Somerset, NJ -- The Northeast Conference (NEC) has selected a pair of its finest student-athletes to take part in a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

LIU Brooklyn junior volleyball player Natalia Rivera (Cayey, Puerto Rico/Radians School) and Robert Morris sophomore soccer player Oeyvind Skjesol (Kristiansand, Norway/Kristiansand Catherdal School) will represent the NEC at the 2019 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum in Orlando, FL from April 11-14.

Each DI conference office selected two student-athletes from among their active member schools as well as an administrator from the league office to represent their conference at the forum. In selecting Leadership Forum participants, consideration was given to student-athletes with a diverse representation of experiences and to those who have made a positive influence on campus and within the local community.

Amanda Jones, currently serving as the NEC's Digital Media Intern, will be representing the conference office.

"The NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum is a terrific event that helps student-athletes develop lifelong skills that will serve them well both as leaders of their respective teams and moving forward in the professional lives," said Noreen Morris, NEC Commissioner. "We are excited for Natalia and Oeyvind to take part in this extraordinary experience and then share what they learn with their fellow student-athletes. I'm also thrilled Amanda Jones will be representing the NEC office at the Forum. She's a rising star who will have the opportunity to further enhance her leadership and communication skills, while connecting with peers from around the country."

The NCAA Leadership Forum, created in 1997, has engaged more than 5,000 student-athletes, who have returned to campus with invaluable leadership skills, as well as the experience of exploring the relationship between personal values, core beliefs and behavioral styles. Likewise, student-athletes walk away with a thorough understanding of the NCAA as a whole, the different divisional perspectives and the valuable role of Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAAC).

Rivera comes off a tremendous junior season at LIU in which she was named the NEC and ECAC Defensive Player of the Year, and earned first team All-NEC libero honors. A team captain, Rivera is a three-year member of the LIU SAAC and the National Society of Leadership and Success, and is also a representative of LIU Latinos Unidos. She is a three-time member of the NEC Academic Honor Roll. Rivera, who hails from Cayey, Puerto Rico, majors in Biology and carries a 3.60 GPA.

One of the anchors of RMU's defense, Skjesol started all 17 games for the Colonials this past fall and will serve as team captain next season. In his free time, the native of Norway has worked as a teacher's assistant at a local elementary school as well as a soccer instructor at an after-school program in the area. Skjesol is a two-time selection to the NEC Academic and Commissioner's Honor Rolls, and has also been named to the RMU School of Business Deans List. He is an Economics major who maintains a 3.80 GPA.

Jones, who joined the NEC staff last summer, assists in the execution of the conference’s digital media strategy and helps drive fan engagement. The 2018 Rutgers graduate produces video content for NEC Front Row, the league's social media platforms and at NEC championships, and provides graphic design support.