PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The 2018-19 Rutgers women's basketball team gathered on Monday morning to celebrate the season and hand out the annual team awards.

Manager Eryca Bennett was honored with the Gianna DeVeitro Manager of the Year.

Freshman guard Noga Peleg Pelc was named the Scarlet Knights' Scholar Athlete for achieving the highest GPA on the squad, while sophomore forward Mael Gilles, who appeared on the Big Ten All-Academic Team this season, earned the Kevin Collins-Most Improved Academic Award.

Newcomer of the Year went to redshirt junior forward Arella Guirantes. In her first season of eligibility at Rutgers, Guirantes earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten from the media after averaging 12.1 points per game, including 17.8 points over the last five games of the season.

Sophomore forward Tekia Mack picked up Defensive Player of the Year honors. Mack was a key component in Rutgers limiting the opposition on the famed 55 defense and helping the Scarlet Knights lead the Big Ten in scoring defense.

Most Valuable Player honors were bestowed on redshirt senior forward Stasha Carey. Carey averaged 12.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and was a Second Team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Tournament honoree. A two-time member of the Big Ten Honor Roll, she concluded her career with 1,208 career points. Additionally, the Cleveland, Ohio native ranked eighth in the Big Ten in steals (1.7) and 10^th in blocks per game (1.3). Altogether, Carey registered 19 double figure scoring contests and poured in a career-high 30 points vs. then-No. 17/22 Michigan State marking the most points by an RU post player since 2004. She totaled three double-double on the year, including 11 rebounds versus St. Francis (Pa.) to help set a Rutgers and RAC record with 73 team rebounds.

Senior center and four-year letterwinner Victoria Harris was named the Scarlet Knights' Sportsmanship Award winner, while graduate student guard Charise Wilson was honored with Teammate of the Year. Junior center Jordan Wallace, meanwhile, was honored with the team's Spirit Award.

The  Rutgers women's basketball team played to a 22-10 overall record and its highest finish in Big Ten play (third), the most Big Ten wins (13) since joining the league in 2014 and highest ranking since 2012 (AP – No. 14 – Jan. 21). Among the Scarlet Knight victories last season was a road win over then-No. 4 Maryland for RU's first top 10 win since 2009. Rutgers also returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015 with an at-large bid marking its 25th appearance in the dance.

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