COLONIA, N.J. (Nov. 21, 2024) – Mercy University volleyball sophomore Adriana Rivera Rodriguez (Humacao, Puerto Rico/American International College) has been named the East Coast Conference (ECC) Volleyball Setter of the Year and freshman Grace Dilena (New York, N.Y./Liberty University Online Academy) has been tabbed Rookie of the Year, as the All-Conference Teams were announced earlier today. Junior Gabriela Bieniek (Rzeszow, Poland/Indian Hills CC) and graduate student Julia Pomerleau (Portland, Maine/University of Southern Maine) were named First Team All-ECC and Rivera Rodriguez and Dilena were tabbed Second Team All-ECC.

Rivera Rodriguez is named Setter of the Year in her first year as a Maverick. The sophomore tops the ECC and ranks 36th in NCAA Division II with 10.20 assists per set, more than half an assist per set more than the league's runner-up. The five-time ECC Setter of the Week sits second in the ECC in total assists (908) after totaling 20 games with 30 or more assists, which included six 40-plus assist games and four 50-plus assist games. 

Dilena is named Rookie of the Year in her first season at Mercy. The freshman was a six-time ECC weekly honoree between Player of the Week (2x) and Rookie of the Week (4x). The outside hitter leads all ECC rookies and ranks fourth among all players in points per set (3.74) and kills per set (3.17) and hit at a clip of 24.2 percent, good for seventh in the ECC. Dilena recorded double-digit kill performances 16 times, including a season-high 23 en route to a .450 hitting percentage in a critical win over Daemen on November 9.

Bieniek receives All-Conference honors in her first season as a Maverick. The junior was named ECC Player of the Week twice and had a team-high 294 kills and 3.46 kills per set with 195 digs and a team-high 45 service aces. The outside hitter ranks second in the ECC in kills per set and had 18 matches with double-digit kills. Bieniek had 10 double-doubles and had a season-high 21 kills at Molloy on November 13th.

Pomerleau is tabbed First Team All-ECC for the first time in her career after being named Second Team All-ECC each of the last two years. The graduate student was named ECC Defensive Player of the Week once this season. The middle blocker had 225 kills with a team-high 80 blocks and an ECC-best .414 hitting percentage. Pomerleau ranked fifth in the ECC in blocks per set (0.87) and had 12 matches with double-digit kills. The graduate student had a season-high seven blocks in the win over Queens on November 16th.