DURHAM, N.C. -- Dylan Rice was named the IMLCA Region 3 Offensive Player of the Year, while eight other members of the Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team earned All-Region honors from the Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association.
Headlining the decorated contingent, Rice became the first Captain in school history to earn the IMLCA Offensive Player of the Year award. Additionally, he was joined on the first-team All-Region squad by fellow standouts
Max Wayne and
Andrew Cook.
Rounding out the honorees,
Phoenix Hines secured second-team accolades, while
Coby Auslander,
Warner Cabaniss,
Zac Hanway,
Campbell Pozin, and
Burke Widhelm collected honorable mention plaudits. Overall, the nine honorees marked the most in program history, topping the three award-winners in 2017 and 2021.
With their honors, Hines and Rice also joined former legends Randy Foster and Tony Cruz as the only two-time All-Region selections in program history. Both stars were honorable mention selections in 2021.
Polishing off a record-setting career, Rice established new single-season school standards with 72 goals and 105 points this year. Both of those totals also placed him among the national leaders as he ranked eighth in the NCAA in goals and 11th in points during the season. For his work, he was previously celebrated as a first-team All-American by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association.
Lighting up the back of the cage throughout the year, Rice deposited at least two points in each of his 20 appearances, including a record-setting eight-goal eruption against Roanoke on February 12. His 10 total points in that contest also matched his own school record, which he also equaled during an identical outing against Whittier on March 27.
Overall, Rice graduated as a four-time All-Conference, All-State, and All-American selection. Making the most of his time on the field, he established new program records with 244 career goals and 339 points. Both of those totals also rank among the top-25 in NCAA history.
Anchoring the midfield unit, Cook put together one of the finest offensive campaigns in school lore. The first-year Captain deposited 52 goals, which marked the fourth-highest total in program history and the top mark by a midfielder. His 69 points also placed him seventh on the all-time charts, while his seven man-up tallies marked the second-most in the conference.
Consistently effective, Cook collected at least two points in all 20 games and notched 14 multi-goal efforts, including four daggers against No. 14 Wesleyan in the third round of the NCAA Tournament on May 15. He also sunk six goals against No. 16 Williams on March 30, which marked the highest total by a Captain against a nationally-ranked foe.
On the back line, Wayne wrapped up his career with another decorated campaign. Honored as the USILA National Player of the Year, he helped bottle up opposing attacks throughout the season. Anchoring the defensive unit, he ranked 10th in the NCAA with 55 caused turnovers. He also led all defensemen in the conference with 51 ground balls and was one of only 14 players in the NCAA to register at least 50 takeaways and 50 rollers.
During the year, Wayne forced at least one turnover in each of his 10 appearances and had two or more on 17 occasions, including the final 11 outings of his career. Among his finest performances, he had six caused turnovers in wins against Grove City on March 2 and No. 19 Ursinus on March 9. He also had 12 takeaways in the postseason, including nine in the NCAA Tournament.
Punctuating his career as one of the nation's finest long-stick midfielders, Hines ranked ninth in the nation with 56 caused turnovers. That total also marked the second-highest in program history. A first-team All-American, he had at least two caused turnovers in 17 appearances, including all three outings during the national playoffs. He eventually finished his tenure with a school-record 187 caused turnovers, which also placed him in the top-10 on the all-time NCAA charts.
Tormenting the opposition from his perch on the midfield unit, Auslander established himself as one of the nation's top playmakers. The junior juggernaut set a new program standard with 46 assists, which also placed him 25th in the nation. His 76 total points also marked the most by a midfielder in school history. For his work, he was honored as a first-team USILA All-American.
Bursting onto the scene with an incredible debut campaign, Cabaniss helped the Captains dominate possession throughout the 2022 season. Honored as the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year, he set new school records with 135 ground balls and a .651 faceoff percentage. His 228 faceoff victories also marked the second-most in program history, while his 17 ground balls at Catholic on March 5 established a new single-game standard.
Starring between the pipes, Hanway was a stalwart in the cage during his junior season. Scattering his name throughout the record books, he set a new single-season mark with an 8.09 goals-against-average, which also placed him 13th in the NCAA. His 18 wins also marked the most by a Captain, while his 161 saves and .540 save percentage placed him in the top-10 on the school's all-time charts.
Named the USILA National Short-Stick Defensive Midfielder of the Year, Pozin was a force throughout his senior season. Making contributions in all facets of the game, he served as a wing on faceoffs, led all short-sticks in the conference with 52 ground balls, and polished off the year with 15 takeaways, including four against No. 14 Wesleyan in the NCAA Tournament on May 15. He also chipped in with seven points during the season, including a pair against No. 10 Gettysburg on March 18.
A defensive force on the back end, Widhelm mauled opposing attacks while forcing 34 turnovers, which ranked fourth in the league and seventh on the program's all-time charts. A second-team USILA All-American, he had at least two takeaways on 10 occasions, including the squad's NCAA Quarterfinal tilt against No. 6 York (Pa.) on May 21. He also collected 50 ground balls and had four or more in seven of his appearances.
Aided by the work of the All-Region honorees, Christopher Newport spent three weeks as the unanimous No. 1 team in the USILA National Coaches Poll while claiming the program's first regular season conference championship. The Captains eventually advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight before finishing with an 18-2 record.
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