Greetings Tiger Nation–
I tell you what, it is a GREAT day to be a Tiger!
Heck, every day that I am able to come into the office to see–literally see–smiling faces is a great day. These past 16 months have been challenging for all of us and it seems as if we are reaching the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm certainly optimistic that brighter days are ahead.
I wanted to take a quick moment to thank all of you for your continued support of Towson Athletics during the past year and a half. It was through the support of Tiger Nation that we were able to keep moving forward through the global pandemic. In fact, this past spring, we had nearly all 19 sport programs competing in some capacity. Because we were able to move competition outdoors, practicing social distancing became easier to do. This reduced the risk of transmission significantly and allowed our student-athletes to train, practice and compete safely. Here are some highlights from the past few months:
- For the third consecutive year, women's basketball earned a top-four finish in the CAA, led by First Team All-CAA guard Kionna Jeter, who led the CAA with 23 points per game. On April 15, Jeter became Towson's first ever player to be taken in the WNBA Draft, being selected by the Las Vegas Aces in the third round.
- Volleyball became a back-to-back CAA champion, winning the league title in straight sets and earning its second straight appearance into the NCAA Tournament with an undefeated 6-0 record. Three Tigers, all of whom return next season, were selected as All-CAA, led by freshman Nina Cajic on the First Team and All-Rookie Team.
- Men's Swimming & Diving won its first-ever CAA title in dominant fashion with 842.50 points, well ahead of second-place UNCW at 619. The team won two major awards, including Jake Shrum being the Men's Swimming Coach of the Year and Brian Benzing being the Men's Swimmer of the Year after setting a new CAA record in the 100-yard breaststroke.
- Christina Coleman competed as one of 32 female divers from across the East Coast to earn a spot in the NCAA Zone A Diving Championship, a year after missing the same meet due to a broken hand.
- For the first time in 21 years, the Towson gymnastics team earned a spot in the NCAA Regionals, taking third place in the EAGL Championships and competing in the Morgantown NCAA regional. Emerson Hurst was the EAGL co-champion on the balance beam with a 9.9 while Camille Vitoff tied for second in the EAGL all-around at 39.2.
- For the second straight completed season, Towson earned a second-place finish in the CAA Track & Field Championship, earning seven gold medals from individual competitors. Towson sent four competitors to the NCAA regional, with Hayley Horvath earning a spot in the NCAA Championship in Oregon in the pole vault.
- Women's Lacrosse returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018, winning nine games and finishing ranked #22 in the final IWLCA Coaches Poll. Sami Chenoweth, the program's all-time leader in caused turnovers, earned USA Lacrosse Magazine All-America recognition while Blair Pearre was the CAA Rookie of the Year.
- Baseball earned a berth in the CAA Tournament for the first time since 2013, picking up 21 victories, the highest season total for the Tigers since 2014. Kody Reeser became the first Towson pitcher to earn all-conference honors since 2012 while the pitching staff as a whole set a team single season record with 419 strikeouts.
- Tiger Field became the new home for women's lacrosse as part of the Lower Field Complex construction. The second game for the women's lacrosse team saw the Tigers knock off #8 Loyola 13-7. In addition, women's soccer played its first-ever home night game at Tiger Field with the newly constructed lights.
There's so much to be proud of, including the low COVID-19 positivity rate we were able to sustain through the spring. Our student-athletes, coaches and staff did an incredible job adhering to the protocols in place to allow for the opportunity to compete. With Baltimore County continuing to keep COVID-19 at bay, we are one step closer to welcoming all of you back to campus this fall.
I am also deeply honored to recognize the 90 student-athletes who took part in TU's 2021 commencement ceremonies. This year was far from ordinary and the remote modality was not easy for all to adjust to. Our Tigers have worked tremendously hard to find success in all facets of their lives, and I cannot wait to follow their continued success in their professional careers.
During the past 16 months, we have learned that our Tigers are truly relentless and wholly appreciate the opportunity to train and compete. Most importantly, we have learned how deeply our university community cares for our athletic programs through their ongoing support and advocacy.
Now, we shift our focus to planning for the fall semester and the return of Towson Football. We have seen positive trends in season ticket renewals for 2021 and we are looking forward to Saturdays at The U. We kick-off the 2021 home season on September 18th vs seven-time FCS champion North Dakota State. We continue to strive for an exceptional fan experience and it's my hope that you'll join us for a game this season.
We plan to operate business as usual this fall, which means we need you all in our corner to make it another successful year. Recovering from the pandemic, financially, will be no easy feat. However, we will continue to put our student-athletes and their TU experience first.
Last summer, I announced the Tigers Triumph initiative to help our department combat the financial ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through donor generosity, we were able to provide emergency support for over 500 student-athletes. But the fight is not over, and it won't be for a while. Luckily, we have proven to be resilient, and we will continue to chip away at our shortfalls. I'd like to send a heartfelt thank you to all of the donors that have generously contributed to the Tiger Athletic Fund and the Tigers Triumph campaign.
I hope you and your families enjoy a wonderful start to the summer. There are a lot of great things in store for TU, and we can't wait to welcome you back to campus this fall.
Be well, be safe and Go Tigers!
Sincerely–
Tim Leonard Director of Athletics Towson University
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