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Long Island won the first four NEC titles and then Robert Morris, behind two-time tournament MVP pitcher Tera Prosser, captured the next four. Full round-robin play commenced in 1995. Marist win two straight regular-season titles in 1995 & '96. Robert Morris won the next two and the tournament title in 1998. In 1999, Long Island captured its first title since 1990 and tied Robert Morris for the most NEC tournament championships with five. The Blackbirds took full advantage of the NEC's first-ever automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in 1999 by earning the conference's first NCAA Tournament victory, posting a 4-3 win over Manhattan. UMBC came from the #4 seed to win the 2000 championship, while Long Island won an unprecedented sixth title in 2001. UMBC came back to capture its second crown in three years in 2002 and earned a 7-1 triumph over Liberty in the NCAA Tournament. Long Island won consecutive championships in 2003 and 2004 to make four in the last six years. Robert Morris ended a seven-year drought to claim its sixth NEC title in 2005 before Long Island took home its ninth and tenth league crowns in 2006 and 2007. The Blackbirds won the third NCAA game in conference history with a 5-1 win over Colgage in 2007. Long Island then claimed its third straight NEC championship and 11th overall in 2008. An improbable late season run saw Sacred Heart break LIU's streak in 2009. The Pioneers won their last nine games of the regular season to qualify for the first NEC Tournament in program history, then shut down three straight oppenents to take home the crown. Long Island stormed back to win a 12th tourney crown in 2010, then beat UMass and Boston University to advance to the NCAA Regional Final. Sacred Heart won for the league crown for the second time in three years in a rain-shortened 2011 championship. The Blackbirds were back in the saddle again in 2012, winning its 13th NEC championship. LIU has produced four Softball Academic All-Americans. Utility player Jessica DePippo was on the 2008 team, while outfielder Stephanie White was honored in 1999 team, catcher Gabriela Richeimer was a 1994 selection and pitcher Lesley Renninger was a 1993 pick. Marist's Michele Hudson (1996), UMBC's Crystal Ray (1999) and Robert Morris' Lauren Dickinson (2001) are the only three players to win both the Player and Pitcher of the Year awards in the same season.
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