Brooklyn, N.Y. - Long Island University senior Selma Babic has earned the Northeast Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Women's Tennis Singles Tournament. Babic qualified automatically after being ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Top 125.

 

Babic, who was named the NEC Player of the Year for a second straight season, is ranked No. 121 by the ITA. She earned her second consecutive All-NEC First Team honor this year, which was her third all-conference selection in three seasons at Long Island. Babic compiled a 19-1 overall singles record, going 14-1 in dual matches and earning the No. 1 singles title at the Eastern Championships in the fall.

 

Babic went 3-0 at the top spot against NEC opponents and took home three more win at the conference tournament, leading the Blackbirds to their second consecutive title. On May 5, Babic was named Long Island's Female Athlete of the Year.

 

Babic and the Blackbirds will take on No. 10 Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, May 11.

 

The first and second rounds will be played in Charlottesville, Va., hosted by Virginia. The NCAA Women's Tennis Singles Tournament will be held in Athens, Ga., hosted by Georgia on May 26-31. Automatic qualification into the Division I singles championships will be awarded to any conference with one or more eligible singles players ranked in the ITA Top 125 for eligible/entered singles players.