Svetlana Simic Garners Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week Honors for Third Time

9/25/06 -- After an impressive performance at the Courtyard by Marriot LaGuardia Blackbird Invitational, Long Island University outside hitter Svetlana Simic (Klek, Serbia) earned her third Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week award. The freshman tallied 45 digs, 26 kills, seven aces and six blocks as the Blackbirds went 2-1 in the tournament.

Simic averaged 4.09 digs, 2.36 kills, 0.64 aces and 0.55 blocks per game at the tournament and notched a double-double in the five-game setback to San Francisco with 20 digs and 11 kills. In straight set wins over St. Francis (N.Y.) and Cornell, she posted eight kills, 12 digs and a .462 hitting percentage against the Terriers and seven kills, four blocks and 13 digs versus Cornell.

Simic ranks third in the NEC in digs (3.88 dpg) and aces (0.50 sapg) and is contributing 2.14 kills per game.

The Blackbirds will return to action on Friday, Sept. 29, when they host the Blackbird Holiday Inn Express Challenge. Long Island will open the tournament against Virginia Commonwealth at 3:00 p.m. The Blackbirds will also take on Sacred Heart and South Dakota State on Saturday.