Towson University Athletics

Towson Center: The Final Season
The History of the Towson Center [Infographic]
Championship History

Towson University has come a long way since first opening its doors to 11 female students and three faculty of drawing, music and calisthenics in the final year of the Civil War.

It was not until the 1920s when the university's male enrollment started to increase that its teams began scheduling outside competition. The women's program evolved from intramurals.

Towson began organizing collegiate athletic teams in the late 1910s, fielding men's basketball and soccer teams during the 1921-22 academic year. The first women's basketball team was the first women's sport; the team began competing in 1947-48.

The Tigers' earliest conference affiliation aligned them with 15 other schools in the now-defunct Mason-Dixon Conference. They competed in the league's annual basketball tournament from 1939 through its last year in 1978. Towson won the league's final men's basketball title, going 10-0 in conference play. Roger Dickens, a senior guard on that Towson team, was the 14th player drafted in the fifth round by the then-defending NBA champion Washington Bullets.

In 1979-80, Towson moved its entire athletics program (with the exception of football) to Division I.

Today, the University, with an enrollment that exceeds 22,000, offers the most comprehensive sports program in the metropolitan Baltimore area, fielding 19 varsity teams composed of more than 500 student-athletes who compete in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) and East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL).

Since joining the CAA in 2001-02, the Tigers have won titles in football, baseball, men's and women's lacrosse, men’s and women's swimming and diving, volleyball, women's soccer, men’s golf, outdoor track and women’s basketball.

Towson has sent teams and individual student-athletes to NCAA post-season competition in baseball, basketball, football, men’s golf, gymnastics, men's and women's lacrosse, men's soccer, men's and women's swimming and diving, track & field and volleyball.

Tiger student-athletes have distinguished themselves in the classroom as well as on the field of competition. A total of 15 Tigers have been named CAA Scholar-Athlete Award Winners for their respective sports.

Towson has had six student-athletes earn NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships, including Brandi Gervais (Cross Country/Track, 2011), Gregg Davies (Baseball, 2002), David Adkins (Swimming, 2002), Ben Whitacre (Football, 2003), Nigel Marples (Men’s Soccer, 2007) and Randall Cooper (Lacrosse, 2009).

A number of Towson student-athletes have gone on to enjoy professional sports careers, including Jordan Dangerfield, who was Pittsburgh Steelers special teams captain in 2020; Richie Palacios, who made his major league baseball (MLB) debut in 2022; NBA shooting guard Gary Neal; and lacrosse player Zach Goodrich.

Two National Titles
Towson has claimed two national titles: the 1969 AIAW Division II National Gymnastics Championship and the 1974 College Division Men's Lacrosse National Championship. Later, each competed for a national title again, but on the NCAA's Division I stage; gymnastics in 1990 and lacrosse in 1991.

Women's gymnastics finished in ninth place, ahead of Florida, Arizona and Ohio State at the 1990 NCAA Nationals at Oregon State where Towson coach Dick Filbert was named National Coach of the Year for directing the Tigers to a 23-1 record.

The men's lacrosse team bowed out to an unbeaten North Carolina squad, 18-13, in the 1991 NCAA Tournament National Championship game.

Men’s Basketball
The men's basketball team compiled a 53-7 record over its final two years at the NCAA Division II level in 1976-77, 1977-78, making post-season appearances both times

Eleven years later, the Tigers were competing in their first NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament after capturing the East Coast Conference (ECC) title and its automatic qualifier. They repeated their ECC championship in 1990-91, earning their only other trip to the Big Dance. Towson Hall of Famers Devin Boyd, who became Towson's all-time leading scorer with 2,000 points, and Kurk Lee (1,541 points), who played one year with the New Jersey Nets before enjoying a successful professional career overseas, were key members of both those teams. Both Boyd and Lee garnered ECC Player of the Year honors along with Terrance Jacobs.

Over the years, the Tigers have had several impressive wins in men's basketball, including a 66-65 upset at St. John's in the 1993 Preseason NIT, an 81-69 victory over former national champion Louisville on January 30,1995 and a 67-66 overtime win at Oregon State on December 29, 2012.

When Pat Skerry was announced as the 13th men’s basketball head coach at Towson University on April 5, 2011, he took over a program that had endured 15-straight losing seasons. The gritty Medford, Massachusetts native has revitalized the Towson men's basketball program, leading the Tigers to consistent success in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Towson enters the 2023-24 season having won at least 18 games in eight seasons in the last 11 years.

Skerry led Towson to the program's first-ever CAA regular season title and berth into the National Invitation Tournament during the 2021-22 season. The Tigers finished 25-9 and 15-3 in the CAA, with three players earned all-league honors including Cam Holden and Nicolas Timberlake on the First Team. It was the winningest Division I and CAA season in program history. Skerry was a finalist for the 2022 Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award and 2022 Hugh Durham Award.

Skerry has done an outstanding job of mixing in transfers to his recruiting classes. In his first season, Skerry landed Georgetown transfer Jerrelle Benimon. In his two seasons at Towson, Benimon led the conference in scoring and rebounding. He was twice named the CAA Player of the Year, while also earning All-America honors following his junior season. Holden was a Lou Henson Award watch list in 2021-22, an award given to the top mid-major player in the nation.

Benimon joined Lee and Neal as the three Towson players who played in the NBA, Neal, who became the fourth player in NCAA history to score more than 1,000 points at two D! programs, spent seven seasons in the NBA with six teams. He earned All-Rookie honors with the San Antonio Spurs in 2010-11 and scored 24 points in Game 3 of the 2013 NBA finals. 

Women's Basketball
Women's basketball began expanding in the 1950s and 1960s when Towson teams played a limited, parochial schedule. In 1969, the Tigers participated in the first National Invitational Women's Intercollegiate Tournament (WNIT), winning the consolation championship after victories over Ball State, Central Michigan and Purdue.

In 2007-08, the Tigers posted their first 20-win season (22-10). All-time leading scorer Shanae Baker-Brice, who finished her career with 1,806 points, led Towson into its first post-season activity since 1969 when, fueled by a 67-55 win over former national champion and No. 25-ranked Maryland and a 64-56 victory at Old Dominion, the 2009-10 Tigers accepted a bid to compete in the inaugural Women's Basketball Invitational.

Diane Richardson led the Towson University women's basketball team to its first NCAA Tournament berth in 2019 and being a consistent top four finisher in the CAA. The Tigers set the program record for most wins in the 2021-2022 campaign with a 24-8 overall mark, including 14-4 in the CAA and earned an at-large berth in the WNIT. Richardson is the only coach in program history to garner two 20-win seasons, leading the 2018-19 squad to a 20-13 overall mark and was named the CAA and ECAC Coach of the Year during her five seasons at Towson.

Richardson coached 17 student-athletes to CAA postseason honors, including Kionna Jeter, who became the first Tiger to earn three consecutive All-CAA First Team selections. Jeter made history as the first player in program history to be selected in the WNBA Draft.

Laura Harper, who helped the University of Maryland win a national championship as a player, was named Towson University's Women's Basketball head coach on April 20, 2022.

In her first season at the helm for Towson, Harper led the Tigers to the third-most wins and had the most victories in a first season by a head coach in program history with a 21-12 record. The Tigers won a share of the CAA regular season title for the first time in program history. Harper secured the number one seed for the CAA Tournament as the team advanced to the conference title game for the second time in program history. The Tigers made its second consecutive WNIT appearance.

Football
The Towson University football program has the distinction of being the only one to earn playoff berths at the Division I, Division II and Division III levels.

In just the eighth season, the Tigers were the Division III runner up in the 1976 Stagg Bowl when St. John's (Minn.) kicked a 19-yard field goal as time expired to beat the Tigers, 31-28.

Towson moved its football program to Division II in 1979 where it made three NCAA post-season appearances (1983-84-86). In 11 games, the 1983 defense forced 55 turnovers, recovered 28 fumbles and intercepted 27 passes while allowing just 64 points.

In 1987, the Tigers climbed up to Division I-AA, now the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Towson existed as a football independent until 1997 when it joined the Patriot League as an associate member for football only. After seven seasons, the Tigers moved on to the Atlantic 10, a group that was consumed by the CAA in 2007.

Towson won back-to-back CAA championships in 2011 and 2012 then was the FCS National Runner-up in 2013 when it fell to undefeated North Dakota State, 35-7.

Quarterback Dan Dullea surfaced as Towson's first All-American when he was honored on Kodak's Division III first team for leading the Tigers to their only unbeaten season, 10-0 in 1974.

Players of the Year have included wide receiver Dale Chipps (ECAC 1986), defensive end Andrew Hollingsworth (Patriot League 2000), running back Terrance West (CAA, 2013) and quarterback Tom Flacco (CAA, 2018).

Running back David Meggett was named recipient of the 1988 Walter Payton Award, an honor symbolic of the FCS' most outstanding college football player. Tony Vinson (1993) and West (2013) each finished third, while Joe Lee (1999) and Flacco (2018) were finalists.

Sean Landeta (1979-82) was selected as the NCAA Division II's all-time punter. He was also inducted into the Division II Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

A number of former Towson players went on to professional careers. Landeta enjoyed a lengthy career as an All-Pro punter with the New York Giants, Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles. Meggett made his way as an All-Pro return specialist with the New York Giants, New England Patriots and New York Jets. Offensive lineman Stan Eisenhooth spent three seasons in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts. Vinson played for the San Diego Chargers, Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens. Offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod was the 125^th player taken in the 2007 NFL college draft by the New Orleans Saints. He became a fixture on their offensive line at left tackle, helping them to a Super Bowl championship in 2010, and was a Pro Bowl selection in 2011 and 2012. West became the highest-drafted Tiger football player in 2014 when the Cleveland Browns selected him 94th overall (third round). He led the Browns in rushing as a rookie and played 43 games over four seasons. Defensive backs Jordan Dangerfield and Tye Smith combined to play more than 100 NFL games, while Ryan Delaire spent parts of three seasons in the league.

Linebacker Joe Vitt, a member of Towson’s 1974 unbeaten team, spent 42 seasons as an assistant coach in the NFL with nine franchises: Baltimore Colts, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets. He was interim head coach on two occasions finishing with a 9-12 career mark.

Former Tiger players wearing Super Bowl rings: Landeta (2), Meggett (1), Bushrod (1) and Vitt (1).

Quarterback Dan Crowley made his mark in the Canadian Football League with Baltimore, Montreal, Edmonton and Ottawa. Defensive lineman Frank Beltre did the same in Calgary, Toronto and Ottawa.

Crowley, along with Towson teammate and wide receiver Mark Orlando, helped the Baltimore Stallions win the CFL Grey Cup championship in 1995. Beltre was a member of the Calgary Stampeders Grey Cup winning team in 2014.

Darius Victor was the 2022 USFL Offensive Player of the Year after scoring a league-high nine touchdowns for the New Jersey Generals.

Men’s Lacrosse
Lacrosse, a staple among sports in the state of Maryland, has added handsomely to Towson's success story in athletics. The men's program was launched in 1959 and has earned three trips to the Division I Championship Weekend.

In its 10th year, Carl Runk assumed command as head coach and directed the program for the next 31 seasons, compiling a 262-161 record that included the 1974 national championship, nine NCAA tournament berths and five conference titles. In 1991, Runk’s squad lost to an unbeaten North Carolina squad, 18-13, in the national championship game.

A number of Runk's players received widespread acclaim, including Jim Darcangelo (1974 and 1975 College Division Player of the Year), Wendell Thomas (1974 College Division Defenseman of the Year), Bob Griebe (1975 College Division Attackman of the Year) and Rob Shek (1991 Division I Midfielder of the Year).

Darcangelo and Griebe, who helped Team USA to world championships in 1978-82-86, as well as Dick Edell have been inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Shek, Lindsay Dixon and Tony Millon also performed for Team USA in the World Games.

In 1999, Tony Seaman took over the reins as head coach. In 2000 Towson suffered through a 3-10 season. The following year, the Tigers rebounded with a 14-4 record (the biggest single-season turnaround in men's collegiate lacrosse history) that included post-season wins over Duke and Maryland. Towson's magical run ended in the NCAA Division I semifinals where they lost to Princeton, 12-11, in the final minute of play. That achievement earned Seaman his third USILA Coach of the Year award. Under Seaman, Towson participated in five NCAA tournaments and captured four conference championships.

The reins now belong to Shawn Nadelen, who led the Tigers to the CAA championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament - the team's first since 2007 - in just his second year as head coach. Entering the 2023 season, Nadelen’s teams have won five CAA championships in 11 seasons and made the  Championship Weekend in 2017. He has coached 11 USILA All-Americans including Zach Goodrich, who earned First Team honors in 2018 and 2019 at short stick midfield. He was named Division I Midfielder of the Year in 2019.

That same season, for the first time in program history of the Division I era, the Towson University men's lacrosse team was voted first in all-three national polls after defeating then No. 1 Loyola the previous week.

Midfielders Shek, Tim Langton (1996) and Goodrich (2018-19) are Towson's three first-team All-Americans.

Goodrich was selected to represent the United States national team in the 2023 World Lacrosse Men's Championship.

Shek and Runk are members of the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame.

Over 40 former Tigers have played professionally in Major League Lacrosse (MLL) or Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). The list includes Ben DeFelice, the CAA's 2004 Player of the Year, Danny Cocchi, the 2003 CAA Defensive Player of the Year, Ryan Drenner, the 2016 CAA Player of the Year and Goodrich, the 2018 CAA Defensive Player of the Year.

One of the most interesting stories in the Tigers' men's lacrosse history happened to a bench player, Ricky Beecher, who gave up a hard-earned spot on the team to recover from donor surgery that saved the life of an uncle in need of a liver transplant. “Beech” was honored as the CAA's 2003 John Randolph Inspiration Award winner and received the ECAC’s Award for Valor.

Women’s Lacrosse
Women's lacrosse began in 1970 with Maggie Faulkner as its coach, competing under the umbrella of the AIAW (Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) and its regional EAIAW and MAIAW conferences, until Towson joined the East Coast Conference in 1983. Faulkner steered the Tigers to three state (MAIAW) titles and two ECC appearances before stepping down.

Missy Doherty's tenure as head coach kicked off the most successful span in program history. In her first year at the helm, the Tigers set a program record for most wins in season with a 14-4 record. The following year, 2005, they won their first CAA championship, earning their first berth in the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Tournament. Two more league titles and three more NCAA appearances would follow before Doherty left Towson to assume the head coaching duties at Penn State in 2010.

Sonia LaMonica succeeded Doherty. In 12 seasons at the helm, the Tigers have won four CAA tournament titles and earned spots in the NCAA Tournament seven times. LaMonica has been named CAA Coach of the Year on five occasions, including four consecutive seasons from 2011-2014, and coached five student-athletes who earned All-America status.

Pat Dillon, who played defensive wing on Towson's first team in 1970, and Sandy Hoody, one of the best goalies ever in the sport who played at Towson from 1971-74 and then coached the Tigers from 1987-90, are members of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

The Tigers' first All-American on the women's side was Leigh Buck in the early '70s. Hillary Fratzke (2008) is Towson's lone IWLCA/US Lacrosse first team All-American. A two-time conference player of the year and three-time All-America pick, she and Becky Trumbo, a two-time league Scholar Athlete for women’s lacrosse, were named to the CAA's 25th Anniversary team.

Towson has hosted the NCAA tournament Championship Weekend five times (2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2021) and as well as the 2022 World Lacrosse Women’s World Championship.

Gymnastics
Historically, the Towson gymnastics program has been one of the most consistent programs. Over the years, Towson Gymnastics has won an unprecedented 15 ECAC championships, qualified for 14 NCAA Regionals and claimed two USA Gymnastics NIT titles plus a USA Gymnastics National Championship.

In just the second season, the Tigers won the 1969 AIAW Division II National Gymnastics Championship under George McGinty. Towson would earn top 12 finishes five more times over the next 12 seasons.

In 1984-85, Dick Filbert took over as head coach and, in 27 years of coaching Tiger gymnastics, not one of his teams ever suffered through a losing record.

Over a career that spanned three decades Filbert guided the Tigers to an impressive 491-149-2 record. In only his second season he directed them into post-season competition when they placed second in the NCAA Division II Regionals. The following year Towson was competing for a national championship, placing 8^th at the Division II level.

The Tigers then moved on to a much larger stage, capturing the first of seven straight ECAC titles. Towson would go on to claim seven more titles over the years before Dick retired after the 2009-10 season. In 15 years, Towson won 14 ECAC championships. His squad was runner up just once.

Towson earned 13 NCAA Southeast Regional berths under his tutelage. His 1989-90 squad posted a 23-1 record that vaulted them into the 1990 Division I National Championships. The Tigers placed 9^th, ahead of Florida, Arizona and Ohio State. Filbert was honored as the co-winner of the National Coach the Year, sharing the accolade with the coach of national champion Utah.

He led Towson to three USA Gymnastics NIT championships. He was named Towson University’s Coach of the Year a record nine times and coached two All-Americans. Five of his gymnasts were named ECAC Gymnasts of the Year and eleven have been inducted into Towson’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

Jay Ramirez, one of Filbert’s former assistants, took over the program in 2019. He guided Towson back to NCAA Regionals for the first time in two decades, reaching the regional round three straight seasons beginning in 2021.

In 2023, he led the Tigers to the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Championship for the first time in program history after a record-breaking season and was selected as the conference Head Coach of the Year in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Towson recorded a record number of 196s, tallying nine to break the previous benchmark of seven set a year earlier. The team achieved the highest NQS (196.450) and average (196.104) in school history and recorded 29 49's spreading across all four events, breaking the previous record of 24.

Baseball
Baseball can trace its history back into the 1930s. The program moved to Division I in 1980 with Billy Hunter, former Baltimore Orioles third base coach and manager of the Texas Rangers, as its head coach.

In 1988, Mike Gottlieb took over the program. With future Montreal Expo Chris Nabholz on the mound, the Tigers presented their first-year coach with an East Coast Conference championship and the program's first trip to the NCAA Tournament. Three years later, the Tigers won the ECC title again for a second NCAA berth. Towson won its first CAA title in 2013 and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the third time.

Eighteen players have been selected in the Major League Baseball amateur draft, including Nabholz, who was selected in the second round of the 1988 draft and started 100 big league games over six seasons (1990-95), outfielder Casper Wells, who spent parts of four seasons in the major leagues with five teams, and Richie Palacios was selected in the third round of the MLB Draft in 2018 by Cleveland and made his big league debut in April 2022.

Softball
Softball moved from club to varsity status in 1976. The Tigers have been runners up 11 times in four different leagues. Jen Weaver rose as one of the program's top players. She was the 1996 NCAA batting champion and a first team Academic All-American.

Lisa Costello has guided the Tigers to seven championship appearances, including five in the CAA and collected her 750^th career victory on March 16, 2022 with a win victory over Villanova. Her The 2018 team won a program record 42 victories and participated in the National Invitational Softball Championship (NISC), the first postseason appearance in school history.

Swimming & Diving
The arrival of Ray Riordon on campus in 1968 signaled the start of the men's swimming program. Riordon coached the men for 30 years and led Towson to four Mason-Dixon titles in five years between 1975-1979.

Three names pop up in most conversations regarding Tiger men's swimming.

Aaron Krause was the CAA Swimmer of the Year in 2003 and 2004 and named Most Outstanding Performer at the conference championships both years.

Jack Saunderson became first Tiger swimmer to earn CAA Rookie Swimmer of the Year honors in 2016 then won three consecutive CAA Swimmer of the Year awards. He earned All-America honors after finishing seventh in the 200-yard butterfly finals at the NCAA Championship as a senior in 2019 and earned Second Team honors in 2017 and 2018. A three-time Towson Male Athlete of the Year, Jack represented the United States in the 2019 World University Games and was the No. 6 seed in the 100 fly at the 2021 Olympic Trials.

Brian Benzing earned back-to-back-to-back CAA Swimmer of the Year honors in 2021, 2022 and 2023. As a freshman in 2021, he helped Towson win its first CAA title, setting the Towson, CAA and CAA Championship record in the 100-yard breaststroke. As a sophomore, he earned Honorable Mention All-America in the 100-yard breast after finishing ninth in the prelims after being seeded 22^nd. In 2023, Benzing earned honorable mention All-America honors for the second consecutive season after posting a 15th-place finish in the 100 breast (51.48) at the NCAA Championship. He was named the Most Outstanding Swimmer at the CAA Championship after winning three individual events. Benzing captured the 200 IM with a conference-record time of 1:44.41, broke his own league record in the 100 breast with a time of 51.25 and earned gold in the 100 fly with a time of 46.25. 

Women's swimming debuted in 1972. The Tigers won the East Coast Conference championship in 1983 then won the CAA titles seven times in an eight-year period from 2008-15. During their run to four straight titles (2008-11), the Tigers compiled a 61-5 dual meet record.

This success coincided with the presence of four-year letter winner Meredith Budner, the first female swimmer in school history to earn All-American honors. The holder of eight school records, she was the 2009 and 2011 CAA Swimmer of the Year. 

Melanie Rowland became the first woman in Towson history to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in 2012.

Tennis
Women's tennis was started in 1967. Although the team has not netted championships, several individuals have picked up honors, like two-time (1998 and 1999) America East All-Conference player Stephanie Knouse, whose 73-15 career record includes the program's most match victories.

Tom Meinhardt took on the men’s tennis program in 1977. Over the next 26 years he compiled a 378-239 record. In his first year the Tigers won the Mason-Dixon Conference title. In 1988 his squad posted a 24-2 record that included an East Coast Conference title. In 1998 his Tigers won the America East crown, earning him his first of two conference Coach of the Year awards.The program was discontinued after the 2004 season.

Soccer
In 1927, Donald "Doc" Minnegan became the Towson men’s soccer coach. Over a 29-year period, "Doc" (a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame) racked up 152 wins.

Frank Olszewski took the men’s program to its only two NCAA post-season tournaments in 2001 and 2006. He was named conference coach of the year four times in four different conferences. The program was discontinued after the 2012 season.

Women's soccer began in 1992. The Tigers won the America East Conference championship in 1996 and won a program best 14 games the following season. In 2022, Towson earned its second ever appearance into the CAA Tournament with a 12-3-5 record. Riley Melendez was named CAA Goalkeeper of the Year, becoming the first Tiger to earn a major award since the school joined the CAA in 2002.

Field Hockey
Field hockey predates all other competitive outdoor sports for Towson women. Records indicate a five-game schedule was played in 1948. The program's most decorated player is Christina Boarman (2006-09) who holds all the single season and career scoring records. She was named All-CAA three times and the league's Rookie of the Year as a freshman. In 2008, she was selected first-team All-NFHCA Mid-Atlantic.

Goalkeeper Lena Vandam earned All-CAA honors in both of her seasons as Towson and was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in the abbreviated spring 2021 season.

Volleyball
Margo VerKruzen initiated the volleyball program in 1969 and coached the Tigers until 1978. The Tigers won league championships in 1984 (ECC), 1994 (Big South) and 2004 (CAA), earning spots in the NCAA Tournament for the latter two titles.

Under Don Metil, Towson has become a dominant force in volleyball earning four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament following the 2019, 2020 (played in spring 2021), 2021 and 2022 seasons. The 2019 CAA and American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) AVCA East Region Coach of the Year guided Towson to one of the best seasons in league history as the Tigers went a perfect 16-0 in CAA matches during the regular season before winning the 2019 CAA Championship and earned a victory over American University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

During the 2022 season, he became the Tigers’ winningest coach in school history after a four-set victory over No. 7 Pittsburgh, a team that earned a trip to the Final Four later that season. Towson ended the season 29-2 and earned a No. 8 seed in the Texas region at the NCAA Tournament.

Marissa Wonders became the first Towson volleyball player to earn Honorable Mention All-America honors by the AVCA in 2019. That season, she was named CAA Player of the Year, Setter of the Year and Most Outstanding Player in the conference tournament while leading Towson to a 29-3 record.

Victoria Barrett was named AVCA All-America Honorable Mention in 2022. The sophomore earned All-CAA First Team honors and CAA All-Tournament MVP after helping the Tigers to their fourth consecutive league title.

Track & Field
Women's track broke from the blocks in 1976, and by the mid-1980s, the sport at Towson was dominated by Maureen Shaneman, the best distance runner in school history. In 1988, she won every cross country race except the East Coast Conference meet where she placed third.

Hurdler Ashley Adams broke and held every Towson hurdle record and was named the CAA Female Track Athlete of the Year in 2010.

Towson brought home its first CAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship in 2017. Lauren Coleman became the first ever Tiger to win shot put, recording a then school record toss of 15.29-meters (50'2"). She was a three-time shot put champion in both the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and was named the Most Outstanding Female Field Athlete of the Meet following both championships in 2018. A two-time NCAA Woman of the Year nominee in the CAA, she holds the school record in both indoor (16.75 meters) and outdoor (16.23). She qualified for the NCAA indoor track championships in 2020, ranking No. 14 in the nation.

A two-time CAA Field Athlete of the Year, Hayley Horvath was the first Tiger to qualify for the NCAA Division I championships in pole vault. She became the second three-time women's pole vault champion in CAA history. She set the school and conference record at the 2019 CAA meet, clearing 4.27 meters, and tied it at the 2021 NCAA East Preliminary to qualify for the NCAA Championships.

One of the longest serving coaches in Towson's athletics history, Roger Erricker coached the Tigers' cross country, outdoor and indoor track teams for 30 years 1985-2015. Only Minnegan (39 years/soccer), Runk (31 years/lacrosse), and Olszewski (31 years/soccer) had longer tenures.

Under his tutelage a number of student-athletes enjoyed successful careers. The only four track and field women in Towson's athletics Hall of Fame – Vikki Benhardt, Teri Campbell, Kelly Robinson, Tina Shriver and Shaneman, competed on Roger's watch. His rosters included three NCAA Division I Championship competitors in high jumper Laura Passalacqua, Robinson (javelin) and Adams (hurdles).

In 18 seasons coaching the men’s indoor and outdoor teams, he led the Tigers to more than 350 victories, including the 1996 America East championship. The program was discontinued after the 2004 season.

Golf
Men's golf began in 1969. In 1976, the Tigers won their first conference title by taking the Mason-Dixon championship. Brian Yaniger directed Towson to the NCAA Division I Regional in 2000 after winning the America East championship. In 2004 and 2005, the Tigers earned at-large berths to the NCAA Tournament. In 2010, Towson won its first CAA men's golf title and fourth trip to the NCAA postseason. In 2014, Juan Veloza qualified as an individual for the NCAA Regionals.

Two of Towson's golfers, Billy Wingerd and Jeff Castle, who were both conference Players of the Year, were picked to be honored on the CAA's 25th Anniversary Team.

The women’s golf program began in 2007. Airielle Dawson was the first golfer in Towson history to win a national title when she earned medalist honors at the 25^th Annual PGA of America Minority Collegiate Golf Championship in 2011 with rounds of 75, 73 and 72, taking the national championship by seven strokes.

Facilities
Campus athletics facilities have kept pace with the rising level of competition. Towson University proudly boasts some of the top mid-major facilities in college athletics.

For much of the decades in the '50s, '60s and '70s, Burdick Hall and its surrounding fields were home to all Towson teams. Prior to 1950, Wiedefeld Gym (now the site of Cook Library) served as the main athletics facility. In 1976, the Towson Center complex opened featuring a 4,500-seat arena and separate fields for lacrosse, soccer and field hockey, as well as tennis courts lit for evening play.

Minnegan Field at Johnny Unitas® Stadium is home to Towson’s football, men’s lacrosse and track and field programs. The sports complex, which underwent a $32 million renovation over a three-year span, seats 11,198 spectators. It ranks as the fourth-largest outdoor venue in the metropolitan area, behind M&T Bank Stadium where the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens play, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles, and Pimlico Race Course, home of the Preakness Stakes, the middle jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown. Stadium renovations, which were completed in 2002, included an addition of 6,000 seats, artificial turf, an entry-level plaza, concession stands, new restrooms, ticket booths, a four-tier press box, a field house and a promenade that conveniently connects the northside and southside seating areas. A new FieldTurf Revolution playing surface was added during the summer of 2020. Unitas Stadium has hosted the NCAA tournament Championship Weekend five times (2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2021) and as well as the 2022 World Lacrosse Women’s World Championship.

TU Arena is a 5,200-seat venue for athletics, sporting events, concerts, commencements and more. Four Tiger athletics teams compete in this facility: men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball and gymnastics. The 2021-22 season saw a true home court advantage for the Towson programs, with all Tigers teams combining to go 53-8. The 117,000-square-foot arena opened in fall 2013. It was awarded LEED Gold certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use, in addition to a variety of other sustainable features. By using less energy and water, the building saves money for students and taxpayers; reduces greenhouse gas emissions; and contributes to a healthier environment for students, staff, guests, athletes and the larger community.

Tiger Field, part of the Lower Fields Complex, is the home of the Towson women's soccer and women's lacrosse teams. The complex underwent a massive renovation during the 2018-19 academic year as part of the construction of the Lower Fields Complex, including two full-field surfaces, with lighting and scoreboards, for all of Towson's field sports and a third practice field. Football, men's/women's lacrosse and soccer all use the complex as a practice facility. Phase two was completed in the summer of 2020 and included a new grandstand, concessions, restrooms, and press box.
 
The Tigers' baseball venue was the first facility to undergo renovation. Schuerholz Park was dedicated in 2001 in honor of John Schuerholz, a 1962 Towson graduate and 2017 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee after a distinguished career with the Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Royals. Schuerholz was improved for the 2019 season, including a new warning track around the entire field, the addition of Latitude 36 Bermuda grass and DuraEdge infield material plus some new padding and artificial turf around home plate. The next year, a new opposing bullpen was constructed in past the outfield fence in right field plus a new tabled area behind the netting at home plate.

The Tiger Softball Stadium has been the home for Towson softball since 2015. The enhanced facility features sunken dugouts with restrooms, a press box, batting cages with Astroturf and upgraded turfed bullpens. Amenities for the fans include concession stands with restrooms, a state-of-the-art sound system and seat backs. The facility can seat 500 spectators and was part of a $3.9 million project to improve the stadium in 2015, the 40th year of the program.

The TU Field Hockey Complex officially opened in October 2018 and serves as the home of Tiger field hockey. Ground broke that summer on the new complex where Clark Construction began the process of building the shape of the field and set up for the water-based carpet. The new field has FieldTurf also used by the International Hockey Federation and a sponsor of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association.

The Tiger Tennis Complex, home to the Tiger tennis team, is located behind TU Arena and adjacent to the TU Field Hockey Complex. This facility has 10 United States Tennis Association regulation courts, all of which can be lighted for evening use. The courts were resurfaced in the fall of 2013. The Guardian Crack Repair System was installed over all structural cracks along with Latexite Acrylic Color Sealer to ensure the courts kept their colors.

The Burdick Hall natatorium remains the venue for the men's and women's swimming & diving teams. Built in the late 1960s, the facility is an eight-lane, 25-yard pool with depths ranging from four-and-half feet to 13 feet. There is one three-meter diving stand as well as a one-meter stand. In 2001, the building underwent a $200,000 renovation replacing the filtration systems. The seating was upgraded to accommodate over 200 spectators. In 2004, an upgrade brought a brand-new timing and scoreboard system. This included stainless steel touch pads and two LED Daktronics scoreboards. In 2006, new custom KDI Paragon Starter's Platforms were installed by Recreonics sporting the Tigers' logo.

CAA Silver Anniversary
The Colonial Athletic Association celebrated its 25th year of existence in 2009-10 by picking Silver Anniversary Teams. Although the Tigers had been CAA members for only nine years, they still managed to be well represented:

Jeanne Bosch, Softball (2002-05)
Selected to the All-CAA first team and the CAA All-Tournament team in 2004 and 2005 ... outstanding defensive player who committed only two errors in her final two seasons ... ranked among Towson's career top 10 in doubles (40), RBIs (91) and steals (36).

Brooke Clyde, Softball (1999-2002)
Honored as the first CAA Player of the Year in 2002 ... four-time all-conference selection, including first team All-CAA accolades in 2002 ... set five Towson career records, including runs (139) doubles (46) and RBI (113).

Katie Mumbauer, Softball (2002-05)
Four-time All-CAA and CAA All-Tournament selection ... batted over .300 in all four years and set Towson season mark for total bases (99) in 2004 ... owned Towson career records for runs (140), stolen bases (62) and walks (110).

Nina Navarro, Softball (2005-08)
Selected to the All-CAA first team in 2006 and 2008 ... one of only two Towson players in history to score 100 runs and have 100 RBIs ... ranked among Towson's career top five in hits (212), runs (117), homers (17) and RBI (100).

Jessica Wides, Softball (2002-05)
Two-time All-CAA selection who was the CAA Pitcher of the Year in 2003 ... set Towson career records for wins (48), strikeouts (434), shutouts (15) and saves (8) ... led the CAA in wins (15), ERA (1.31), strikeouts (147) and shutouts (7) in 2003.

Hillary Fratzke, Women's Lacrosse (2006-2010)
Three-time women's lacrosse All-American (2007, 2008, 2010) ... three-time All-CAA pick who was the 2008 and 2010 CAA Player of the Year and 2006 Rookie of the Year ... set NCAA season records for draw controls per game (6.29) and total draw controls (107) in 2006.

Becky Trumbo, Women's Lacrosse (2003-06)
Four-time All-CAA honoree who was the CAA Rookie of the Year in 2003 ... selected to the IWLCA All-America third team in 2005 ... among the top three in Towson history in goals (178), assists (79) and points (257).

Casey Cittadino, Men's Lacrosse (2002-06)
Three-time All-CAA selection, including first team honors in 2004 and 2005 ... selected as the Most Valuable Player of the 2004 CAA Championship ... ranks third in Towson history with 65 caused turnovers.

Danny Cocchi, Men's Lacrosse (2000-03)
Earned second team All-America honors in 2001 and honorable mention in 2002 and 2003 ... two-time All-CAA selection who was the CAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2003 ... ranks second in Towson history with 283 ground balls.

Ben DeFelice, Men's Lacrosse (2001-04)
Honored as the CAA Co-Player of the Year in 2004 ... received USILA honorable mention All-America honors in 2003 ... ranks fifth in career groundballs (231) and sixth in faceoff wins (357) at Towson.

Jonathan Engelke, Men's Lacrosse (2004-08)
Selected to the All-CAA first team in 2004 and 2008 ... set CAA career record with 113 goals and ranked second in career points with 156 ... honored as the CAA Rookie of the Year in 2004.

Reed Sothoron, Men's Lacrosse (2002-05)
Three-time All-CAA selection, including first-team honors in 2003 and 2005 ... 2005 CAA Tournament MVP who helped lead Towson to three CAA titles ... ranks second in career GAA (9.13) and third in career saves (578) at Towson.

Jeff Castle, Men's Golf (2003-07)
Selected as the CAA Player of the Year in 2006 and 2007 ... earned All-CAA and all-region honors during all four seasons with the Tigers ... Towson record holder for lowest round (63) and 54-hole score (70-67-63—200).

Billy Wingerd, Men's Golf (2001-05)
Honored as the CAA Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005 ... three-time All-CAA and all-region selection (2003-05) ... chosen as Towson University's Athlete of the Year in 2005.

Meredith Budner, Women's Swimming and Diving (2008-11)
Two-time CAA Swimmer of the Year (2009, 2011) and CAA Rookie of the Year in 2008 ... holds CAA records in 500-free, 1650-free and 400-IM ... won 12 individual CAA titles and six relay championships ... three-time NCAA qualifier who earned All-America honors in five events ... national runner-up in 500-free and 1650-free at 2011 NCAA Championships.

Jennifer Irby, Women's Swimming and Diving (2002-05)
CAA Swimmer of the Year in 2005 and two-time Most Outstanding Swimmer of the CAA Championship Meet ... 13-time CAA champion, including four titles in the 50 free and three in the 100 butterfly ... 2005 NCAA Championship participant in the 50-free, 100-free and 100-butterfly.

Liz Lebherz, Women's Swimming and Diving (2004-07)
Eight-time CAA champion, including two titles in the 200 free and 500 free ... named CAA Rookie Swimmer of the Year in 2004 ... set Towson school records in the 200 free and 400 free relay.

Aaron Krause, Men's Swimming and Diving (2001-04)
CAA Swimmer of the Year and Outstanding Meet Performer in 2003 and 2004 ... 13-time CAA champion, including three titles in the 100 and 200 backstroke ... NCAA qualifier in the 100-back, 200-back and 200-free.

Mary Clare Coghlan, Volleyball (2002-04)
Selected as the CAA Setter of the Year in 2003 and 2004 ... CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree who was the CAA volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2003 ... set Towson season assists record (1,400) in 2003 and ranks fourth in career assists (3,078) ... two-time All-CAA team honoree.

Liz Goubeaux, Volleyball (2001-04)
Honored as the CAA Player of the Year and CAA Tournament MVP in 2004 ... three-time All-CAA pick and earned honorable mention all-region twice ... Towson's all-time leader in blocks (565) and ranks third all-time in kills (1,404) ... led CAA in hitting percentage for three straight seasons.
 
Title IX
During the summer of 2022, the Colonial Athletic Association celebrated the 50^th Anniversary of Title IX by recognizing five women from each conference institution who made a significant impact during their time as a student-athlete.

Ashley Adams, Track & Field (2010-11)
Adams was the CAA Track & Field Co-Athlete of the Year in 2010, becoming the first Towson runner to receive the honor. She was also selected as the Co-Outstanding Meet Performer for the running events at the 2010 CAA Track & Field Championship after placing first in both the 100 and 400-meter hurdles. Adams garnered All-CAA honors in three events (100m hurdles, 400m hurdles and long jump) in her career and was the 2011 ECAC champion in the pentathlon. She currently holds school records in the 60-meter hurdles, long jump and pentathlon.

Wendy Jo Weaver Kwiatkowski, Gymnastics (1989-92)
Weaver was twice honored as the ECAC Gymnast of the Year, winning the award in 1990 and 1992. She received All-ECAC accolades during all four seasons of her career and helped lead the Tigers to four ECAC titles, four appearances in the NCAA Regionals and a ninth-place finish at the National Championship in 1990. Weaver was the first Towson gymnast to break 39.00 in the all-around and she graduated with school records on bars, beam and the all-around. Along with being an outstanding gymnast, Weaver excelled in the classroom and was a CoSIDA Academic All-American in 1992.

Ruth Gutridge Lavelle, Lacrosse (1983-86)
Gutridge was selected as a Brine All-American, the East Coast Conference Player of the Year and Towson’s Female Athlete of the Year in 1986. A two-time All-ECC honoree, she finished her Towson career as the school’s all-time leader in goals (208) and points (267). Gutridge was the Tigers’ top goal scorer for three consecutive seasons, registering 60 goals in 1984 and 59 goals in 1985 and 1986. The attacker has 72 or more points in each season. She was inducted into the Towson Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999.

Karen Maisenhalder, Volleyball/Softball (1976-80)
Maisenhalder, a two-sport standout, was the first woman to receive an athletic scholarship to Towson. She was a team captain on the Tigers’ 1979 volleyball team that captured the Maryland Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (MAIAW) state championship. Maisenhalder earned All-MAIAW accolades during that’s season. In 1980, she was selected as Towson’s Female Athlete of the Year for her excellence on the volleyball court along with compiling a .365 batting average for the softball team. Maisenhalder was inducted into the Towson Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019.

Meredith Budner Plack, Swimming (2008-11)
Budner was the first Towson swimmer to ever earn All-America recognition, achieving it for performances in the 500-yard freestyle and the 400-yard individual medley. She was honored as the CAA Swimmer of the Year in 2009 and 2011, was chosen as the CAA Rookie Swimmer of the Year in 2008 and was the Swimmer of the Meet at the 2011 CAA Championship. Budner claimed 12 CAA individual championships and six relay titles in her career. She concluded her career with Towson records in the 400 IM, 200 free, 500 free, 1000 free, 1650 free and 100 backstroke. Budner also set CAA records in the 500 free, 1650 free and 400 IM.