EAST MEADOW, N.Y. — Sasha Hartje resumed her hockey career as a graduate student at LIU after playing tennis as an undergrad at Emory.

And after appearing in 40 games with the Sharks over the past two seasons, Hartje earned an MBA in May.

She did so with a perfect 4.0 GPA for the 2022-23 academic year, resulting in the New England Women's Hockey Alliance naming her one of the conference's Student-Athletes of the Year on Friday.

Hartje, a 5-foot-8 defenseman from Bloomfield Hills, Mich., contributed five assists and 33 blocked shots for the NEWHA-champion Sharks during the 2022-23 season.

Hartje on Thursday also was one of a whopping 25 LIU women's hockey players to be named to the NEWHA All-Academic Team. The honor goes to student-athletes who had at least a 3.0 GPA each semester during the past academic year.

The other Sharks honorees: Annie Abramson, Paula Bergström, Megan Bouveur, Milana Butera, Ceilidh Campbell, Maggie Culp, Bri Eid, Anna Fairman, Julia Hoffmann, Reneé Hoffmann, Tindra Holm, Alva Johnsson, Ryane Kearns, Mikayla Lantto, Mary Rachel Lenaeus, Ashley Morrow, Emma Mörtl, Sarah Rourke, Lisa Schröfl, Stella Scott, Carrigan Umpherville, Paige Vreeman, Jeannie Wallner and Anya Weilandt.

"Being able to play hockey at LIU was a dream come true that I never thought possible," said Hartje, who has accepted a job as a business associate and management trainee at a fire prevention company in her native Michigan. "I believed I had played my last hockey game ever when I chose tennis, and it was a bittersweet moment. Although I loved my time as a collegiate tennis player, LIU gave me the opportunity of a lifetime to play Division I hockey. I couldn't be more grateful. I was so fortunate to play hockey at that level and help them win the NEWHA championship and qualify for the NCAA tournament. To come away with my MBA was just the cherry on top."

LIU opens its 2023-24 season with games on Sept. 29 and 30 against reigning Hockey East champion Northeastern at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow.