Central Islip, NY - Setter and right side hitter, Maja Potpara of Dowling College has been named the 2008 East Coast Conference Volleyball Player and Rookie of the Year as selected by the league's coaches and released at the annual Volleyball All-Conference Brunch on Friday, November 14.
Potpara has dominated the court in her first season wearing blue and gold. Defensively, she averages 1.72 digs per game while pitching in with 51 totals blocks, including three solo tallies. Potpara helped to control the offense, averaging 5.31 assists per game and currently leads the team with 306 total kills. Hitting .331, she averages 2.67 kills per game and ranks 18th nationally in service aces, averaging .61 per game.
Valerie Steen has been voted the 2008 East Coast Conference Volleyball Coach of the Year. She led the Purple Knights to a 25-12 overall record with an 11-4 mark in the conference for a second place regular season finish. This was the first season in program history that Bridgeport tallied over twenty victories. Reaching a personal milestone in her fifth season at the helm, Steen notched her 100th career win this season in a sweep over Southern New Hampshire on November 9.
The Golden Lions placed six players on All-Conference Teams. Patrycja Klekotka joins Potpara on the First Team, Monika Kasperek and Marina Markovic earn Second Team honors while Erin Przybylowicz and Kelly Scott were named to the Third Team.
Emma Ariyo of the University of Bridgeport garners First Team honors. Teammate Ivana Kovacevic-Jurasin was named to the Second Team and Milica Milcovic rounds out the Purple Knights' recipients with Third Team honors.
The Adelphi University Panthers place a player on each team. Kathleen Carney earns First Team honors while Heather Mau was named to the Second Team and Amy Williams garners Third Team honors.
Queens College middles Natalie Edward and Enobong Shammah round out the First Team recipients. CW Post places Lucia Krskova on the Second Team and Laura Maehlmann on the Third Team while Dena McKinney and Shelby Klein, both of NYIT, earn Second and Third Team honors respectively.
