NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- In a series of moves reshaping the coaching staff of the Christopher Newport women's lacrosse program, former Captain Lindsay Weaver has returned to CNU as an assistant coach in preparation for the 2027 campaign, while former assistant head coach Kendra Herbenar has departed Newport News after being named the head coach at Stevenson University on Monday.

Following a standout playing career at Christopher Newport, Weaver returns to her alma mater after building an impressive résumé as a collegiate lacrosse coach, including three seasons as the head coach at Mercyhurst University.

Weaver joins a staff led by head coach Lisa Valentine, who has directed the Christopher Newport women's lacrosse program since the summer of 2015.

"I am incredibly excited to welcome Lindsay back to Christopher Newport," said Valentine. "As an alum of our program, she has a deep love for CNU and a genuine understanding of what makes this place and this program so special. At the same time, she brings tremendous experience from serving as a head coach at Mercyhurst over the past three years. That combination is incredibly valuable, and I am excited about the perspective, leadership, and coaching expertise she will bring to our staff and our student-athletes."

Over the last three years, Weaver served as the head coach at Mercyhurst while overseeing the program's transition to Division I. During that period, her crew wrapped up a successful tenure in the vaunted Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference in 2024 before making the leap to the Northeast Conference in 2025. In their first year at the Division I level, the Lakers ranked among the national leaders in both assists- and ground balls-per-game while finishing fourth in the regular season league standings with a 6-3 record. Their six victories were the second-most by a first-year member in NEC history.

During Weaver's tenure at Mercyhurst, she helped recruit and develop some of the top performers in program history. Overall, her student-athletes amassed six All-Conference citations, while Whitley Easton was celebrated as the league's Offensive Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2025.

Along with her work as a head coach at Mercyhurst, she served as a volunteer assistant with the Lakers in 2022 before spending the 2023 campaign as an assistant at Allegheny College. During her year with the Gators, she helped lead the squad to a 14-5 record while advancing to the championship game of the Presidents' Athletic Conference Tournament.

In addition to her collegiate efforts, Weaver also worked as an assistant coach at Holy Names Academy in 2020 before serving as the head coach at Fairview High School in 2022.

Prior to her professional endeavors, Weaver was a standout player at Christopher Newport from 2014-17. During her four-year stint with the Captains, she saw action in 58 games and earned 45 starts. A versatile contributor on both ends of the field, she produced 47 career points and boasted a .442 shooting percentage while adding 39 caused turnovers and 57 ground balls.

At CNU, Weaver will help fill the void left by the departure of Herbenar, who spent two seasons with the Captains before taking the reins of the Stevenson women's lacrosse program on Monday. Capping off her tenure with a memorable campaign, Herbenar helped guide the 2026 squad to a 16-7 record while advancing to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the first time in school history.

"First and foremost, I want to congratulate Kendra on accepting the head coaching position at Stevenson," said Valentine. "She has poured so much into our program over the past two years, and I am incredibly grateful for the time, energy, and dedication she has given to our student-athletes and our staff. While we will certainly miss having her on our sideline, I am excited to see her take this next step in her coaching career and know she will do an incredible job leading her own program. We are proud to have been a part of her journey and will be cheering her on at Stevenson."

During her time in Newport News, Herbenar helped the Captains compile a 24-18 record and knock off five nationally-ranked opponents while reaching the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Championship during each of her two seasons. She also coached three All-Americans and seven All-Region performers while helping the team establish a new standard of success.

Before arriving at CNU, Herbenar spent a decade at Messiah University, including a four-year stretch as an All-American standout on the Falcons and a six-year tenure as an assistant coach. During her time on the sidelines, she helped the program notch a 65-35 record while leading the team to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the Regional Finals in 2021.

---ISH---