General | 10/17/2022 11:30:00 AM

New York, New York - After putting together one of the best regular seasons in program history, the BMCC women's volleyball team dominated the NJCAA All-Region 15 postseason awards. Following a record-breaking season, sophomore Josanne Lewis (Rochester, Minnesota) was selected as the NJCAA All-Region 15 Player of the Year, and classmate Xheni Doci (Saluzzo, Italy) was tabbed as NJCAA All-Region 15 Setter of the Year. Lewis also received NJCAA All-Region First Team honors, while freshman Emmanuella Aurel (Port Au Prince, Haiti) and Doci earned a spot on the NJCAA All-Region 15 Second Team. Additionally, Amy Criollo (Queens, New York) was named to the NJCAA All-Region 15 Sportsmanship Team. 

Lewis was a staple of an explosive Panthers offensive attack and rewrote the BMCC women's volleyball record books since arriving in Downtown Manhattan from Rochester, Minnesota, this season. The sophomore outside hitter blasted a single-season record, and team-high 305 kills this season, surpassing Yolireisi Pichardo's mark of 265 from 2018. Her 305 kills also surpassed Kayshawna Richardson's two-year total of 285 kills from 2015-16 for the second-most in program history.

She began rewriting program history early in the season, posting a career and new single-game program record 30 kills in a season-defining victory in five sets against Dutchess Community College. Her total surpassed Yolireisi Pichardo's mark of 21 kills, and she is currently second in the country in kills per set with 4.92.

Lewis has been a double-double machine during the 2022 campaign leading the Panthers with 14 double-doubles while also registering a team-best 16 double-digit kill games, including six 20-kill performances. She concluded the regular season with two straight 20-kill efforts in BMCC's final double dual against Queensborough Community College (23 Kills) and Kingsborough Community College (26 Kills) to clinch the program's first regular season title since 2008. 

The three-time consecutive CUNYAC Player of the Week got it done for the Panthers on the backend as well, grabbing 258 digs which are third on the team and fifth most in a single season. The Minnesota native has recorded 14 double-digit dig games with six in her last seven contests.

Doci, who earned her second All-Region 15 selection grabbing after First Team All-Region 15 honors in 2021, was the quarterback of the Panther's offensive attack distributing a team and career-high 440 assists during the 2022 season. Her total surpassed Jennifer Chacon's of 404 for the second most in a single season and Lukolic Medina's total of 418 for fourth all-time in program history. Doci's serving prowess helped her grab the headlines early in the season for the Panthers as she placed a career-high 21 service aces against Bronx Community College, breaking Jennifer Chacon's mark of 15 registered against Sullivan County Community College on September 29th, 2018. 

Her record would be smashed by Aurel later in the season, but it still helped her become the first Panther in school history to be named NJCAA Division III National Offensive Player of the Week. The performance also garnered her CUNYAC Player of the Week honors.

The Saluzzo, Italy native has driven the BMCC offensive attack, which has smashed a total of 630 kills which is 17 away from matching the program's total from 2018 by dishing out a team-best 16 double-digit assist performances, six 30-assist performances, and recording 20 or more assists in 14 matches. She handed out a career-high 38 assists in the Panther's thrilling five-set come-from-behind victory earlier this season against Dutchess Community College at home.

Doci has also been lethal from the service line, placing a team-high 80 service aces this season, surpassing Tanaya Vinson's mark of 77 from 2008 and tying for eighth all-time in program history with Stela Vaso (2016-17). She has also gotten done on the defensive side of the court with 182 digs which are 11th most in a single season and 13th all-time, surpassing Melanie Luna's total of 180 from 2010.

Aurel has been the heart and soul of the Panther's backline this season, corralling a team-high and single-season record 321 digs. She surpassed Nisha Rosario's single-season mark of 309 from 2018, while her totals are also second most in program history, passing Thelma Torre's 310 career digs from 2006 to 2007. 

Despite being a natural setter, the Port Au Prince, Haiti native held it down in the back row for the Panthers leading them with 14 double-digit dig games this season. She posted a career-high 39 digs in a five-set comeback victory early in the season against Region 15 opponent Dutchess Community College back in September.

She also leads BMCC with 25 blocks defensively in the front row while contributing offensively with 125 kills, 99 assists, and 53 service aces which are all good for second on the team. Aurel set a single-game program record for service aces this month against Bronx Community College with 23 service aces, surpassing teammate Doci's 21 from the previous month against the Broncos. She also recorded a career-high 12 kills last week in a major Region 15 victory over FIT in four sets.

Aurel has also received conference accolades four straight weeks grabbing CUNYAC Rookie of the Week three consecutive times and Player of the Week last week. 

Criollo was the true heart and soul of the Panthers, finishing her season with 31 digs, 24 kills, seven service aces, six blocks, and four assists.

Below is the complete list of the 2022 All-Region 15 Team:

2022 All-Region 15 Player of the Year
Josanne Lewis, BMCC

2022 All-Region 15 Setter of the Year
Xheni Doci, BMCC

2022 All-Region 15 Coach of the Year
Joel Sanchez, Monroe-Bronx

2022 All-Region 15 First Team
Josanne Lewis, BMCC
Lisanel Rodriguez, Monroe-Bronx      
Leah Vitiello, Dutchess           
Luisanni Rodriguez, Monroe-Bronx    
Kathleen Brennan, Dutchess  
Rosanna Bradica, Queensborough    
 
2022 All-Region 15 Second Team
Sara Ortiz, Westchester         
EmmanuellaAurel, BMCC      
Madison Nguyen, FIT
Valery Nunez, Monroe-Bronx
Gabriella Cresti-Caetano, Westchester         
XheniDoci, BMCC      
 
2022 All-Region 15 Honorable Mention
Desiree Morales, Queensborough
Nicole Rosas. Hostos
Noarie Proverbs, Kingsborough
Gabrielle Faulcon, Rockland
Ireana Olivo, Westchester
Angelica Hernandez, Queensborough
 
2022 All-Region 15 Sportsmanship Team
Lisanel Rodriguez, Monroe-Bronx
Amy Criollo, BMCC
Alexa Reinhard, Dutchess
Angela Rosa Garofalo, Westchester
Darlyn Pacheco, Queensborough
Laura Hansroul, FIT
AneesaLeka, Kingsborough
Maggie Goodenough, Orange
Iyanna Charon, Hostos
Emyliz Gonzalez, Rockland
Coralie Forest, Nassau
Jessica Diaz, Bronx

ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
The athletic program at Borough of Manhattan Community College encompasses a total of eight varsity teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level. For the latest news on the Panthers, please visit us at https://bmccathletics.com - The official site of BMCC Athletics. Follow the Panthers on Instagram (@bmcc_athletics) and Twitter (@BMCCAthletics), and Like Us on Facebook (BMCC Athletics).