RMU has now claimed seven awards in the NEC's player of the week category in 2011, a figure greater than the rest of the league combined, including having four distinct student-athletes take home an honor, a sum equal to the rest of the NEC schools put together. The Colonials have also won two awards in the defensive player of the week group and have taken home nine honors in the 10 weeks the conference has given awards. This also marks the 10th occurrence in school history that a Colonial has received NEC player of the week recognition, the most in league history. 

This distinction is the second of the season for Smith and the third of his career as he joins classmate Trevor Moore (Port Coquitlam, British Columbia / Western Reserve Academy) as one of only two players in program history to have collected a trio of in-season honors from the NEC.

Smith recorded one of the most prolific offensive contests in school history in one of the biggest games ever for the program Saturday against Sacred Heart. In need of a victory to guarantee the Colonials' first-ever postseason berth, Smith exploded for eight points--a mark that had only twice been previously achieved at RMU--in leading Robert Morris to a dominating 27-11 victory as the Colonials set a single-game school record for goals in the process. Smith, playing in his final game at home for Robert Morris, had a career-high six scores, becoming just the third Colonial ever to hit that figure in a game and also added two helpers to collect his second multi-assist game of the season. His eight points also represented a NEC single-game high in 2011.

Smith already had five goals and six points fewer than 25 minutes into the game, a stretch highlighted by a natural hat trick in a span of just 2:26 early in the second quarter that gave the Colonials a comfy 12-3 cushion. He needed just 10 shots to produce his six scores and has now tallied at least one point in 12 consecutive games, the second-longest active streak for RMU, and has notched at least three points on eight occasions in that stretch.

Smith's career day moved him up into fifth place in single-season school history in goals and also left him just two shy of reaching the 100-career goal milestone. Smith ranks third in the conference and 13th nationally in goals per game (2.29) and also sits fifth in the NEC in points per game (3.14). He has picked up the pace in all-important league play as he is second in both goals per game (3.20) and points per game (4.20) in NEC contests, trailing only Moore in both categories. For the season, he ranks second for the Colonials in both total goals (32) and points (44).

After leading the nation in scoring offense in 2010, Smith's huge day helped RMU regain the top spot this season as the Colonials now top the country in goals per game with an average of 14.0, a figure they have hit or surpassed in five consecutive games, a school record.

Smith grabbed his first honor this season March 7 after he tied his then career high with five goals on just seven shots at Colgate March 1.

With its victory Saturday, Robert Morris clinched the third seed for the upcoming NEC Tournament and will face-off with second-seed Quinnipiac at tournament host Mount St. Mary's Friday, May 6, at 4:00 p.m. in the first-ever NEC Tournament game.