JARED AMBROSE PROMOTED TO OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Tiger Assistant Spent Two Seasons As Tigers’ Quarterbacks Coach

TOWSON, Md. – Veteran assistant coach Jared Ambrose has been promoted to the position of Offensive Coordinator for the Towson University football team, it has been announced by Head Coach Rob Ambrose.

A member of the Tigers’ coaching staff for the last four years, he has played a vital role in Towson’s rise to the top of NCAA FCS football.

A native of Middletown, Md. and a 2007 graduate of Shepherd University, Ambrose joined the Tigers’ staff in 2009 and served as the team’s tight ends coach. In 2011, he was promoted to quarterbacks coach, a role in which he flourished.

In his two seasons as the Tigers’ quarterbacks coach, the Tigers posted a 16-7 record, were nationally-ranked twice and won two Colonial Athletic Association championships.

In 2011, the Tiger offense was one of the best in FCS football. En route to a 9-3 record and an NCAA FCS playoff appearance, the Tiger offense averaged just under 35 points per game. In 12 games, the Tigers scored 30 or more points 10 times.

Last season, his protégé, quarterback Grant Enders earned second team All-CAA honors as the Tigers averaged 31.9 points per game, 25^th in the nation. Enders directed the Tiger offense to a 7-4 record and a share of the CAA title. Enders averaged 267.0 yards per game, 20^th in the nation.

“Jared’s increased responsibility is natural progression,” said Head Coach Rob Ambrose. “Over the past few seasons, he has proven to be an invaluable member of our offensive staff. He has earned the respect of the players and the other coaches. He is the son of a coach and he has gotten a tremendous amount of coaching experience for his age.”

He joined his older brother’s coaching staff at Towson in 2009 after spending two years as a member of the staff at the University of Delaware. He started his coaching career during his undergraduate years at the Shepherd.

An All-State performer at Middletown High School, Coach Ambrose suffered a serious knee injury during his senior season which hampered his ability to play at the collegiate level.

After one year as a player at Shepherd, he joined the coaching staff and served as a Student Assistant Coach. In three years as a member of CoachMonte Cater’s staff, he helped the Rams compile a 29-5 record and win three straight West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles.

During the 2004 season, Coach Ambrose helped Shepherd post a 7-3 record and win the WVIAC title with a 7-0 league record. In 2005, the Rams enjoyed one of the best seasons in school history as they compiled an 11-1 record which included a second straight WVIAC championship. After an undefeated regular season, the Rams earned a berth in the NCAA Division II playoffs where they lost to C.W. Post in the first round.

In 2006, Shepherd had a second straight undefeated regular season and won its third WVIAC title in a row. In their second consecutive NCAA Division II playoff appearance, the Rams beat Merrimack before losing to sixth-ranked Bloomsburg.

During his three years as an assistant coach for the Rams, he served as an offensive assistant coach working with the quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends. Shepherd had a 28-game regular season winning streak during his years on the staff.

In May of 2007, he graduated from Shepherd with a B.S. degree in Athletic Coaching and Officiating.

After graduating from Shepherd, he joined the football coaching staff at the University of Delaware. As a graduate assistant on the staff of Coach K.C. Keeler, Ambrose worked with the Blue Hens’ offense for two seasons.

In his first season at Delaware, he helped the Blue Hens’ high-powered offense average 36.2 points and 460.6 total yards per game. Led by All-American quarterback Joe Flacco, the Blue Hens reached the NCAA FCS championship game where they lost to Appalachian State. En route to the championship game, Delaware upset number one-ranked Northern Iowa and fourth-ranked Illinois State. In 2007, Delaware finished the season with an 11-4 record.

In 2008, Coach Ambrose continued in the role of Graduate Assistant while working on his Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration at Delaware.

In his two years, he helped the Blue Hens compile a 15-12 record.

The son of Tim Ambrose, a Hall of Fame high school coach in the state of Maryland, Jared was a three-sport standout at Middletown High School. In addition to earning All-State honors at defensive back for the Knights’ football team, he also competed for the basketball team and the track and field squad.

Jared and his wife, Ashley, reside in the Baltimore area with their three-year old daughter, Evie.

WEST, DANGERFIELD, PIKE NAMED AS PHIL STEELE ALL-AMERICA PICKS

West Honored As Second Team Honoree; Dangerfield, Pike Named To Fourth Team

TOWSON, Md. – Sophomore running back Terrance West (Northwestern H.S./Baltimore, Md.), senior free safety Jordan Dangerfield (Royal Palm Beach H.S./Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and junior offensive tackle Eric Pike (DuVal H.S./Landover, Md.) of Towson University have been named to the 2012 Phil Steele Magazine  Football Championship Subdivision All-America team.

West, who led the Colonial Athletic Association in rushing with 1,046 yards in 10 games, earned second team honors. Dangerfield and Pike were named as fourth team All-American selections.

A two-time All-CAA first team selection, West ran for 1,046 yards on 195 carries in 2012. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry and scored 14 rushing touchdowns. He also caught five passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. With 15 touchdowns scored, he led the CAA for the second year in a row. The 23^rd-leading rusher in NCAA FCS, he was ninth in the nation.

In two seasons with the Tigers, West has rushed for 2,340 yards and he is already the fifth-leading rusher in school history. He has scored 44 touchdowns in his 21-game career, just three shy of the school record held by Jason Corle, ’01.

A two-year co-captain for the Tigers, Dangerfield was a defensive leader for the top defensive team in the CAA. A starter in 10 games, he was third on the team with 69 tackles. A two-time All-CAA first team honoree, Dangerfield also led the Tigers with six pass breakups. He also forced one fumble and recovered another.

As a junior, Dangerfield made a team high 93 tackles despite missing two games with an injury. He was ranked seventh in the CAA in tackles and placed second among CAA defensive backs. Dangerfield also intercepted two passes last year and tied for the CAA lead with two fumble recoveries. He finished his three-year career with the Tigers with 258 tackles, tied for 11^th on Towson’s all-time list. He also broke up 13 passes and recovered four fumbles.

Led by Dangerfield, the Tiger defense led the CAA by allowing 313.2 yards of total offense per game. Towson also led the CAA in pass defense, surrendering 174.27 passing yards per game. Towson ranked 16^th in NCAA FCS in total defense.

As a senior, Dangerfield helped the No. 15 Tigers post a 7-4 record against a very difficult schedule that included Kent State and Louisiana State, a pair of bowl-bound NCAA FBS Top 25 teams. He also led Towson to its second straight CAA championship as the Tigers shared the championship with New Hampshire, Richmond and Villanova.

The 6-5, 298-pound Pike has been a fixture at left tackle for the last three years. In fact, he has started 34 consecutive games and has been a key to the Tigers’ offense. In 2012, the Tiger offensive line allowed only 14 sacks in 11 games to rank 21^st in NCAA FCS. The Tiger offense averaged 441.0 yards per game to rank 14^th in the nation while the Tigers’ rushing offense averaged 229.0 yards per contest, 13^th in the nation.

In addition, 12 Tigers were named to Phil Steele’s 2012 All-CAA team. Five Tigers were named to the All-CAA first team, including West, Dangerfield and Pike. Junior cornerback Jordan Love (Deep Run H.S./Washington, D.C.) and junior offensive center Doug Shaw (Loyola H.S./Woodbine, Md.) were also named to the All-CAA first team.

Junior offensive tackle Randall Harris (DuVal H.S./Largo, Md.), senior defensive end Frank Beltre (Randolph H.S./Randolph, N.J.), senior defensive end Romale Tucker (Ballou H.S./Washington, D.C.) and junior linebacker Monte Gaddis (Cleveland Central Catholic H.S./Cleveland, Ohio) were named second team All-CAA.

Senior quarterback Grant Enders (Old Mill H.S./Millersville, Md.), freshman fullback Emmanuel Holder (Calvert Hall H.S./Baltimore, Md.) and sophomore cornerback Tye Smith (Wakefield H.S./Raleigh, N.C.) were named third team All-CAA.

Towson finished the season with four consecutive wins, beating No. 19 Villanova, No. 23 Delaware, Rhode Island and No. 7 New Hampshire to earn a share of the CAA championship. The Tigers have compiled a 13-3 record in CAA games the last two years.

JORDAN DANGERFIELD, ERIC PIKE EARN ALL-AMERICA NOTICE FROM BSN

Dangerfield Named To Second Team

LEESBURG, Va. – Senior free safety Jordan Dangerfield (Royal Palm Beach H.S./Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and junior offensive tackle Eric Pike (DuVal H.S./Landover, Md.) of Towson University have been named to the Beyond Sports Network Football Championship Subdivision All-America team.

A two-time All-Colonial Athletic Association first team selection, Dangerfield was honored as a second team All-American by BSN. A three-year starter at left tackle, Pike earned honorable mention All-American honors.

A two-year co-captain for the Tigers, Dangerfield was a defensive leader for the top defensive team in the CAA. A starter in 10 games, he was third on the team with 69 tackles. Dangerfield also the Tigers with six pass breakups. He also forced one fumble and recovered another. As a junior, Dangerfield made a team high 93 tackles despite missing two games with an injury. He was ranked seventh in the CAA in tackles and placed second among CAA defensive backs. Dangerfield also intercepted two passes last year and tied for the CAA lead with two fumble recoveries. He finished his three-year career with the Tigers with 258 tackles, tied for 11^th on Towson’s all-time list. He also broke up 13 passes and recovered four fumbles.

Led by Dangerfield, the Tiger defense led the CAA by allowing 313.2 yards of total offense per game. Towson also led the CAA in pass defense, surrendering 174.27 passing yards per game. Towson ranked 16^th in NCAA FCS in total defense.

As a senior, Dangerfield helped the No. 15 Tigers post a 7-4 record against a very difficult schedule that included Kent State and Louisiana State, a pair of bowl-bound NCAA FBS Top 25 teams. He also led Towson to its second straight CAA championship as the Tigers shared the championship with New Hampshire, Richmond and Villanova.

The 6-5, 298-pound Pike has been a fixture at left tackle for the last three years. In fact, he started 34 consecutive games and has been a key to the Tigers’ offense. In 2012, the Tiger offensive line allowed only 14 sacks in 11 games to rank 21^st in NCAA FCS. The Tiger offense averaged 441.0 yards per game to rank 14^th in the nation while the Tigers’ rushing offense averaged 229.0 yards per contest, 13^th in the nation.

Towson finished the season with four consecutive wins, beating No. 19 Villanova, No. 23 Delaware, Rhode Island and No. 7 New Hampshire to earn a share of the CAA championship. The Tigers have compiled a 13-3 record in CAA games the last two years.

CAA CO-CHAMPION TIGERS OVERLOOKED BY NCAA

Tigers Not Chosen For NCAA FCS Playoffs

TOWSON, Md. – Although Towson University finished the regular season with four consecutive victories and earned a share of the Colonial Athletic Association championship, the Tigers were not selected to play in the NCAA FCS playoffs. The NCAA announced its 20-team field on Sunday afternoon.

The Tigers, who finished the season with a 7-4 record and went 6-2 in the CAA, assembled in their locker room to watch the NCAA selection show. They sat in stunned silence when they learned that Towson was not selected.

“I can’t think of any time when I’ve been more disappointed,” said Towson Coach Rob Ambrose. “These players deserve better than this and they earned the right to play in the NCAA post-season again.

“These guys are champions,” Ambrose added. “We don’t need some people sitting in an NCAA Board Room to validate us. The goal should be to have the best 20 teams competing for the championship.”

The Tigers, who shared the CAA title with New Hampshire (8-3, 6-2), Villanova (8-3, 6-2) and Richmond (8-3, 6-2), were seeking their second straight appearance in the NCAA FCS playoffs. UNH and Villanova were selected to advance to the post-season while Towson and Richmond were overlooked.

In the final four weeks of the season, Towson posted convincing wins over Villanova (49-35) and New Hampshire (64-35). When Towson handed UNH a decisive 64-35 in the regular season finale on Saturday, it seemed like the Tigers had played their way into the NCAA FCS playoff field.

Over the last two seasons, Towson has posted a 13-3 record in CAA games and has won seven of eight CAA road games.

The Tigers also played the third-toughest schedule in FCS football, a slate that included losses to a pair of NCAA FBS teams that are having very good seasons, Louisiana State and Kent State.

Towson loses 14 seniors from this year’s team, including wide receiver Erron Banks (Bound Brook H.S./Bound Brook, N.J.), defensive end Frank Beltre (Randolph H.S./Randolph, N.J.), wide receiver Alex Blake (Friendly H.S./Fort Washington, Md.),  linebacker Brian Boateng (Gaithersburg H.S./Burtonsville, Md.), running back Dominique Booker (Hermitage H.S./Richmond, Va.), defensive end Ben Chroniger (DeMatha H.S./Crofton, Md.), safety Jordan Dangerfield (Royal Palm Beach H.S./Royal Palm Beach, Fla.), quarterback Grant Enders (Old Mill H.S./Millersville, Md.), tight end Cory Kirby (Kent Island H.S./Chester, Md.), defensive tackle Matt Morgan (Horseheads H.S./Horseheads, N.Y.), linebacker Nick Ranko (Foxborough H.S./Foxborough, Mass.), wide receiver Tom Ryan (Father Judge H.S./Philadelphia, Pa.), wide receiver Gerrard Sheppard (McDonogh H.S./Owings Mills, Md.) and defensive end Romale Tucker (Ballou H.S./Washington, D.C.).

Beltre and Dangerfield were All-American performers while Enders was a two-year starter at quarterback. He posted an impressive 16-6 record as the Towson signal-caller.

“These players will always be special to this program,” said Ambrose. “They changed the culture around here and brought respect to this football program.”

TIGER TALES:  In their season-ending four-game winning streak, the Tigers outscored their opponents by a 188-107 margin … In the last four contests, Towson averaged 525.5 yards of total offense per game while allowing 332.2 yards per game … Towson led the CAA in total defense, allowing 313.2 yards per contest.

In their four-game winning streak, the Tigers had a plus-five turnover ratio … Towson turned the ball over only once in the final four games of the year … Towson’s four-game winning streak is their longest winning streak since 2006 when the Tigers opened the season with four wins in a row.

– TowsonTigers.com –

DOMINIQUE BOOKER HONORED AS CFPA RUNNING BACK OF WEEK

Senior Back Ran For Career High 181 Yards on Seven Carries In Win Over Rhode Island

TOWSON, Md.– Senior running back Dominique Booker (Hermitage H.S./Richmond, Va.) of Towson University has been named as the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) FCS National Running Back of the Week award winner, it has been announced by CFPA officials.

In the final regular season home game of his college career, Booker ran for a career high 181 yards on just seven carries as the Tigers won their third game in a row, a 41-10 Colonial Athletic Association victory over Rhode Island on Saturday afternoon.

Booker, who had rushed for only 193 yards all season entering Saturday’s game, averaged 25.9 yards per carry on his way to the best game of his career.

In the first quarter, he ran for 24 yards on the Tigers’ first play. That enabled him to become the 22^nd player in school history with 1,000 rushing yards in his career.

In the second quarter, he ran for 22 yards to the Rams’ three-yard line, helping Towson take a 13-7 lead on a three-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Grant Enders (Old Mill H.S./Millersville, Md.) to wide receiverGerrard Sheppard (McDonogh H.S./Baltimore, Md.).

Later in the second quarter, he had a 33-yard run to the URI 19-yard line, setting up another Towson touchdown.

On the opening play of the third quarter, he ran for 83 yards around the left end and scored to give the Tigers a 27-10 lead with 14:39 left in the period. It was the second-longest rushing play in school history, topped only Jason Corle’s 84-yard touchdown run against Wagner in 1996.

With 1,175 yards on 229 carries, Booker is now the 17^th-leading rusher in school history.

Ranked 19^th in NCAA FCS this week, the Tigers put their three-game winning streak on the line on Saturday, Nov. 17 when they visit the University of New Hampshire on Saturday afternoon at 12 noon. UNH leads the Colonial Athletic Association with an 8-2 overall record and a 6-1 CAA mark. Towson has a 6-4 overall record and is tied for third in the CAA with a 5-2 record.

Glancing at the title would cause most of you to be up in arms over the fact that I count the Ravens preseason as the start of the NFL.  Well, you are wrong. Or if you may have thought I was referring to the Dunbar Poets, winners of last year’s Maryland HS 1A Championship, and you would be wrong again. I am referring to my alma mater, Towson University.  The Tigers won the CAA Conference Championship and finished the season 9-3 (7-1 in the CAA).  They are, is back in action on August 30 in Ohio to take on Kent State.

I am well aware, of course, that Towson University is not in Baltimore City, but Baltimore County.  That doesn’t matter to me, nor should it to you.  I consider them to be a Baltimore champion.  If they aren’t already from last season’s success, I foresee the Towson University football program as the area’s premier College football team.  Am I getting a little ahead of myself? One might say yes.  But I think this program is bound to sustain the success and build off the historic year it had last year.

As a student from 2005-2009, I saw a program that looked like it had some promise and gave enough to the fans to have an optimistic vision. Ultimately, it was not ready to compete in the toughest conference in the Football Subdivision (FCS). In ‘05 & ‘06, we were the program was a combined 13-9; not too shabby. Once 2007 came around, however, that is where the ship started to sink for the Tigers. With a preseason Top-25 ranking, Towson was unable to live up to the expectations and went ended up 3-8 on the year. Immediately following the 2007 season, Jermon Bushrod, an NFL Pro-Bowl and Super Bowl Champion tackle for the New Orleans Saints had entered the NFL Draft. 2008, which turned out to be Gordy Combs’ final season as head coach, was even worse. Towson finished 3-9 that year, with only one win coming in conference play.

Combs’ departure paved the way for the Rob Ambrose Era began at Towson in 2008. Everyone involved with or who had the slightest interest in Towson Athletics fell in love with the hire. He was an alumnus, a young guy filled with passion and energy who brought a successful resume along with him from his previous coaching destination at UConn However, the on the field results turned out to be more of the same mediocre play in his initial seasons. In 2009, Towson finished 2-9. Did it get worse? Sure did. In 2010, Towson finished a dismal 1-10, ultimately hitting rock bottom in a program that once projected optimism.

Despite the putrid results, Ambrose remained confident and preached patience to the students and alumni. He was persistent in stating that he was going to turn the program around his way, even if it did take some time. This was obviously not going to be an overnight fix. In 2011, the season following the program’s low spot, his team demonstrated how a cohesive football family should operate.  As it turned out, an overnight fix was just what happened.

Ambrose was named Eddie Robinson FCS Coach of the Year for the one of the greatest turnarounds in FCS History. Running back Terrence West led the FCS with 27 touchdowns, winning the Inaugural Jerry Rice Award for Outstanding Freshman. The Tigers, starting the backup quarterback, competed with the University of Maryland Terrapin’s for three quarters. The hard work and hunger Ambrose instilled in his players couldn’t have been more transparent at this time. The success of the regular season paid off as Towson hosted a home playoff game for the first time in school history against Lehigh. The game, played in front of Johnny Unitas Stadium’s first sellout, resulted in a tragic loss, 40-38. From 1-10 to 9-3, 2011 turned out to be truly a dream season for the team, fans, and Baltimore area.

The purpose of the backstory of the Tigers football program is not to provide a history lesson. There are plenty of sources where one could go for that information. My purpose is to portray my pride as an alumnus and to, most importantly, make the surrounding community aware of the success in preparation for the 2012 season. For being a Football town (well as least as long as the O’s have been cellar dwellers), the greater Baltimore area does not have a significant College Football team to support every Saturday. Being a University with over 20,000 undergraduates, that’s hard to imagine. From first-hand experience living in Federal Hill, I know that our community consists of many Towson grads that are in the beginning stages of their post-college careers.

The ceiling is the sky for Towson University, as far as the growth that it can achieve.. Try to name a better college town than Towson? Coming from New Jersey I can tell you that New Brunswick, Rutgers University’s town, does not compare from an entertainment and aesthetic standpoint to Towson.  How about Temple?  Needless to say, it is surely not in the safest part of Philadelphia. You want to tell me you would prefer going to a College Park scene rather than Towson? I didn’t think so…

If you are a Towson Alum, or simply just a college football fan, make sure you out and go check out Towson Football this year. I’m even going to save you the google search for their schedule. Below is a list of the games that you want to start planning your Saturdays around come this fall:

Saturday, September 15th, William & Mary @ Towson on NBC Sports Network, 12:00 PM

If you are a downtown “Yuppie”, as our older generation likes to call us (at least my Grandparents think it’s still a funny term), this game is for you. Wake up, get some breakfast at THB (if you’re an Alum and you have not been back, it’s five times the size, a site to see) and head over to the Stadium. No better way to start to a Saturday afternoon in the fall.

Saturday, September 22nd, St. Francis (Pa.) @ Towson HOMECOMING 7:00 PM

During last year’s campaign, some of my Towson brethren had mentioned to me that at 25, they felt “too old” to attend Homecoming.…NONSENSE. If Towson wants to reach the big time level of a school like Maryland, every alumnus needs to attend this game. Spend the day grabbing lunch at the new CVPs, get nostalgic by grabbing some drinks after at the Kent, and keep going with the day by taking Jimmy’s Cab over to the Field for a tailgate. I know my Fraternity will be in full force.

Saturday, September 29th, 2012 Towson @ LSU Baton Rouge, La, 8:00 PM

Hey, times are still tough for everyone, especially if you’re a 20 something year old like me who graduated with miscellaneous college debts. If you have some vacation days and want to experience a premier “College Football Atmosphere”, you need to make this trip to Death Valley. It just takes a four day vacation to go support Towson on the biggest stage in its existence. My Fraternity brothers and I are planning two days in New Orleans and the remainder of the trip in Baton Rouge. Speaking of that, I better check the bank account as I will certainly be buying my plane ticket soon!

I do not want to take anything away from the home games against Maine, Old Dominion and Rhode Island, as well as the possibility of a road trip to UDel. But as I get older, I am slowly starting to realize the concept of “planning ahead.” People have weddings to go to in the fall, which in my opinion is a very amateur move during football season. That is exactly why I am writing this column in June, to assist you in planning ahead.

Once again, I am just doing my part as a Towson Alumni. I had the best four years of my life at Towson, my friends and I frequently joke about how many years we would cut off our lives to get a chance to relive those times. This is for the students, the faculty, the alumni, and the community.  Let’s all get back together for the sake of the success of Towson Football. You will not be disappointed.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Defensive end Frank Beltre of the Tiger football team has been named to the NCAA FCS Football “Defensive Linemen To Watch,” according to The Sports Network.

Craig Haley, the managing editor of the TSN website, says “Frank Beltre is an aggressive, driven player who keeps getting better. He is entering his fourth year as a starter. The All-CAA Football talent helped the Tigers post an amazing turnaround in winning the conference title last year. He had 68 tackles, including 12 for loss, and four sacks. He has 30.5 tackles for loss in his career.”

A native of Randolph, N.J., Beltre also earned honorable mention All-America honors as a junior. He was fourth on the team with 68 tackles and led the team with 12 tackles for lost yardage. Beltre led Towson in tackles for lost yardage and quarterback sacks with four.

In his career, Beltre has made 196 tackles with 30.5 tackles for lost yardage. He has also made six quarterback sacks.

A starter in 11 of 12 games last season, Beltre has played in all 34 games the last three years. He is one of nine returning starters on the Tigers’ defensive unit.

TOWSON, Md. – Junior Jordan Dangerfield of the Colonial Athletic Association champion football team and senior Kacy Catanzaro of the gymnastics team were named as Towson University’s Male and Female Athlete of the Year award winners, it was announced at the Golden Paws Event in the Towson Center on Saturday night.

In addition, Rob Ambrose, who led the Tiger football team to its first-ever appearance in the NCAA FCS playoffs, was honored as the Coach of the Year. Ambrose was one of four Towson head coaches to be named as conferences coach of the year (Bruce Atkinson, Vicki Chliszczyk, Sonia LaMonica) this past season and he was recognized as the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year presented to the top coach in NCAA FCS football.

Dangerfield, a first team All-American, was one of the captains of the “Turnaround Tigers”. He led Towson with 93 tackles from the strong safety position and ranked second in the CAA among defensive backs in total tackles. Dangerfield also had two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries en route to being named first team All-CAA. He helped the Tigers finish the season as the ninth-ranked team in the nation.

Catanzaro was named as the 2012 ECAC Gymnast of the Year after leading the Tigers to a 20-5 record as a senior and a four-year mark of 75-16. She was honored as the NCAA Southeast Regional Gymnast of the year and she was a five-time selection as ECAC Gymnast of the Week. Catanzaro qualified for the NCAA regionals and set an ECAC record with a 9.975 vault score at the ECAC Championship Meet to win the title. She was chosen first team All-ECAC on vault, bars, floor and all-around while leading the Tigers to a second-place finish.

Seniors Jocelyn Papciak of women’s soccer and Matt Lamon of men’s lacrosse were honored as the winners of the Tiger Club Scholar-Athletes of the Year Award.

The Female Unsung Hero Award was presented to Kelly Custer of the CAA Champion women’s lacrosse team while the Male Unsung Hero Award went to baseball’s Tyler Austin.

A first team All-CAA selection, Custer helped the Tigers post a 15-3 mark and take home the CAA Title. She tied for the team lead with 31 goals and dished out eight assists. Custer tallied four goals with three assists in the CAA Tournament en route to being named to the All-Tournament team.

A four-year letter-winner for the Tigers, Austin has appeared in a school record 81 games. He leads the CAA with his 12.38 strikeouts per nine innings. Tyler has already broken the Towson career record for strikeouts with 205 in his four years.

Senior women’s lacrosse goalie Mary Teeters was honored as the winner of the Female Senior Career Achievement Award. A four-year starter at goalkeeper for the Tigers, Teeters played in a school record 75 games. She led the Tigers to the 2012 CAA Championship and was named as the CAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Performer. A two-time All-CAA first team selection, Teeters ranks among Towson’s all-time leaders with 620 career saves. She was a nominee for the Tewaaraton Trophy as the top lacrosse player in the country.

Senior Tyler Wharton of the football team was chosen as the winner of the Male Career Achievement Award. A three-year starter at fullback, Wharton was one of the key players for the 2012 CAA Champion Tiger football team. He was a key blocker for the Tigers’ run game which led the CAA with 230 rushing yards per game. Wharton was second on the team with five touchdowns in 2012 and he was a two-time All-CAA selection.

Freshman running back Terrance West and freshman shortstop Hailey Balk were named as the Male and Female Rookie of the Year Award winners.

The winner of the Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman in NCAA FCS, West led the nation a set a school record with 29 touchdowns. West was named the CAA Rookie of the Year and First Team All-CAA. He rushed for 1,292 yards and was a key player in the Tigers’ dramatic improvement from 1-10 to 9-3 and a CAA Championship.

A starter in 46 of 52 games at shortstop, Balk led the Tigers in hitting a .358 clip which ranked her fifth in the CAA. As a freshman, she was third in the CAA with 54 hits, including an 18-game hitting streak. Balk had 16 multi-hit games, drove in 23 runs and scored 22.

The Tiger women’s swimming and diving team and the men’s soccer team were selected as the winners of the Wayne Edwards Team Academic Achievement Awards as the programs with the highest grade point averages.

Face-off specialist Ian Mills of the men’s lacrosse team and Catanzaro of the gymnastics team were selected as the Strength and Conditioning Athletes of the Year.

In addition, Director of Athletics Mike Waddell and University President Dr. Maravene Loeschke presented Lonnie McNew with the prestigious Minnegan Award for dedication to Tiger athletics.

In addition, Ted Zaleski was honored with the Director’s Award while Jacki Molen was the winner of the Service to Tiger Athletics Award.

The final award of the evening was a tie for Team of the Year as the football team and women’s lacrosse team, who each won CAA Titles this past season, shared the honor.

Spiro Morekas, a 1983 Towson graduate who has served as the radio broadcaster for Tiger football, basketball and lacrosse games, served as the Master of Ceremonies.

-TowsonTigers.com-

TOWSON, Md. – In front of 1,564 sun-drenched fans at Johnny Unitas® Stadium on Saturday afternoon, the Tiger football team held its annual Tiger Bowl II game on Saturday.

The Black team defeated the White team, 21-7.

“Our transfer students and our young players got a lot of kids experience in game situations,” Towson Coach Rob Ambrose commented. “It got the transfer students acclimated to what it means to be Tigers and what it’s like to be play in Unitas Stadium.”

Senior running back Dominique Booker scored two touchdowns as a member of the Black team and impressed Ambrose, who coached the “Turnaround Tigers” to an amazing 9-3 record last season after winning a combined three games over the previous two seasons.

“Dominique is one of the first players in a long time who has the aspect of player-coach,” Ambrose said. “He knows the offense so well his teammates his teammates that he is able to bring a level of confidence to the other members of the team.”

Sophomore running back Terrance West added a seven-yard touchdown run for the Black team. West, who ran for 1,294 yards and scored an FCS-leading 29 touchdowns as a freshman, opened Saturday’s scoring with his burst of power with 1:33 remaining in the first quarter. West had nine carries for 28 yards in the game, while Booker ran seven times for 45 yards.

The White team scored a touchdown with 13:48 remaining in the third quarter when  red shirt freshman quarterback Price Litton connected with tight end Daniel Vaughan for a two-yard touchdown pass, bringing the White team to within 14-7. It was one of four passes Litton completed in the game.

Two other red shirt freshmen had solid games for the Tigers. Quarterback Connor Frazier, a product of Damascus High School, completed 14-of-25 passes for 167 yards for the Black team and wide receiver Navassa Brown had a game-high 141 yards rushing for the White team. Brown scored on an electrifying 67-yard run down the right sideline to open the third quarter before getting tackled out of bounds by junior cornerback Corey Ford.

“Navassa earned his stripes today,” Ambrose said. “He’s got the respect of his team. He did a great job, even though he played out of position a little.”

Senior wide receiver Tom Ryan added five catches for 67 yards, while sophomore wide receiver Derrick Joseph and tight end James Oboh each had three receptions for the Black team.

Defensively, a number of new additions made significant impacts. Sophomore defensive back Jordan Love posted a game-high six tackles for the White team and fellow transfer Brendan Gannon, a defensive tackle, added three tackles.

“Red-shirt” defensive end Stefan Janik had four tackles, including two tackles for loss, and a sack in the Black team victory.

“It was great to watch our young quarterbacks develop during the Spring,” said Ambrose. “They made a lot of progress. They still have a long way to go but they are getting better.

“We could have had a better Spring and our players know that,” Ambrose added. “But, we didn’t have to have this team ready to play now. We have to be ready to play in the Fall and we will be.”

The defending CAA champions open their 2012 season at Kent State on Aug. 30.

TOWSON, Md. – Tiger Bowl II, which features an intrasquad football game among members of the Towson University team, will be held on Saturday, April 21 as a highlight of a full day of activities for Tiger fans.

The Tiger Bowl, which attracted more than 1,000 fans last season, will be played at 1 p.m. in Johnny Unitas® Stadium. Admission to the Tiger Bowl is free and open to the public.

Tiger Bowl Saturday starts at 9 a.m. with a Youth Football Clinic that will be held at the Towson University Soccer Complex. The clinic is open to all eighth graders or younger and it will be conducted by the Tiger coaching staff.

At 11:30 a.m., the Tiger Football Alumni Game will be played in Unitas Stadium. Former football players will return to the gridiron in a game of flag football on Minnegan Field.

The inaugural Tiger Bowl will conclude the Tiger football team’s Spring season. Coach Rob Ambrose and his staff have 42 letter winners and a very talented group of newcomers who will be hoping to impress the coaching staff during the Tiger Bowl. The Tigers return nine starters on offense and nine starters on defense from last year’s team.

The 2011 Tigers were known as the “Turnaround Tigers” as they were the most improved team in NCAA FCS. One year after posting a 1-10 record, the 2011 Tigers went 9-3 and won their first Colonial Athletic Association championship. The Tigers, who were ranked ninth at the end of the season, reached the second round of the NCAA FCS playoffs.

Junior tackle Eric Pike is one of the top returnees for an offense that rushed for 229.9 yards per game and ranked among the national leaders with a 34.8 scoring average. A third-year starter at tackle, Pike was named third team All-CAA. Junior quarterback Grant Enders, a two-time selection as CAA Offensive Player of the Week, returns to direct the Tiger offense. Last season, he led the CAA in passing efficiency while throwing for 2,081 yards and 16 touchdowns. Sophomore Terrance West is back to lead the Tigers’ rushing attack. The winner of the Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman in FCS football, West ran for 1,294 yards last season and scored an NCAA FCS-leading 29 touchdowns.

A pair of All-America selections, senior safety Jordan Dangerfield and senior defensive end Frank Beltre, return to lead the Tigers’ defense. A first team All-America selection by The College Sports Journal, Dangerfield led the Tigers with 93 tackles despite missing two games with an injury. He was a virtual turnover machine as he intercepted two passes, forced two fumbles and recovered a pair of fumbles. An honorable mention All-American, Beltre was tied for fourth on the team with 68 tackles. He also led the Tigers with 12 tackles for lost yardage.

While Tiger Bowl II is being played in Unitas Stadium, the Tiger baseball team will host Georgia State in the second game of their three-game weekend series at John B. Schuerholz Park at 2 p.m.

After Tiger Bowl II is played, the Tiger men’s lacrosse team will honor their seniors when the Tigers host Drexel University in a vital CAA matchup in Unitas Stadium at 7:30 p.m.