DANBURY, Conn.— Natalia Rivera of the LIU Brooklyn volleyball team was recognized as the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) 2018 Division I Women's Volleyball Defensive Player of the Year on Thursday.

Rivera had a standout junior campaign earning the Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Year and All-NEC first team honors in November. It is also her second ECAC honor after being named All-ECAC at libero in 2017. The Puerto Rico native averaged a career-high 5.43 digs per set this season to lead the Northeast Conference. Her season dig per set average ranked 20th in the entire county. Rivera set the NEC season-high for digs in three sets with 25 against Saint Francis U on October 25 and four sets with 33 on two occasions. She ranks fourth all-time in LIU history with 1,527 career digs.

ECAC Division I Women's Volleyball Awards and All-ECAC Team
 
Offensive Player of the Year
Madelyn Kaprelyan – Central Connecticut State University, Jr., OPP
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Natalia Rivera – LIU Brooklyn, Jr., L
 
Rookie of the Year
Aisha Skinner – Hofstra University, Fr., RS
 
Coach of the Year
Emily Mansur – Hofstra University
 
All-ECAC Team
M'Kaela White – James Madison University, Jr., MB
Madelyn Kaprelyan – Central Connecticut State, Jr., OPP
Devin Corah – La Salle University, Jr., OH
Maddie Sgattoni – Navy, So., OH
Laura Masciullo – Hofstra University, Sr., OH
Tamia Dockery – Howard University, Jr., S
Sofia Lopez Acosta – Canisius College, Sr., L

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Established in 1938, the ECAC is the nation's largest Conference, ranging in location from Maine to Georgia, and westerly to Missouri. The ECAC hosts numerous championships in men's and women's sports across Divisions I, II and III, offering opportunities for thousands of student-athletes. For more information, visit www.ecacsports.com.

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