BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – After winning four Northeast Conference championships over the last four years, the LIU women's tennis team has been picked to do so once more, according to the NEC Preseason Coaches Poll, announced Monday.
 
The league's head coaches awarded LIU six first place votes in the annual preseason poll, with two going to 2021 runner-up Bryant. The Bulldogs took second in the tally, followed by FDU in third. Sacred Heart and Saint Francis U finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Mount St. Mary's, Wagner and St. Francis Brooklyn rounded out the eight-team field.
 
Named NEC Coach of the Year in each of his first two seasons at the helm of the LIU program, Jan Griga returns his entire lineup from last season, one that includes plenty of star power. Most notably, the Sharks welcome back 2021 NEC Player of the Year Sofiya Kuzina, who posted an 8-2 singles record at #1 singles, with all eight victories coming in straight set fashion. She won both her postseason matches, including a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Bryant in the conference final that helped secure her NEC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors and send LIU to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth year running.
 
Along with Kuzina, fellow All-NEC first teamers Valentina Dancenco and Victoria Erechtchenko are back in the fold. Dancenco compiled a perfect 7-0 record at #2 singles last season, while Erechtchenko finished with a 7-2 mark primarily in the #3 position. LIU is the lone school to sport at least two first-team All-NEC award recipients each of the last four years.
 
The NEC Men's & Women's Tennis Championship will take place from April 14-16 at the Mercer County Tennis Center in West Windsor, NJ.
 
2022 Northeast Conference Women's Tennis Preseason Coaches Poll
1. LIU (6)
2. Bryant (2)
3. FDU
4. Sacred Heart
5. Saint Francis U
6. Mount St. Mary's
7. Wagner
8. St. Francis Brooklyn
 
First place votes in parentheses