As the women’s basketball team gears up for NEC Tournament, they will be doing so with some newly received honors.

It was announced earlier Wednesday that head coach Charlie Buscaglia is the Brenda Reilly  NEC Coach of the year. This is the second straight season that Buscaglia has won NEC Coach of the Year as he was given the honor last year in his first season as head coach of the RMU women’s basketball program. Buscaglia has guided the Colonials to a 23-6 overall record this season as well a share of the NEC regular season title with a 16-2 conference record, tied with Saint Francis University (PA).

Buscaglia wasn’t the only member of the Colonials to receive conference honors as well. Senior guard Megan Smith was named to the All-NEC First Team, sophomore center Nneka Ezeigbo was named to the NEC Second Team, and freshman guard Honoka Ikematsu was named to the All-NEC Rookie Team.

During her senior campaign, Smith recorded 1,000 career points in a Colonials uniform as she now has 1,147 total points while playing at Robert Morris. Smith was also able to surpass 200 career assists this season as she enters the NEC Tournament with 205 total assists. This season, Smith is second on the team in scoring as well as in rebounding, averaging 9.1 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game.

Ezeigbo, who was a member of the All-Rookie Team in her freshman campaign last season for the Colonials, currently leads the team in points, averaging 10.1 points-per-game. The sophomore also has eight double-doubles on the season to go along with her other attributes.

Ikematsu, who has won two NEC Rookie of the Week honors is leading the NEC currently in three-point percentage, .442, which is good for 14th in the nation. Ikematsu also sits third in scoring for the Colonials averaging 9.1 points per game.

Buscaglia, Smith, Ezeigbo, Ikematsu and the rest of the Colonials will try to earn back-to-back NEC Championships and another trip to the NCAA Tournament. Robert Morris will battle the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils later today at 4:30 p.m. at the North Athletic Complex in the NEC Quarterfinals.