BROOKLYN, N.Y. — LIU women's basketball senior guard Janessa Williams has been named to the 2026-27 Northeast Conference Preseason All-Conference Team.

Entering her fourth season at LIU, Williams returns after helping lead the Sharks to a 21-win campaign and an appearance in the NEC championship game last season.

The Lake Worth, Fla., native earned First-Team All-NEC honors in 2025-26, averaging 13.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists while starting all 25 games in which she appeared. She shot 45.6 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from three-point range, finishing fifth in the conference in rebounding and seventh in scoring.

Williams earned NEC Prime Performer recognition six times last season. Her year included a season-high 29 points against Saint Francis and an 11-rebound performance against New Haven.

Her junior campaign followed a sophomore season in which she averaged 12 points and 7.3 rebounds across 30 starts, earning nine NEC Prime Performer selections.

A nursing major, Williams has also earned NEC Winter Academic Honor Roll recognition in each of the past two seasons.