DURHAM, N.C. -- After guiding the Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team to a record-setting season, head coach Mikey Thompson and his assistants were selected as the IMLCA Region 3 Coaching Staff of the Year for their work during the 2022 campaign.

Along with Thompson, the coaching staff also features assistants Zach Thomas and Andy Meyers as well as team manager Robert Simmons. Together, they helped guide the Captains to one of the finest seasons in program history while also earning the 2022 Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Coaching Staff of the Year Award.

The regional honor is the second straight for the Captains after they were previously celebrated by the Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association in 2021. Since taking over the program in 2016, Thompson and his staff have been continuously honored for their efforts. Along with the two regional awards, Thompson is also a four-time Virginia State Coach of the Year.

During the spring, Christopher Newport pieced together an epic campaign that saw the squad advance to the NCAA Elite Eight and capture the program's first Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Regular Season Championship. The Captains eventually spent three weeks as the unanimous No. 1 team in the USILA National Coaches Poll and were ranked in the top-six throughout the year.

Compiling an 18-2 record, Thompson's squad knocked off seven nationally-ranked opponents, including No. 1 Salisbury, No. 7 Lynchburg, and No. 10 Gettysburg. Facing one of the nation's toughest schedules, Christopher Newport squared off against 12 teams that eventually advanced to the NCAA Tournament. During those battles, the Captains registered 11 victories, including eight by double-digits.

Featuring one of the country's most well-balanced rosters, Christopher Newport eventually led the NCAA in scoring margin after defeating the opposition by an average of 11.35 goals per game. The Captains also ranked first in the nation in takeaways per contest (17.95) and ground balls per game (45.75).

Dominating in all facets of the sport, Christopher Newport also stood fourth in the nation in scoring offense (19.10 goals per game) and ninth in scoring defense (7.75 goals against average). The Captains were the only team in the country to slot in the top-10 in both categories.

Fittingly, Thompson's crew eventually hauled in 10 USILA All-American honors and 12 All-League citations. Meanwhile, Max Wayne was celebrated as both the National Player and Defenseman of the Year, becoming the first athlete in the country to earn both honors since 2004.

During his seven seasons as the head coach at Christopher Newport, Thompson now boasts an 87-31 record, including three trips to the NCAA Tournament. His .731 winning percentage is currently the 11th-highest among all active coaches in the country.

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