Winter Seasons in Review

MEN’S BASKETBALL SEASON IN REVIEW

Robert Morris finished with an overall record of 20-14 (.588) in 2019-20 under the guidance of 10th-year head coach Andrew Toole, including a mark of 13-5 (.722) in the Northeast Conference

As the No. 1 seed in the 2020 NEC Tournament, the Colonials claimed their ninth championship with a 77-67 triumph over No. 2 seed Saint Francis U in front of 4,034 fans at Peoples Court at the UPMC Events Center

RMU paced the NEC in three-point field goal percentage (.363), assists (16.53 per game) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.30) while ranking second in turnover margin (+2.03) and third in scoring defense (67.1 ppg)

Redshirt senior guard Josh Williams, named to the 2020 All-NEC Second Team, led RMU in scoring in 2019-20 with an average of 13.6 points per game while adding averages of 4.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per contest

Junior forward AJ Bramah also earned a spot on the 2020 All-NEC Second Team after supplying Robert Morris with averages of 13.4 points and a team-high 8.2 rebounds per game while converting 56.9 percent (173-for-304) of his shots from the field

Sophomore guard Dante Treacy finished second in the NEC in assists per game (4.50) and third in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.25) while contributing an average of 8.7 points per contest

In two seasons in an RMU uniform, Josh Williams knocked down 209 threepointers, which ranks sixth in program history

Junior guard Jon Williams has started each of the 102 games of his career, establishing a new school record for consecutive starting assignments in 2019-20

Jon Williams averaged 6.3 points and 4.1 assists per game in 2019-20 while shooting 39.6 percent (55-for-139) from beyond the arc, which ranked seventh in the NEC

Senior forward Yannis Mendy provided the Colonials with averages of 8.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in 2019-20, converting 55.3 percent (126-for-228) of his attempts from the field

Bramah led the NEC in field goal percentage in 2019-20, while Mendy ranked fourth in the same category

Over the last 13 seasons, RMU has compiled an overall record of 261-185 (.585), an average of 20.1 wins per season

Robert Morris has finished with at least 20 wins five times under Toole, eight times in the last 13 years and 11 times overall in program history

AJ BRAMAH

JOSH WILLIAMS JON WILLIAMS

YANNIS MENDY

Robert Morris hosted the NEC Tournament as the No. 1 seed for the first time since 2014 and earned a 59-58 victory over No. 8 seed St. Francis Brooklyn in the quarterfinals before posting an 86-66 win over No. 4 seed LIU in the semifinals

In the championship game, sophomore guard Dante Treacy led the Colonials with 18 points and added five assists and a steal in a 77-67 win over No. 2 seed Saint Francis U

Treacy was named the 2020 NEC Tournament MVP after averaging 12.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.0 steals in three games while shooting 65.2 percent (15-for-23) from the field, including 55.6 percent (5-for-9) from beyond the arc

Joining Treacy on the 2020 All-NEC Tournament Team were junior forward AJ Bramah and redshirt senior guard Josh

Williams

Bramah averaged a team-high 17.3 points and 7.0 rebounds in three games of the NEC Tournament while converting 67.7 percent (21-for-31) of his shots from the field, while Williams averaged 14.3 points and knocked down nine three-pointers in the three victories

MEN’S BASKETBALL SEASON IN REVIEW

SAYVEON MCEWEN

DANTE TREACY

ANDREW TOOLE: ESPN 40 UNDER 40

RMU Pat Gallagher Head Coach Andrew Toole ranked No. 7 in ESPN’s annual rankings YANNIS MENDY of 40 college basketball coaches under the age of 40. Widely recognized as the young coach who led Robert Morris to a win over Kentucky in the first round of the 2013 NIT, Toole has recorded seven winning seasons in 10 years as head coach of the Colonials. He owns a career record of 188-154 (.550) and has guided RMU to a pair of NEC regular-season (2013, 2014) and tournament (2015, 2020) championships, and five national postseason appearances, including the 2015 NCAA Tournament.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SEASON IN REVIEW

Led by fourth-year head coach Charlie Buscaglia, RMU posted an overall record of 23-7 (.767), including a mark of 17-1 (.944) in the Northeast Conference

The Colonials claimed their fourth consecutive NEC regular-season championship in 2019-20, becoming the first team to win four in a row since Saint Francis U from 2001 to 2005

As the No. 1 seed in the NEC Tournament, Robert Morris posted a 65-61 win over Wagner in the quarterfinals before being crowned champions due to the cancellation of the tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Robert Morris nearly pulled off a historic upset Nov. 5, 2019 in its season opener, falling 66-61 at TCU, who finished just outside the Associated Press and Coaches’ Top 25 polls

Previously 0-37 against BIG EAST opponents, RMU claimed its first win over the conference with a 71-57 home triumph over Xavier Dec. 1, 2019

RMU led the NEC in scoring defense (52.6 ppg), scoring margin (+12.4), field goal percentage defense (.346), steals (10.6 per game) and turnover margin (+5.57) while ranking second in the conference in three-point field goal percent defense (.266)

The Colonials ranked fourth in NCAA Division I scoring defense and also ranked in the top 16 in three-point field goal percentage defense, forced turnovers, steals and turnover margin

Senior center Nneka Ezeigbo, a member of the All-NEC First Team, averaged 14.1 points and 8.3 rebounds to lead the Colonials while shooting 48.7 percent (163-for-335) from the field

Junior center Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu, an All-NEC Second Team pick, contributed 9.3 points and a team-high 8.6 rebounds per contest in 2019- 20, leading the NEC in field goal percentage (.557) while ranking third in rebounding

Junior guard Isabella Posset, an All-NEC Third Team selection, finished with averages of 7.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while leading the Colonials in steals with 68

Posset averaged 2.3 steals per game in 2019-20, which led the NEC, and became the 27th student-athlete in program history to eclipse 100 career steals, becoming the fourth fastest to reach the threshold

Senior guard Honoka Ikematsu averaged 6.2 points per game in 2019-20, leading the Colonials in three-pointers (42) while ranking second in assists (61)

Senior guard Nina Augustin paced Robert Morris in assists, dishing out an average of 2.7 per contest while supplying an average of 5.9 points per game

ISABELLA POSSET

NNEKA EZEIGBO

IREKPITAN OZZY-MOMODU

COACH OF THE YEAR FOUR-PEAT

In a vote of league head coaches, Charlie Buscaglia was named the Brenda Reilly NEC Coach of the Year March 9, 2020 for the fourth consecutive season. The unprecedented fourth top coaching plaudit tied the conference record with league Hall of Famers Bill Sheehan of Mount St. Mary’s (1981-98) and Ed Swanson of Sacred Heart (1990-13). He led the Colonials to an overall record of 23-7 (.767) in 2019-20, including a program-best 17-1 (.944) mark in the NEC to capture a fourth straight league regular-season crown.

NINA AUGUSTIN

Center Nneka Ezeigbo was a consistent force for the Colonials in the post during her four years, helping lead RMU to three NEC Tournament championships as well as the 2018 Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). She etched her name in the record book at Robert Morris as one of the most complete student-athletes in school history. A look at some of her accomplishments …

Earned All-NEC honors each of her four years at RMU, being named to the 2017 All-NEC Rookie Team before garnering second team honors in 2018 and twice being named to the All-NEC First Team (2019, 2020)

One of just five Colonials to garner All-NEC accolades each of her four years at Robert Morris, joining Laura

Lindak (1989-94), Elise James (1996-00), Aretmis

Spanou (2010-14) and Anna Niki Stamolamprou (2013- 17)

Is the only player in program history to be a part of four NEC regular-season championship teams and competed in two NCAA Tournaments (2017, 2019)

In a vote of league head coaches was named the 2019 NEC Defensive Player of the Year and followed that by being named the 2019 NEC

Tournament MVP after leading the Colonials to the championship

As a senior in 2019-20 was named NEC

Player of the Week four times and was bestowed the plaudit six times in her career

Ranked in the top 10 in the NEC in seven categories as a senior in 2019-20, including seventh in scoring (14.1 ppg) and fourth in rebounding (8.3 rpg) and field goal percentage (.487)

One of four players in program history to accumulate career totals of 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 100 blocks and 100 steals

Appeared in 125 career games, earning 73 starting assignments, and concluded her career with totals of 1,358 points, 870 rebounds, 109 blocks and 167 steals Of her 870 career rebounds, Ezeigbo grabbed 364 offensive caroms, in averaging 7.0 rebounds throughout the course of her career, and also shot 48.4 percent (557-for1,150) during her four seasons Ranks sixth all-time at Robert Morris in scoring, fourth in rebounding, sixth in blocks and eighth in steals Named the 2020 NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for women’s basketball and maintained a 3.61 cumulative grade point average (GPA) while earning a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology Is set to start her pro career in 2020-21 after signing a contract with Unicaja Malaga of Spain’s Liga Femenina 2 (LF2), becoming the 22nd player in program history to play professionally

NNEKA EZEIGBO: COMPLETING A LEGACY

2016-2020

WOMEN’S HOCKEY SEASON IN REVIEW

Under the guidance of ninth-year head coach Paul Colontino, RMU recorded an overall record of 20-12-4 (.611), including a mark of 13-5-2 (.700) in College Hockey America (CHA)

The Colonials advanced to their fourth consecutive CHA Tournament championship game in 2020

Senior forward Jaycee Gebhard paced Robert Morris in scoring in 2019-20, finishing with 63 points thanks to 20 goals and a team-high 43 assists

Pacing RMU in goals in 2019-20 was redshirt sophomore forward Michaela Boyle, who lit the lamp 22 times on the year and added seven assists to rank fourth in scoring with 29 points

Junior forward Lexi Templeman scored 44 points in 2019-20, while junior defender Emily Curlett concluded the year with 36 points

Gebhard, in addition to being the 2020 CHA scoring champion, and Curlett were named to the 2020 All-CHA First Team, while Templeman earned second team honors

Freshmen Maggy Burbidge and Raygan Kirk each were selected to the 2020 CHA All-Rookie Team

Burbidge finished the year with 15 points thanks to seven goals and eight assists, and she also recorded three game-winning goals in 2019-20

Kirk saw action in 26 games between the pipes, posting a record of 15-8-1 (.646) to go along with a 2.05 goals against average and a .925 save percentage

Templeman ranked seventh in NCAA Division I in assists per game with an average of 0.92

Curlett and Gebhard were named NCAA statistical champions, as Curlett scored a nation-leading 13 power-play goals and Gebhard scored a NCAA-high four shorthanded goals

Curlett was also one of six defensemen in NCAA Division I to average a point per game in 2019-20, tying for fifth with Ella Shelton of Clarkson (1.00)

Senior forward Natalie Marcuzzi finished the 2019-20 campaign with seven goals and eight assists for 15 points and concluded her career with 20 goals and 40 points in 139 games

EMILY CURLETT

MAGGY BURBIDGE

LEXI TEMPLEMAN

RAYGAN KIRK

BATTLE AT THE BURGH Robert Morris competed in the first Battle At The Burgh, a tournament that took place at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, Pa., and hosted by the Pittsburgh Penguins. The field for the first tournament included Wisconsin, Colgate, Northeastern and RMU. After falling to No. 1 Wisconsin on the first day, 3-1, the Colonials earned a dramatic win over Colgate, 6-5, thanks to a goal by Kyleigh Hanzlik with seven seconds remaining.

JAYCEE GEBHARD: COMPLETING A LEGACY

2016-2020

At the center of RMU’s run the last four seasons at the RMU Island Sports Center has been forward Jaycee Gebhard, who concluded her record-breaking career as the programs’ all-time leading scorer. A look at some of her accomplishments …

Led College Hockey America (CHA) in scoring her last two seasons in an RMU uniform, including a Robert Morris single-season school record 63 points in 2019-20

Ranked fourth in NCAA Division I in points per game (1.75) in 2019-20 and with 43 assists in 36 games ranked second in the country in assists per contest (1.19)

In 2019-20 led all of NCAA Division I in short-handed goals (4)

In four seasons at Robert Morris helped lead the Colonials claim three CHA regular-season championships (2017, 2018, 2019) as well as the 2017 CHA Tournament title and the programs’ first automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament

During her four seasons on the active roster, RMU compiled an overall record of 81-39-20 (.650)

Appeared in 136 games, concluding her career with 198 points thanks to 74 goals and a program-record 124 assists

In averaging 1.46 points per game during her career, Gebhard also registered 24 power-play goals, 12 game-winning markers and five short-handed goals

Named both the Outstanding Senior Female and the Presidential Scholar-Athlete at the 2020 RMU Virtual Athletics Award Ceremony

Named to the 2020 CoSIDA Academic All-America® At-Large Second Team, becoming the first women’s hockey student-athlete to be named an Academic All-American as well as the fourth female student-athlete overall in department history

NATALIE MARCUZZI

NWHL DRAFT PICKS Seniors Jaycee Gebhard and Natalie Marcuzzi were each selected by the expansion Toronto Six franchise of the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) as part of the 2020 Entry Draft. The first pick in Toronto franchise history, Gebhard was selected in the first round (sixth overall). Marcuzzi was selected in the fourth round as the 22nd overall pick. Gebhard later signed a contract to play for Brynas IF of the Svenska damhockeyligan (SDHL), Sweden’s top professional

women’s hockey league.

MEN’S HOCKEY SEASON IN REVIEW

Led by Derek Schooley, in his 16th year at the helm of the Colonials in 2019-20, RMU finished with an overall record of 13-19-5 (.419), including a mark of 11-12-5 (.482) in Atlantic Hockey

Robert Morris took a 2-1 series win over Holy Cross at Colonials Arena at the RMU Island Sports Center in the first round of the 2020 Atlantic Hockey Tournament before having its quarterfinal series at Sacred Heart cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Senior Justin Kapelmaster, an All-AHA Second Team pick, appeared in 30 games in net for Robert Morris, posting a 2.52 goals against average as well as a .929 save percentage

Junior forward Nick Prkusic led RMU in scoring in 2019-20 with 28 points thanks to 11 goals and 17 assists, both team highs

Senior forward Jacob Coleman registered 21 points for the Colonials in 2019-20, scoring nine goals and notching 12 assists

A total of 11 Colonials scored at least 10 points in 2019-20, including five that finished with 17 points or more

Sophomore forward Justin Addamo finished with 19 points, while senior forwards Daniel Mantenuto and Luke Lynch each scored 17 points

Prkusic was one of three Colonials to score four power-play goals to lead RMU, with junior Nick Jenny and sophomore Aidan Spellacy also recording four

DANIEL MATENUTO

NICK PRKUSIC

JUSTIN KAPELMASTER

JACOB COLEMAN

COLLEGE HOCKEY CLASSIC

Robert Morris played Ontario Tech in the 2020 College Hockey Classic Jan. 4, 2020, an exhibition contest held at the historic 1st Summit Arena at Cambria County War Memorial in Johnstown, Pa. The game marked the first time that an NCAA Division I college hockey team has played at the signature 69-yearold venue. The arena is home of the fictional Charlestown Chiefs from the 1977 cinematic classic ‘Slap Shot’, and has hosted high-level hockey since 1950. Ontario Tech won the game, 4-2.

ROWING & TRACK & FIELD SEASON IN REVIEW TRACK & FIELD ROWING • RMU finished ninth at the 2020 Northeast Conference

Indoor Track & Field Championships at Ocean Breeze • RMU had its spring season canceled before

Complex on Staten Island, N.Y., compiling 36 points competing due to the COVID-19 pandemic but • Juniors Kaitlyn Hawkins and Estelle Katende each year head coach Nelle Stahura earned All-NEC Second Team accolades on the first Junior rower Nicole Kristof was one of two student-athletes from Every two years, alternating with Universiade years, the FISU Forum in the University Sport Movement with FISU Member Associations. Combining academic sessions with cultural, educational and sporting activities, the FISU Forum is a powerful communication platform for various university sport communities. “It’s a huge honor as well as very humbling because of the opportunity to portray our culture in the best way that I can,” Kristof said. “With the other attendees, I might be the first person from the United States that they’ve ever met, so it will be great to interact with them and learn their culture, as well. Being from a small town, going out of the country is something that I’ve always wanted to do. To have an opportunity like this and make it meaningful is awesome. Studying abroad isn’t always something that a collegiate studentathlete gets the chance to do because of the dedication to our roles in school and with our team, but this is the next best thing.” An average of 200 participants from over 60 countries take part in the FISU Forum, which includes junior and senior university sports managers, representatives of international sports and non-sports federations. The FISU Forum has been held every two years since 1992, with the 2020 version the 15th since its inception. competed twice in the fall of 2019 under fifthday of the championships, with Hawkins finishing • The Colonials opened their 2019-20 season with second in the pole vault (11’11.75”) and Katende the Head of the Ohio in Pittsburgh, Pa., with claiming silver in the shot put (44’0.75”) the Lightweight 4+ earning gold with a time of 15:52.2 • Junior Yessie Valencia posted a toss of 51’8.25” in the weight throw on the second day of the • The Robert Morris Lightweight 4+ featured championships to claim All-NEC Second Team honors YESSIE VALENCIA KAITLYN HAWKINS sophomore Molly Rosado as coxswain along with freshmen Kathryn Gronek and Hannah Wandoff, sophomore Mary Woods and freshman Maria KRISTOF SELECTED TO • RMU hosted its first regatta out of Midge McPhail PARTICIPATE IN FISU FORUM Boathouse in October of 2019 with the Yinzer Cup, as the Varsity 4 finished first across the country selected to represent the United States at the • The Robert Morris Varsity 4 boat featured 2020 International University Sports Federation (FISU) Forum, Rosado as the coxswain, and she was joined by sophomore Madyson Orlando, junior Madelyn which took place August 12-16, 2020, in Budapest, Hungary. Green, sophomore Marissa Beck and junior

Rachel Gress

brings together students, officials and other key partners involved CARLEE SMITH

Ringo