA Tournament game in program lore.

Tormenting opposing defenses throughout her junior season, O'Connor has shined on the attack while orchestrating one of the finest offensive campaigns by a Captain. She currently boasts 68 goals, which ranks 28th on the national charts and stands as the fifth-highest total in school history. In addition to her finishing skills, she has also established a new career-high with 16 assists, while her 45 draw controls are the third-most on the team.

Honored as the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week on March 16 and April 21, O'Connor has tallied at least one point in 20 of her 21 appearances, including 18 multi-goal efforts and 15 hat-tricks. Her run of seven straight hat-tricks to open the season equaled the second-longest run in program history, while her nine-point explosion against Randolph-Macon on April 15 established a new personal-best.

Solidifying her spot among the top defensive standouts in the nation, Saia was recognized as a third-team All-American by USA Lacrosse Magazine earlier this week. So far this season, the junior juggernaut has 48 caused turnovers, which ranks as the third-most in a single season in school history and the finest performance by a defender. Additionally, she slots third on the squad with 39 ground balls, which also stands as a new career-high.

Suffocating the competition throughout the year, Saia has secured a takeaway in 19 of her 21 appearances while collecting multiple strips on 11 occasions. Her seven caused turnovers against Lynchburg on March 7 equaled the fourth-highest total in school history. Later, she pocketed five takeaways against Mary Washington in the league playoffs on April 29, which equaled the third-most by a Captain in a postseason game and earned her a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

One of the most lethal offensive contributors in the country, Sorkin ranks 21st nationally with 70 goals this season. That total also stands as the third-most by a Captain in school history, just six shy of matching the all-time program record. Filling up the cage throughout her senior campaign, she has netted at least one goal in 20 of her 21 appearances, including 14 hat-tricks. She has also pitched in with a career-high 14 assists while boasting 84 total points.

A reliable contributor, Sorkin drove home multiple goals in 14 straight games from March 7 through April 29. That marked the longest streak in program history. During that stretch, she set a new personal-best with seven goals at No. 15 Rowan on April 4. That equaled the fifth-most in a game in school history and the finest showing against a nationally-ranked squad. She also had five strikes against No. 23 Haverford on March 11 and No. 10 Denison on March 28.

Christopher Newport will return to action on Saturday at 2 p.m. when the Captains square off with Denison in the third round of the NCAA Tournament at Salisbury's Sea Gull Stadium.

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Players Mentioned

Kate Lamendola

#8 Kate Lamendola

M
5' 3"
Junior
Pittsburgh Premier
Brookelyn Morrison

#1 Brookelyn Morrison

M
5' 6"
Senior
Virginia Metro
Faith O

#14 Faith O'Connor

A
5' 7"
Junior
Pride Black
Gabby Saia

#28 Gabby Saia

D
5' 2"
Junior
SJ Shamrocks
Elena Sorkin

#22 Elena Sorkin

A
5' 4"
Senior
Yellow Jackets South

Players Mentioned

Kate Lamendola

#8 Kate Lamendola

5' 3"
Junior
Pittsburgh Premier
M
Brookelyn Morrison

#1 Brookelyn Morrison

5' 6"
Senior
Virginia Metro
M
Faith O

#14 Faith O'Connor

5' 7"
Junior
Pride Black
A
Gabby Saia

#28 Gabby Saia

5' 2"
Junior
SJ Shamrocks
D
Elena Sorkin

#22 Elena Sorkin

5' 4"
Senior
Yellow Jackets South
A