Complete Awards List

Brooklyn, N.Y. – Long Island University women's tennis head coach Asi Phillips has been named the Wilson/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Northeast Regional Coach of the Year. In his five seasons with the Blackbirds Phillips has built the program into one of the top teams in the region and Northeast Conference. This season he guided LIU to a 14-3 record and its second straight conference championship.

 

The regional coach of the year award is the first for Phillips to go along with his four NEC Coach of the Year honors in five seasons at LIU. During his tenure with the Blackbirds, Phillips has guided the squad to an NEC championship match appearance each season, extending the team's streak to seven consecutive appearances overall. In winning its second consecutive title this year, second-seeded Long Island defeated top-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson, 4-2, on April 18. Phillips saw the Blackbirds go 5-1 against NEC opponents and win eight straight matches at one point en route to accumulating the most wins under his leadership.

 

Additionally, under Phillips' guidance six Blackbirds earned all-conference recognition this season, including senior Selma Babic who was named the NEC Player of the Year for the second straight season. Heading into the NCAA Tournament, Babic is 19-1 overall in singles play and will take part in the NCAA Singles Tournament on May 26-31. Babic is 14-1 in dual matches and earned the No. 1 singles title at the Eastern Championships in the fall.

 

The Blackbirds face No. 10 seed Duke on Friday, May 14, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Charlottesville, Va.