BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn volleyball team had three players celebrated at the annual Northeast Conference Tournament banquet Friday night, as senior Adriana Viñas Joy was named NEC Libero of the Year, and seniors Tamara Ignjic and Nicole Okeke both garnered first team All-NEC honors alongside Viñas Joy. The Blackbirds also collected the regular season championship trophy, and will be the top seed in this weekend's tournament.

Viñas Joy made history for the second time this season, as she became the first-ever four-time NEC Libero of the Year for the regular season champion Blackbirds. She follows in the footsteps of former LIU Brooklyn teammates Vera Djuric, the lone four-time NEC Setter of the Year, and Annika Foit, the league's only three-time NEC Player of the Year. In winning her fourth straight Libero of the Year accolade, the native of Puerto Rico averaged 5.23 digs per set over the course of the regular season, which ranks her second in the NEC and 15th nationally. Viñas Joy registered double-digit digs in all but two contests, including a season-high 34 digs against FDU this past Sunday.  She also leads the conference with 0.49 service aces per set, the eighth-best mark in Division I. Along with her four first team All-NEC honors, Viñas Joy will look to cap her career with a fourth consecutive NEC Tournament crown this weekend.

Senior outside hitter Tamara Ignjic and senior middle blocker Nicole Okeke joined Viñas Joy, earning first-team All-NEC honors, after helping the Blackbirds capture a fifth straight NEC regular season championship.

Ignjic, a rare four-time All-NEC first teamer, ranks second in the league with 3.39 kills per set overall and 3.94 kills per set in conference play.  The senior racked up double-digit kills in 16 of LIU's 25 matches, seven of which she recorded double-doubles in kills and digs. Ignjic also ranks second on the Blackbirds with 2.16 digs per set.

Okeke, a redshirt senior, was recognized on the All-NEC first team for the first time in her career. The middle blocker provided LIU Brooklyn with a strong presence at the net as she ranks second in the NEC with 1.06 blocks per set. In doing so, she helped anchor a defense that held conference opponents to a league-low .136 hitting percentage. She also contributed offensively with 2.14 kills per set, second on the team.

The top-seeded Blackbirds will host the two-day NEC Tournament beginning Saturday, November 21. LIU kicks off the tournament with a match against #4 seed Sacred Heart at 4 p.m.


2015 Northeast Conference Women's Volleyball Award Winners
NEC Player of the Year
Sarah Krufka                     Sacred Heart          RS         Jr.        Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Tesoro

NEC Setter of the Year
Viktoria Nesterov               Bryant                    S            So.       Kfar Saba, Israel/Wingate Academy

NEC Libero of the Year
Adriana Viñas Joy              LIU Brooklyn          L            Sr.       San Juan, Puerto Rico/Colegio Marista

NEC Rookie of the Year
Sophie Hoekstra                Bryant                    RS         Fr.        Millersville, MD/Severna Park   

NEC Coach of the Year
Theresa Garlacy                Bryant                    20th Season


2015 Northeast Conference Women's Volleyball First Team All-Conference
Name                          School                    Pos       Yr         Hometown/High School (Previous School)
Sophie Hoekstra        Bryant                    RS         Fr.         Millersville, MD/Severna Park
Tamara Ignjic             LIU Brooklyn          OH        Sr.         Belgrade, Serbia/First Economic
Sarah Krufka             Sacred Heart          RS        Jr.          Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Tesoro
Viktoria Nesterov       Bryant                    S           So.         Kfar Saba, Israel/Wingate Academy
Nicole Okeke             LIU Brooklyn          MB        R-Sr.      DeSoto, TX/DeSoto (Central Arkansas)
Kristin Thompson      Robert Morris         MB        Sr.          Monroe, OH/Bishop Fenwick
Adriana Viñas Joy     LIU Brooklyn           L           Sr.          San Juan, Puerto Rico/Colegio Marista

2015 Northeast Conference Women's Volleyball Second Team All-Conference

Name                             School                            Pos               Yr         Hometown/High School (Previous School)
Leah Dunivan                Robert Morris                  MB                Jr.        Troy, OH/Miami East
Arden Fisher                 Robert Morris                  OH                Jr.        Oakmont, PA/Riverview
Domenique Gerard       St. Francis Brooklyn        OH                Jr.        Neward, NJ/Science Park
Tori Kemper                  Sacred Heart                   OH               R-Jr.      Banks, OR/Valley Catholic
Kristin Kingi                   Bryant                             OH                Fr.        Thousand Oaks, CA/Thousand Oaks
Makenna Lommori        Central Connecticut       S/OH             Sr.        Yerington, NV/Yerington
Debora Magalhaes       Bryant                               L                 Sr.        Belo Horizonte, Brazil/Colegio Magnum