NEC/Molten Player of the Week: Camelia Melendez, LIU
NEC/Molten Defensive Player of the Week: Alasha Colon, LIU
NEC/Molten Rookie of the Week: Bella Correia, LIU

Previous NEC Releases: Preseason Poll Release

NEC/MOLTEN WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Camelia Melendez, LIU
Outside Hitter, Senior, Caguas, Puerto Rico/Católico Notre Dame (St. Francis Brooklyn)
Last Week’s Stats: 3.39 kills per set, 3.83 points per set, 0.33 blocks per set, 2.06 digs per set
Melendez garners NEC Player of the Week accolades for the seventh time since joining LIU’s roster from St. Francis Brooklyn for the 2023 campaign. The two-time All-NEC first teamer got her senior year off to a sensational start after she totaled a league-leading 61 kills, including the 1,000th of her career against Youngstown State on Sunday. During LIU’s four-match week, the Caguas, Puerto Rico native hit .202 while averaging 3.39 kills and 2.06 digs per set. In addition, the outside hitter, who was named to the UConn All-Tournament Team, had 18 kills in a pair of five-set defeats to Sacred Heart and Youngstown State. Adding 18 digs against the Penguins, Melendez turned the double-double trick again on Tuesday and led LIU past MAAC preseason favorite Quinnipiac with a 21-kill, 12-dig effort.
 
NEC/MOLTEN WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Alasha Colon, LIU
Libero, Senior, Carolina, Puerto Rico/Academia Pesbiteriana (St. Francis Brooklyn)
Last Week’s Stats: 4.89 digs per set
Colon, the reigning NEC Defensive Player of the Year, picked up right where she left off in 2024. The libero delivered 88 digs — the most of any NEC player during opening weekend — during a four-match stretch that saw LIU go 1-3, with two of those defeats being five-set thrillers. A native of Carolina, Puerto Rico, Colon averaged a league-leading 4.89 digs per set to pace the Sharks’ defense, including a season-high 35 in Tuesday’s win over MAAC preseason favorite Quinnipiac. In addition, Colon committed just five receiving errors throughout the week. Since joining the Sharks for the 2023 season, Colon has racked up four NEC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
 
NEC/MOLTEN WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Bella Correia, LIU
Outside Hitter, Freshman, Sao Paulo, Brazil/Colégio Marista Glória
Last Week’s Stats: .231 hitting percentage, 1.78 kills per set, 2.11 points per set, 0.67 blocks per set
Correia was impressive in her LIU debut last week. An outside hitter, she totaled 12 blocks, 32 kills and had just eight miscues on the attacking line to close out the four-match stretch with a .231 hitting percentage and 1.78 kills per set. The Brazilian came to play in the Sharks’ non-conference, midweek match against MAAC preseason favorite Quinnipiac on Tuesday, delivering her first career double-digit kill effort (10) while adding three blocks in the five-set triumph. This is Correia’s first NEC Rookie of the Week honor.

NEC PRIME PERFORMERS

Patrycja Lagida, CSU (OH, So.)
Last Week’s Stats: 3.00 kills per set, 3.00 points per set, 1.33 digs per set

• Totaled 18 kills against a pair of tough competitors in Bowling Green (Aug. 30) and Cincinnati (Aug. 31)

 
Eleonora Tosi, FDU (MB/RS, Gr.)
Last Week’s Stats: .315 hitting percentage, 3.17 kills per set, 3.25 points per set, 0.58 digs per set

• Cherry and White All-Tournament Team
• Had a career-high 21 kills and hit .410 in FDU’s five-set victory over Radford (Aug. 30)
• Averaged a league-best 3.17 kills per set

 
Emily Van O’Linda, FDU (L, Sr.)
Last Week’s Stats: 4.50 digs per set, 0.70 assists per set, 0.40 service aces per set

• Cherry and White All-Tournament Team
• Recorded 27 digs in a five-set win over Radford, the most by an NEC player on opening weekend (Aug. 30)
• Surpassed the 500-dig mark on her career against the Highlanders while adding a career-high four service aces

 
Alasha Colon, LIU (L, Sr.)
Last Week’s Stats: 4.89 digs per set, 0.83 assists per set

• Had a season-high 35 digs and eight assists to lead LIU past MAAC preseason favorite Quinnipiac in five sets (Sept. 3)
• Leads the NEC with 4.89 digs per set and 88 total digs
• Named the NEC Defensive Player of the Week

 
Camelia Melendez, LIU (OH, Sr.)
Last Week’s Stats: .202 hitting percentage, 3.39 kills per set, 3.83 points per set, 0.33 blocks per set, 2.06 digs per set

• Tallied her 1,000th career kill on Sunday against Youngstown State (Sept. 1)
• Had 21 kills to tie the most by an NEC player last week in Tuesday’s win over MAAC preseason favorite Quinnipiac (Sept. 3)
• Turned in a pair of double-doubles against Youngstown State (18 kills, 18 digs) on Sept. 1 and Quinnipiac (21 kills, 12 digs)
• Earned NEC Player of the Week honors

 
Bria Plante, LIU (MH, Gr.)
Last Week’s Stats: .303 hitting percentage, 1.44 kills per set, 2.14 points per set, 1.17 blocks per set

• Hit .391 with one error and 10 kills in 23 attempts while adding six blocks to lead the Sharks past MAAC preseason favorite Quinnipiac by a 3-2 final (Sept. 3)
• Leads the NEC in total blocks (21) and is second in blocks per set
• Also named the NEC Rookie of the Week

 
Maggie Hogan, SFU (OH, Sr.)
Last Week’s Stats: 3.73 kills per set, 4.17 points per set, 0.33 service aces per set, 2.20 digs per set

• Had double-digit kills in all four matches, including 15 in straight-set defeats against Duquesne (Aug. 30) and Lehigh (Aug. 31)
• Registered a pair of double-doubles against Towson (Aug. 30) and Lehigh
• Leads the NEC in kills per set (3.73), points (62.5) and points per set (4.17)

 
Mia Berardino, STO (OH, Jr.)
Last Week’s Stats: .277 hitting percentage, 3.00 kills per set, 3.32 points per set, 1.45 digs per set 0.45 assists per set

• Led Stonehill to a 3-2 win over Holy Cross with 16 kills in three service aces (Aug. 31)

2024 NEC/MOLTEN WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS:

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 4: Camelia Melendez (LIU)

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 4: Alasha Colon (LIU)

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Sept. 4: Bella Correia (LIU)