Vice President and Director of Athletics Chris King announced that Robert Morris University has signed head women’s basketball coach Charlie Buscaglia to a three-year contract extension.
Named the program’s head coach in waiting March 7, 2015, Buscaglia, who is in his fourth season leading the Colonials in 2019-20, will guide RMU through the 2023-24 season.
“Coach Buscaglia and his staff have done an outstanding job with our women’s basketball program,” King said. “He conducts his program with integrity and class and is widely respected as a leader and basketball coach. Coming off last season’s NCAA Tournament appearance, this extension allows Coach Buscaglia and his staff to build upon their success. We appreciate his commitment to Robert Morris University, and we look forward to many more exciting seasons and NCAA Tournament appearances.”
Buscaglia, who has been named the Northeast Conference (NEC) Brenda Reilly Coach of the Year each of the last three years, is the first head coach in league history to claim the honor three consecutive seasons. He has posted an overall record of 71-32 (.689), including a mark of 46-8 (.852) in NEC play. RMU has appeared in the 2017 and 2019 NCAA Tournaments under Buscaglia’s watch and also earned a spot in the 2018 Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).
“Our staff is very excited to continue to work hard every day to develop our student-athletes on the court, in the classroom and in the community,” Buscaglia said. “I would like to thank President Chris Howard and Chris King for all their continued support for our program.”
In each of his three years leading the Colonials, Buscaglia has eclipsed the 20-win plateau. RMU won 22 games in his first year in 2016-17 and again in 2018-19. In his second year on the sidelines in 2017-18, Robert Morris finished with an overall record of 25-8 (.758), establishing a program record for victories.
The Colonials have ranked in the top 25 nationally in each of his three seasons in scoring defense, including 12th last season, when RMU allowed an average of just 55.3 points per game.
Buscaglia started off as a volunteer assistant at Robert Morris his first four seasons. He went on to spend 13 years with the Colonials as an assistant coach and associate head coach from 2003 to 2016. During that stretch, Robert Morris compiled an overall record of 225-178 (.557) and made six postseason tournaments, including four automatic berths in the NCAA Tournament (2007, 2008, 2014, 2016), the 2010 WNIT and the 2012 Women’s Basketball Invitational (WBI).
Robert Morris (2-2) returns to action Sunday, Nov. 24, when it travels to Kent, Ohio, for a 1:00 p.m. tip against Kent State at the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center. RMU follows with a three-game homestand at Peoples Court at the UPMC Events Center, beginning Wednesday, Nov. 27, against Pitt-Johnstown.
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