Towson Tigers
| Towson Tigers | |
 | |
| University | Towson University |
|---|---|
| Conference(s) | Colonial Athletic Association |
| NCAA | Division I |
| Athletic director | Tim Leonard |
| Location | Towson, MD |
| Varsity teams | 20 |
| Football stadium | Johnny Unitas Stadium |
| Basketball arena | Towson Center |
| Mascot | Doc |
| Nickname | Tigers |
| Fight song | Hail Towson |
| Colors | Black and Gold
|
| Homepage | Towson Tigers |
The Towson Tigers, formerly Towson College Knights, are the athletics teams of Towson University. All of the major athletic teams compete in the Colonial Athletic Association with 20 Division I athletic teams (13 in women's sports, 7 in men's sports). Gymnastics competes in the EAGL conference, having rejoined the league in the Spring of 2012.
Since joining the CAA in 2001–02, the Tigers have won 16 league championships; football (1-2011), volleyball (1-2004), men's lacrosse (3-2003, 2004, 2005), women's lacrosse (5-2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012), women's swimming & diving (4-2008-2009-2010-2011), men's soccer (1-2006), and men's golf (1-2010). In addition, the women's gymnastics program captured six ECAC Championships over the last eight years (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010).
During an athletics history that traces its roots to the 1920s, Towson has sent teams and individual student-athletes to NCAA post-season competition in baseball, basketball, football, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, track & field and volleyball.
In May 2011, the department broke ground on the Tiger Arena, a new 5000-seat, state-of-the-art arena for basketball, volleyball and gymnastics, slated to open in the Spring of 2013.
Varsity Teams
Towson University sponsors teams in six men's and thirteen women's NCAA sanctioned sports:[1]
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Men's Intercollegiate Sports |
Women's Intercollegiate Sports
|
- * = The gymnastics team competes in the East Atlantic Gymnastics League.
Changes since 2000 to the men's programs include the elimination of several varsity sports in 2003-04 -- indoor track, outdoor track, cross country, tennis. Changes to the women's programs include the additions of golf in 2007. Men's soccer was eliminated in 2013; after late funding increases, plans to eliminate baseball were delayed until at least 2015.[2]
Football
The Tigers won the 2011 CAA Championship with a 7–1 conference record. Towson became the first team in NCAA history to compete in the playoffs at all three levels of competition in football (DI, DII and DIII). Following the 2011 season, Head Coach Rob Ambrose won the Eddie Robinson Award as the top college football coach in Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA), and Towson freshmen running back Terrance West won the inaugural Jerry Rice Award as the most outstanding freshman player in Division I Football Championship Subdivision.
Basketball
Lacrosse
Towson's men's lacrosse team is a nationally known program,[citation needed] regularly appearing in the NCAA tournament. In 1974, the Tigers finished with a 14-1 record and won the Division II national title with a 18-17 overtime win over Hobart. The team also reached the finals of the 1991 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship, and reached the semifinals of the 2001 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship.
Notable non varsity sports
Rugby
Founded in 1975, Towson University men's rugby club plays college rugby in Division 2 in the Potomac Rugby Conference against local rivals from Maryland and DC.[3] Towson rugby has been led by head coach Jake Thuma since March 2013.[4]
In 2012, Towson reached the Division 2 national playoffs, defeating Boston University in the round of 16 and Colgate in the quarterfinals, before losing to Salisbury in the semifinals.[5] Towson finished the 2012 season with a 14-5 record, ranked #5 in the nation in Division 2,[6] with flyhalf Christian Lowe named to the All Division 2 team.[7] In the 2013 season, Towson again reached the Division 2 national playoffs. Towson defeated Illinois State 34-19 in the round of 16, and defeated UNC-Wilmington 30-5 in the quarterfinals, before once again falling to rival Salisbury 23-10 in the semifinals.[8]
Fight song
Hail Towson
- Hail to the Towson Tigers
- We're true to the Black and Gold
- Fight on with Courage, Now and Forever
- Victory Strong and Bold!
- Hail to the Towson Tigers
- Stand Proudly for all to see
- Fight, Fight, Tigers fight,
- Lead us to Victory!
Notable athletes
A number of student-athletes have gone on to enjoy professional sports careers, including most recently Jermon Bushrod, the starting offensive tackle for the 2010 Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints; outfielder Casper Wells with the Chicago White Sox; and shooting guard Gary Neal with the San Antonio Spurs.
Tiger student-athletes have distinguished themselves in the classroom as well as on the field of competition. Eleven Tigers have been named CAA Scholar-Athlete Award Winners for their respective sports, including the 2010 cross country recipient, Brandi Gervais, a senior Biology/Pre-Dentistry Major with a perfect 4.0 GPA.
References
- ↑ http://www.towsontigers.com/
- ↑ http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/baseball/2013/05/30/ncaa-tournament-towson-tigers/2373267/
- ↑ Towson Rugby, http://towsonrugby.org/about/
- ↑ Towson Rugby, TOWSON RUGBY TEAM HIRES NEW HEAD COACH, March 6, 2013, http://towsonrugby.org/blog/2013/3/12/towson-hire-new-head-coach
- ↑ Rugby Mag, Salisbury vs. Towson Round 3 in Utah, April 29, 2012, http://www.rugbymag.com/men's-dii-college-/4368-salisbury-vs-towson-round-3-in-utah.html
- ↑ Rugby Mag, Final Men's DII College Top 25 of 2011/2012, May 23, 2012, http://www.rugbymag.com/men-dii-college/4658-final-mens-dii-college-top-25-of-20112012.html
- ↑ Rugby Mag, RUGBYMag All DII Team, May 23, 2012, http://www.rugbymag.com/men's-dii-college-/4661-rugbymag-all-dii-team.html
- ↑ Rugby Mag, DII College Playoff Bracket Updated, May 11, 2013, http://www.rugbymag.com/men's-dii-college-/7779-dii-college-playoff-bracket-set.html
External links
- Towson Tigers Official Athletics Website
- Site dedicated to the new Tiger Arena, home of Basketball, Volleyball & Gymnastics
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