The Sharks are undefeated in NEC competition. The team’s success has coincided with several conference awards for individual players. Midfielder Brooklyn Menard was named NEC Rookie of the Week twice, forward Grace Hennig was named NEC Player of the Week, and goalkeeper Keely Thomas earned NEC Defensive Player of the Week honors twice.
NY Times Best-Selling Author Launches Tour
Mitch Albom, #1 best-selling author, launched his new novel, Twice, as part of the Centennial Author Series at Long Island University. Albom is the author of international bestsellers including Tuesdays with Morrie, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, For One More Day, Have a Little Faith, The Time Keeper, and The Stranger in the Lifeboat. His books have sold more than 40 million copies worldwide.
Women’s Volleyball Racks Up 8 Straight Victories
LIU’s women’s volleyball team won eight consecutive matches. During the win streak, Junior Sara van Gisteren, junior Yasmeen Muhammad, and senior Karly Klaer all received NEC Prime Performer honors, while sophomore Miabella Musignac was named the NEC/Molten Women’s Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week. Van Gisteren was named the NEC/Molten Women’s Volleyball Co-Player of the Week.
Josh Groban Performed at Sold-Out Tilles Center
Tony, EMMY, and five-time GRAMMY-nominated singer, songwriter, and actor Josh Groban’s performance at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts raised funding for Tilles Center’s arts education programs and other initiatives.
National Book Award Honors American Presidency
The Society of Presidential Descendants announced the finalists for the 2025 Biennial Presidential Leadership Book Award: Derek Leebaert’s Unlikely Heroes, James H. Read’s Sovereign of a Free People, and Harold Holzer’s Brought Forth on This Continent. The winner will be announced at the award dinner on October 23 at the University Club, hosted by former Congressman Steve Israel. The event will also feature the presentation of the 2025 Distinguished Presidential Historian Award to Mark K. Updegrove, President and CEO of the LBJ Foundation.
Shutterstock CEO Joins Board at Global Commerce Leader
Shutterstock CEO Paul Hennessy ’95 was appointed to the Board of Directors at Liquidity Services, a leading global commerce company powering the circular economy. Hennessy has served as the CEO of Shutterstock since July 2022. He has over 30 years of leadership experience, including CEO positions at Vroom and Priceline.com, as well as Chief Marketing Officer at Booking.com.
$2.3 Million Grant Funds Civic Education
The U.S. Department of Education awarded a $2.3 million grant to Long Island University and The School House, in partnership with American Emergent Curriculum Inc. (AEC), as part of the American History & Civics—Semiquincentenial initiative. The grant will equip over 300 educators to reach 50,000 students nationwide with new civics resources and projects that empower the next generation of citizens as America approaches its 250th anniversary.
Ice Hockey Teams Shine with Impressive Debuts
The men’s and women’s ice hockey teams opened their seasons in impressive fashion. The men’s team shut down West Point with a 3–0 exhibition victory in head coach Brendan Riley’s debut behind the bench. The women’s team swept the University of Delaware on the road with 4–1 and 5–2 victories against the Blue Hens. Clara Kammholz was named conference Goaltender of the Week for her .960 save percentage in the season opener.
LIU Team Advances Whole-Organ Virtual Liver Model
A team of LIU researchers advanced a whole-organ virtual liver model in Nature Portfolio’s npj Digital Medicine, outlining multiscale simulations of drug-induced liver injury that can guide safer therapies, accelerate discovery, and reduce reliance on animal testing. The model bridges vascular, lobular, and cellular scales to simulate dynamic blood flow, drug transport, and injury mechanisms that accurately reflect clinically observed spatial heterogeneity.
Homecoming and Family Weekend
Record attendance kicks off eighteen-month centennial celebration
Homecoming and Family Weekend marked the official launch of Long Island University’s 18-month Centennial Celebration.
The festivities opened Friday evening with the inaugural Alumni Excellence Awards, recognizing 40 distinguished young alumni for their achievements and meaningful service to others. The “40 Under 40” honored rising stars in health care, technology, finance, government, media, and more. LIU President Dr. Kimberly R. Cline noted in her welcome remarks, “You are off to a great start, and I have no doubt that one day, your name will be mentioned among our most notable LIU alumni.”
The celebration continued the next morning as thousands of students, alumni, families, and faculty filled campus for a full slate of events. Families gathered at the Parents Club Breakfast with senior leaders and academic deans; more than 400 student-athletes marched proudly into Shark Stadium during the first-ever Walk of Champions; and student broadcasters from WCWP and the Roc Nation School’s Sports Communication & Marketing program joined alumni sportscasters Alan Hahn ’93 and Travis Demers ’03 for a live pregame tailgate show in Nuti Park. They were joined by special guests Head Football Coach Ron Cooper, Men’s Basketball Head Coach Rod Strickland, Tom Rock ’96, and Ariel Johnson ’23.
At noon, the Homecoming game kicked off on Durrell “Bronko” Pearsall Field. Redshirt junior quarterback Luca Stanzani, reigning NEC Offensive Player of the Week, electrified the crowd on the opening play with an 87-yard touchdown run, giving the Sharks a 7-0 lead just 12 seconds into the game. Freshman defensive lineman Naquan Johnson later earned NEC Rookie of the Week and Prime Performer honors with eight tackles.
The atmosphere in Shark Stadium was spirited. The Marching Band kept energy high with the fight song, while the three-time national champion Dance Team delivered an electrifying halftime performance alongside Finley the Shark.
“This year’s Homecoming festivities showcased the very best of LIU and gave our community special moments to celebrate both current students and alumni,” said Elliott Charles, Director of Athletics. “As we approach our Centennial, the momentum generated by Homecoming offers a powerful outlook for the 2025–2026 year.”