LOS ANGELES -- Three members of Cal State LA's women's basketball team have been named to the 2022-23 CSC Academic All-District team, selected by the district's College Sports Communicators, the organization announced on Tuesday.

Lily Buggs, Nicole Flennaugh and Raya Smith all earned Academic All-District honors for the Golden Eagles. Each earned the award for the first time.

The awards honor student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America program (formerly known as the CoSIDA Academic All-America program) recognizes women's basketball honorees in four divisions - NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

To be considered for the honor, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a cumulative grade-point average of 3.50 at his/her current institution. Nominated athletes must have participated in at least 50% of the team's games at their position. No student-athlete is eligible until he/she has completed one full calendar year at his/her current institution and is at least a sophomore academically and athletically. 

The Cal State LA trio become the first academic all-district winners in women's basketball since Rachael DiRegolo in 2019-20.

Buggs, the 2021-22 California Collegiate Athletic Association Freshman of the Year, is having a second outstanding season for the Golden Eagles. She is second on the team in scoring with 14.0 points per game and she leads the team and is second in the CCAA in rebounding with 8.6 per contest. She also leads the team and is fourth in the conference with 60 steals and she's second on the team in blocked shots with 20. Buggs earned 2021-22 CCAA All-Academic honors and is majoring in natural science with a grade point average of 3.65. She also earned first-team All-CCAA honors last season as a freshman.

Flennaugh, the new career record holder in the CCAA for 3-pointers with 246, is having a third outstanding season for the Golden Eagles. She was the 2019-20 CCAA Freshman of the Year and she earned first-team All-CCAA honors last season in 2021-22. She has already tied her own single-season 3-point record with 90 and she currently leads the NCAA Division II in 3-pointers made and 3-pointers per game (3.60). Flennaugh leads the team and is third in the conference in scoring with 16.3 points per game and she also leads the team in assists with 66. She earned CCAA All-Academic honors in 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 and graduated from Cal State LA in three years. She's currently pursuing her Master's degree in television and film and has an undergraduate grade point average of 3.95 and a graduate grade point average of 3.79. 

Smith has been a major contributor for the Golden Eagles in her second season with the program. She is fifth on the team in scoring with 6.3 points per game, second in assists with 62 and third in steals with 31. She had a career-high 24 points to lead the Golden Eagles to a big season-opening win over Concordia. She earned CCAA All-Academic honors in 2020-21 and 2021-22 and is majoring in Kinesiology with a grade point average of 3.69.

The Academic All-District honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. First, second and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced in mid-March.