BROOKLYN, N.Y. - LIU Brooklyn women's tennis senior Anna Grigoryan made both program and Northeast Conference history, it was announced Wednesday, as she became the first student athlete in league history to win three NEC Women's Tennis Player of the Year honors. Her unanimous selection went hand-in-hand with the Blackbirds winning a third straight NEC championship. And LIU's head coach Jan Griga was voted the NEC Coach of the Year by his peers. The Blackbirds were also honored with a league-best four All-NEC singles honors and had two of its three doubles teams recognized as well, as Jessica Brzozowska, Ana Leonte, Malin Leysen and Sasha Bollweg were recognized by the league's coaches.
 
Grigoryan has done it all during her time as a Blackbird. She was the NEC Rookie of the Year back in 2015-16, and followed with her three straight NEC Player of the Year and All-NEC first team accolades. This season, she won all six of her NEC matches to improve her four-year mark against conference rivals to a remarkable 21-2. Grigoryan helped spark LIU's 4-0 win over FDU in the conference final with a straight set win at #1 singles to earn All-Tournament honors. Heading into NCAA Tournament play, she has won seven straight, leads the NEC with 13 victories and a .684 win percentage at the #1 spot, and paces the Blackbirds with 16 overall wins on the year. Grigoryan once again competed in the prestigious Oracle ITA Masters event last fall and posted a 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 win over Maria Kononova of North Texas, who was ranked 43rd nationally at the time. She also picked up non-conference wins against opponents from Columbia, Fordham and Villanova. Grigoryan was a three-time NEC Player of the Week and the February Player of the Month. Over the course of her career, she was named the NEC Player of the Week on eight occasions and was honored four times as the NEC Player of the Month. The Moscow native was also tabbed to the All-NEC first team at #1 doubles with Ana Leonte for the third straight season. Jessica Loose (2006), Selma Babic (2009, 2010) and Sanne Louwers (2014) are past NEC Player of the Year winners for LIU Brooklyn.
 

After serving as an assistant the last two years, Griga had the chance to raise the NEC trophy as a head coach for the first time this season. In securing a fifth conference title for the program, LIU finished a perfect 7-0 in league play, dropping just three singles matches in the process. In the Blackbirds' run to the NEC championship in Mercer County, LIU did not drop a singles or doubles match along the way. LIU will enter NCAA play with a 14-7 dual match record, including notable victories over Villanova, Hofstra and Fordham. Since Griga's arrival as an assistant back in 2016-17, the Blackbirds have put together a 44-18 overall record and 23-0 slate against NEC schools. This season saw four LIU players earned All-NEC singles honors to go along with All-Conference accolades for a pair of doubles teams. Griga, Anthony Davison (2017, 2018) and four-time winner Asi Phillips (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010) are NEC Coach of the Year honorees from LIU Brooklyn.

 


Grigoryan, along with teammate Leysen earned All-NEC honors for their third time in their respective careers. Grigoryan was tabbed to the first team in each of the last three years, while Leysen was tabbed to the first team in 2017 and 2018, and the second team this season. LIU junior Jessica Brzozowska made it back-to-back first team singles accolades. Grigoryan and junior Ana Leonte were voted to the All-NEC doubles first team for the third straight year, while Brzozowska and Sasha Bollweg  took home second team honors a year after earning first team status. Leonte also earned second team singles honors for the first time in her career.




































Up next, the team is heading to Austin, Texas, for the first round of the NCAA Championship Tournament. The Blackbirds earned the conference's automatic bid for the third year in a row as 2019 Northeast Conference champions, and will take on No. 9 seed and host Texas, Friday, May 3.