TOWSON, Md. – Coming off back-to-back Colonial Athletic Association championship seasons, the Towson University football team will hold Tiger Bowl III on Saturday, April 27 at 11:30 a.m. on Minnegan Field at Johnny Unitas® Stadium.

Last year, the Tiger Bowl attracted more than 1,500 fans to Unitas Stadium. Admission to the Tiger Bowl is free and it is open to the public.

Current 2013 season ticket holders are invited to a prime location to enjoy Tiger Bowl III. Held in the back of the East end zone opposite the videoboard, this special area will feature complimentary sandwiches provided by Chick-fil-A at Towson Town Center and 2013 football posters.

A registration table will be located by the entrance of this premium location for all current season ticket holders to gain entrance into this area.

New season tickets can be purchased at the box office of Johnny Unitas® Stadium or online here. Only current or new season ticket holders will be allowed into this area.

As the season ticket renewal deadline approaches on April 27, fans are encouraged to contact the Towson Athletics Ticket Office at 1-855-TU-TIGER or renew online here.

Tiger Bowl III will conclude the Tiger football team’s spring season. The Tigers, who have posted a 16-7 record the last two seasons and have posted a 13-3 two-season CAA record, have a very strong nucleus returning. On offense, the Tigers will rely on an experienced offensive line which includes three All-CAA selections, rising seniors Eric Pike, Randall Harris and Doug Shaw. Running back Terrance West also returns after earning first team All-CAA honors twice.

Senior linebacker Monte Gaddis, cornerback Jordan Love and defensive tackle Arnold Farmer are some of the top veterans returning on the defense, a unit that led the CAA last season.

After the conclusion of Tiger Bowl III, the Tiger men’s lacrosse team will honor its seniors when the Tigers host St. Joseph’s in a vital CAA matchup in Unitas Stadium at 7 p.m. Tickets are available by calling 1-855-TU-TIGER or click here.

SCHEDULE

Saturday, April 27

7 a.m.               Tiger Football Captain’s Breakfast

11:30 a.m.          Tiger Bowl III; Admission is Free

2 p.m.               Towson Softball (second game of doubleheader) vs. George Mason; Admission is Free

2 p.m.               Towson Baseball vs. UNC Wilmington; Admission is Free

7 p.m.               Towson Men’s Lacrosse vs. St. Joseph’s; Senior Night

Opening Face-Off
With the loss at No. 17 Drexel last weekend, Towson secured the three seed in the 2013 CAA Tournament held at Penn State. Saint Joe’s is coming off a midweek loss to Marist, 14-6. Today’s game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. and can be heard live on the Towson Sports Network on www.towsontigers.com with Spiro Morekas and former Tiger midfielder Hunter Lochte calling the action.

Updating the Tigers
Towson’s six-goal tear in the third and fourth quarters couldn’t fully erase a nine-goal run Drexel put together on Saturday as the Tigers fell, 14-11, to the No. 17 Drexel Dragons. Junior Thomas DeNapoli scored six goals and added an assist to lead Towson. Seniors Andrew Wascavage and Jake Graves split time in net.

Scouting the Hawks
Saint Joesph’s is being out-scored by nearly 3.5 goals per game and are just 12-58 in extra-man opportunities. Opponents are winning the ground ball battle 438-361, causing more turnovers (104-88) and taking control at the “X,” winning 169-292 face-offs (.579). The Hawks come into today’s contest on a four-game losing streak. Pat Swanick (22g, 6a), Matthew Sarcona(14g, 5a) and Michael Dougherty (13g, 7a) are the three Hawks in double figures for goals.

Last Time Out vs. Saint Joseph‘s - April 28, 2012(SJU 6, Towson 3)
Nearly one year ago, Saint Joseph’s used a three-goal third quarter to pull away from Towson and claim a 6-3 win over the Tigers in Philadelphia. Rob Zoppo, Carl Iacona and Michael Brashears each scored a goal for Towson.Ryan McGee led all players with a hat trick and one assist for four points.

Towson-Saint Joseph’s Series History
This series is one of the newest in program history, which started in 2011 when the Hawks joined the CAA. The teams have split the series, each winning at home.

Towson-Saint Joseph’s By the Numbers

TOWSON, Md. – A former graduate assistant coach at the University of Maryland, Tyler Bowen has been named as an assistant coach for the Towson University football team, it has been announced by Head Coach Rob Ambrose.

He will serve as the Tigers’ tight ends coach.

A native of Helena, Ga., Bowen played three years of football for the Terrapins before becoming a student assistant coach for Ralph Friedgen in 2010. In his season as a student assistant, he helped Maryland post a 9-4 record and a win in the Military Bowl.

“Tyler Bowen is an incredible experienced and talented young coach who has learned from some of the greatest minds in college football,” says Coach Ambrose.  “His versatility and enthusiasm are already being felt by our players and staff.”

An offensive tackle whose career was hampered by injuries, Bowen was an All-State offensive lineman at Telfair County High School in Georgia. He was recruited by a number of major college programs before deciding to attend Maryland.

After the 2009 season, it was determined that he couldn’t play football anymore due to injury problems. At that point, he joined the Terrapins’ coaching staff.

After he received his degree in 2010, he joined Coach Randy Edsall’s staff as a graduate assistant. During his two seasons as a G.A. at Maryland, he worked with the offensive linemen and the wide receivers. He spent most of his time working with the offense. In his final season at Maryland, he coached for Mike Locksley, the Terps’ Offensive Coordinator and a 1992 graduate of Towson.

Honorable Mention: Boxing-Sergio Martinez vs. Martin Murray (Saturday 8:30pm from Buenos Aires live on HBO), Zab Judah vs. Danny Garcia (Saturday 9pm from Brooklyn, NY live on Showtime); MLS: DC United @ Columbus Crew (Saturday 7:30pm from Columbus, OH live on MLS Direct Kick); Golf: PGA Tour Zurich Classic of New Orleans (Thursday & Friday 3pm live on Golf Channel Saturday & Sunday 1pm live on Golf Channel 3pm live on CBS. All golf from Avondale, LA), Champions Tour Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf (Friday 12:30pm Saturday & Sunday 1pm. All golf from Savannah, GA), North Texas LPGA Shootout (Thursday 12:30pm Friday 6:30pm Saturday & Sunday 3pm from Irving, TX live on Golf Channel)

10. Rihanna (Wednesday 7:30pm 1st Mariner Arena Monday 7:30pm Verizon Center); Kendrick Lamar (Tuesday 8pm Patriot Center); Dru Hill (Friday 9pm Rams Head Live); Badfish, A Tribute to Sublime (Friday 8pm Baltimore Soundstage), Fabolous/Pusha T (Sunday 8pm Baltimore Soundstage); ALO (Tuesday 7pm 8×10 Club); The Joy Formidable (Tuesday 8pm Ottobar); Chris Cagle (Saturday 9pm Rams Head Center Stage); Sara Bareilles (Thursday 6:30pm 9:30 Club); Aimee Mann (Thursday 7:30pm Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts); Gladys Knight (Thursday & Friday 8pm Strathmore); All Time Low/Pierce The Veil (Sunday 5:30pm Towson Center); Phoenix “Bankrupt” and Frank Turner “Tape Deck Heart” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

Dru Hill was nearly as significant a part of my childhood as chocolate milk. Perhaps more significant. Baltimore institutions.

I had a college girlfriend that thought the song “Chicks Dig It” was about the greatest song of all time. She was…like…REALLY hot…so I might well have told her I agreed.

Our friends from All Time Low have been tremendous to us. Be tremendous to them and go see them this weekend. They love Baltimore sports as much as you do.

Frank Turner does folk punk. It’s truly phenomenal.

9. Sarah Silverman (Thursday 8pm Warner Theatre), Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth (Friday & Saturday 8pm Warner Theatre); Jerry Seinfeld (Saturday 7pm & 9:30pm Meyerhoff Symphony Hall); David Alan Grier (Thursday-Saturday Baltimore Comedy Factory); Michael McDonald (Friday-Sunday DC Improv); “Big Wedding” and “Pain & Gain” out in theaters (Friday); “Jurassic Park 3D” and “Gangster Squad” available on Blu-Ray/DVD (Tuesday)

There’s absolutely no reason to not be completely in support of the Mike Tyson show…

You know whose one man show should be coming next?

(Continued on Page 2…)

PHILADELPHIA – The Towson men’s lacrosse (7-7, 3-2 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA)) team scored six straight goals in the second half but the Tigers’ comeback fell short as No. 17 Drexel (10-3, 5-1 CAA) claimed a 14-11 victory on a windy Saturday afternoon at Vidas Field.

Junior Thomas DeNapoli recorded his sixth hat trick and second five-plus goal game of the season with six goals. Sophomore Greg Cuccinello added a pair of goals for Towson. Robert Church and Ryan Belka led Drexel with four goals.

“Drexel played very well offensively and took advantage of our mistakes on the defensive end,” said Head Coach Shawn Nadelen. “We had a decent first half and gave them a couple opportunities to get back in it with costly penalties. They came out firing in the third quarter, and we couldn’t earn a possession, which allowed for their run.  I was proud of how our guys battled back from down eight goals to get within three, but we just couldn’t erase such a big deficit with the way we played earlier.”

DeNapoli opened the scoring just 44 seconds into the game, when he rolled right about 15 yards out and beat Drexel’s Cal Winkelman low. He posted the game’s second goal, again unassisted, at 12:07 and netted a hat trick at 4:18 in the first quarter when he ripped a shot while curling right around the goal. Drexel got on the board with a minute left in the first frame on a goal from Church.

DeNapoli picked up where he left off at 4:37 in the second off a Brian Bolewicki pass, but the Dragons answered with three straight goals from Belka (two goals) and McIntosh to even the score at 4-4 at 1:58. The Tigers briefly retook the lead, 5-4, with 43 seconds left in the first half when senior Matt Hughes buried a shot from junior Andrew Hodgson. But the Dragons knotted it the score again with 9.5 second left on Belka’s third goal of the day.

Drexel had an explosive third quarter, scoring eight goals to take a 13-5 lead at 4:32. The Dragons held the Tigers scoreless for 12:05 before Hodgson snapped the Dragons’ rally with a goal off a feed from DeNapoli. The junior’s tally started a six-goal Towson run that continued into the fourth quarter and featured goals from DeNapoli (two goals), Cuccinello (two goals) and sophomore Justin Mabus. The run helped Towson cut Drexel’s advantage to 13-11 with 6:57 remaining in the game.

On Saturday, April 20, the Tigers host Saint Joseph’s on Senior Day at 7 p.m. at Unitas Stadium to wrap up the regular season.

NOTES: DeNapoli posted his sixth hat trick of the season … DeNapoli and Hodgson stretched points streaks to 15 games … Wascavage stretched a 10-plus saves game streak to 15 games … This was the second time in 2013 DeNapoli has scored six or more goals in a game … Drexel went on a nine-goal run over the second and third quarters while Towson scored six straight over the third and fourth quarters.

College Men’s Lacrosse: Towson 11, No. 17 Drexel 14
Towson (7-7, 3-2 CAA)               3-2-3-3/11
No. 17 Drexel (10-3, 5-1 CAA)    1-4-8-1/14

GOALS: TOW – DeNapoli 6, Cuccinello 2, Hodgson, Mabus, Hughes; DRE – Belka 4, Church 4, McIntosh 2, Saputo, Frederick, Brown, Prosser. ASSISTS: TOW – Bolewicki, Hodgson, DeNapoli; DRE – Church 3, McIntosh 2, Saputo. SAVES: TOW – Wascavage (12, 40:28, 13 GA), Graves (2, 19:32, 1 GA); DRE – Winkelman (11, 60:00, 11 GA). SHOTS: TOW – 46; DRE – 42. GROUND BALLS: TOW – 27; DRE – 35. FACE-OFFS: TOW – 12-29; DRE – 17-29. CLEARS: TOW – 13-14; DRE – 13-17. EMO: TOW – 0-1; DRE – 1-3. ATT: 953.

Opening Face-Off
The Tigers come into Saturday’s contest looking to bounce back from a loss to Penn State and to pick up their first win in three tries against Drexel. The No. 17 Dragons defeated UMass 15-14 last weekend in Amherst, Mass. Today’s game is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. and can be heard live on the Towson Sports Network on www.towsontigers.com with Spiro Morekas and former Tiger midfielder Hunter Lochte calling the action.

Updating the Tigers
Despite losing to first-place Penn State, Towson has secured a spot in the 2013 CAA tournament held the first week of May at the site of the highest seed in a “Final Four” format. Last weekend, Towson dropped a 10-8 decision to PSU after committing 17 turnovers. Sophomore Justin Mabus and junior Andrew Hodgson each scored two goals and an assist to lead Towson. Senior goalkeeper Andrew Wascavage made 11 saves on the day.

Last Time Out vs. Drexel – April 21, 2012 (Drexel 13, Towson 5)
Towson goalkeeper Andrew Wascavage made a career-high 21 saves, but Drexel scored the final six goals of the game to upend the Tigers, 13-5, at Johnny Unitas® Stadium. Drexel outshot Towson 49-16 and outscored the Tigers 7-1 in the second half. Drexel’sBrendan Glynn recorded a hat trick for the Dragons, and Matt Lamon led the Tigers with two goals.

Towson-Drexel Series History
Towson leads the all-time series, 37-6. It began in 1962 and was contested annually until 1973 when it went on hiatus for seven years. The Tigers have separate win streaks of 23 games (1965-1997) and 10 games (1999-2007).

Towson-Drexel By the Numbers

Honorable Mention: Boxing-Canelo Alvarez vs. Austin Trout (Saturday 10pm from San Antonio live on Showtime); MLS: Philadelphia Union @ DC United (Sunday 5pm from RFK Stadium live on ESPN2); Tennis: ATP Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters (Tuesday-Friday 4:30am Saturday 7am Sunday 8am from Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France live on Tennis Channel)

10. Barry Manilow (Saturday 7:30pm 1st Mariner Arena); Hatebreed (Wednesday 7pm Rams Head Live), Kottonmouth Kings (Thursday 6:30pm Rams Head Live), Clutch (Saturday 7:30pm Rams Head Live), Delta Rae/Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds (Sunday 7pm Rams Head Live), Sevendust (Monday 7pm Rams Head Live); King Los (Tuesday 7pm Baltimore Soundstage), Big Boi (Sunday 8pm Baltimore Soundstage); America (Friday & Saturday 8pm Rams Head on Stage); Presidents of the United States of America (Tuesday 7pm 9:30 Club), Living Colour (Friday 6pm 9:30 Club), Joy Formidable (Sunday 7pm 9:30 Club); Wiz Khalifa (Friday 3:30pm Unitas Stadium); Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (Sunday 7pm RAC Arena); Blackstreet (Tuesday 8pm Howard Theatre); Faith Evans (Saturday 7:30pm France-Merrick Performing Arts Center at The Lyric); Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (Sunday 7pm House of Rock White Marsh); Willie Nelson “Let’s Face The Music And Dance” and Fall Out Boy “Save Rock N Roll” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

I shouldn’t love Delta Rae because they went to Duke. But I do. I’ll be at RHL Sunday night to see THIS…

And more importantly to see SS&TDB. When I think of them I think of New Orleans. And I LOVE New Orleans…

LOS really is the King of Charm City…

I’ve been to quite a few Quadmanias in my day. I’ll probably miss these guys this weekend, but their message has my support.

9. D.L. Hughley (Thursday 8pm & 10:30pm Howard Theatre); Kathy Griffin (Friday 8pm Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric); Ron White (Saturday 7pm & 9:30pm Warner Theatre), Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie (Sunday 8pm Warner Theatre); Ralphie May (Tuesday 7pm Baltimore Comedy Factory), Bobby Slayton (Thursday-Saturday Baltimore Comedy Factory); Jim Norton (Friday & Saturday Magooby’s Joke House); Kevin Nealon (Thursday-Sunday DC Improv); “Django Unchained” available on Blu-Ray/DVD (Tuesday); “Oblivion” out in theaters (Friday)

I’m admittedly a total Jay & Bob fanboy. The new commercial is fantastic. There’s a lot of language, but they were an incredible part of my adolescence. I’ll be eternally grateful for that.

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JOE TRICARIO NAMED AS TIGER FOOTBALL ASSISTANT COACH

Veteran Assistant To Coach Special Teams, Secondary

TOWSON, Md. – Veteran coach Joe Tricario has been named as an assistant coach for the Towson University football team, it has been announced by Head Coach Rob Ambrose.

A native of New York City, Coach Tricario has spent nearly 30 years as a football coach on the high school, college and pro football levels. He will serve as the Tigers’ secondary and special teams coach.

“After a nationwide search of some very high quality candidates, we hired Joe Tricario as our special teams coordinator,” said Coach Ambrose. “Joe brings a wealth of experience in both special teams coordination and recruiting in the northeast and we are thrilled to have him join our football family.”

Most recently, Tricario was a member of the staff at the University of Massachusetts where he served as the special teams and linebackers coach for Kevin Morris. In that role, he worked with All-American linebacker Tyler Holmes.

A 1983 graduate of Cortland State, he played wide receiver for the Red Dragons. He started his coaching career after graduation, serving as an assistant coach Mount St. Michael Academy in New York for one year and Mount Vernon High School for one season.

In 1985, he became a graduate assistant at the University of Albany for Coach Bob Ford. He worked with the wide receivers and quarterbacks. During his first season at Albany, he helped the Great Danes post a 9-2 record and win the ECAC Bowl championship with a victory over Plymouth State.

After five seasons at Albany, he joined the coaching staff of the Montreal Machine, a team in the World League of American Football (WLAF). He coached for Jacque Dasseault as Montreal posted a two-year record of 6-14. The WLAF was the forerunner of NFL Europe.

During the off-season of the WLAF, he coached at Union College in New York. In one season at Union, he helped the Dutchmen reach the NCAA Division III semi-finals and post a 10-1 record. He was a member of the staff for Coach Al Bagnoli.

In 1992, he followed Bagnoli to the University of Pennsylvania where he served as the Quakers’ special teams and wide receivers coach. In two seasons at Penn, he helped the Quakers compile a 17-3 record and win the 1993 Ivy League championship.

After two years at Penn, he became the special teams and the wide receivers coach at Fordham University.

In 1995, he returned to pro football to coach special teams and wide receivers for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.

After one season in the CFL, he returned to the college game, joining  Coach Bill Russo’s staff at Lafayette College. He spent three seasons working with the Leopards as their special teams and wide receiver coach.

In 1999, he returned to Fordham University as the Rams’ special teams coach for Coach Dave Clawson. At Fordham, he was part of the Rams’ dramatic turnaround. In 1999, Fordham posted an 0-11 record. Three years later, Fordham won the Patriot League championship with a 10-3 record. In 2002, Coach Tricario was named as Fordham’s defensive coordinator.

Coach Tricario joined the Stony Brook staff in 2006 and handled a variety of roles. He was the defensive coordinator, special teams coach and the linebackers coach for Coach Chuck Priorie. At Stony Brook, he helped the team compile a 28-27 overall record and win back-to-back Big South Conference championships.

The son of a prominent high school football coach in the New York City area, Coach Tricario and his wife, Aggie, reside in the Towson area.

KELLY WEBB NAMED AS TOWSON’S ASSISTANT A.D. FOR COMPLIANCE

Former NEC Assistant Commissioner Joins Towson Athletics Staff

TOWSON, Md. – Former Northeast Conference Assistant Commissioner Kelly Webb has been named as the Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance at Towson University, it has been announced by Director of Athletics Mike Waddell.

In that role, she will handle all compliance services for the Tiger student-athletes.

“We are very excited to have Kelly join our staff,” said Tricia Turley Brandenburg, the Deputy Director of Athletics for Internal Operations at Towson. “She brings a tremendous amount of experience to Towson, especially with providing rules interpretations and with the NCAA governance process. Her work at the NEC and A10 conference offices will be very beneficial to us. Kelly is a great addition to our staff.”

A native of Rancho Cucamonga, Cal, Webb served as the assistant commissioner at the NEC for the last year. She began her association with the conference in 2010 when she was named as the director of compliance. In her position at the NEC, she provided compliance services for all 12 members of the league. She also administered the NEC academic awards programs and various conference grants. In addition, she was responsible for educating the NEC membership on proposed NCAA legislation and Presidential Working Group changes.

Prior to joining the NEC staff, she was the assistant director of compliance for the Atlantic-10 Conference for two years. In that role, she was responsible for compliance services for 14 member institutions and issued interpretations, rules education, waiver processing and the National Letter of Intent program. She was also the primary liaison to the A-10 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Her first full-time position was with the West Coast Conference in 2006, spending one year as a Compliance Assistant.

A 2004 graduate of the University of California, Riverside, she started her career in athletics in 2004 when she spent a year as a media relations intern at her alma mater.

After earning her M.B.A. degree with a specialization in sports business management from San Diego State in 2006, she joined the Western Athletic Conference staff as an intern. In her role as an intern with the WAC, she gained experience in championships and compliance. As the WAC’s championship intern, she developed championship publications and acted as a direct managerial contact to coaches and staff at WAC Championships. She also worked with the WAC’s compliance staff and processed National Letters of Intent while administering hardship waivers.

Webb was recently appointed to the NCAA Division I Amateurism Fact-Finding Committee. She has also been a member of the NACWAA Membership Committee since 2011.

She began her duties at Towson University on April 15.

University Park, Pa. - Three Tigers scored two goals each, but No. 11 Penn State (9-3, 4-0 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA)) took home a 10-8 victory over Towson (7-6, 3-1 CAA) Saturday afternoon at Penn State Lacrosse Field.

Junior Andrew Hodgson and sophomores Justin Mabus and Greg Cuccinello all had two-goal games for Towson. Hodgson and Mabus each added an assist as well. Senior goalie Andrew Wascavage made 11 saves for the Tigers. TJ Sanders posted his third five-goal game of the year for Penn State.

Towson and Penn State were evenly matched. The teams split the face-offs, 10-10, and each took 33 shots. Both teams were 2-3 on extra man opportunities. But the Tigers couldn’t overcome 17 turnovers, including five in the first quarter. Penn State scored two goals directly off Towson turnovers.

Sanders got Penn State on the board first at 13:00 in the first quarter before Brian Bolewicki and Cuccinello scored back-to-back goals to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead with 4:55 in the first frame. Sanders and Hodgson traded goals to start the second quarter before the Nittany Lions reeled off four unanswered goals to take a 6-3 lead at 8:34 in the third quarter. PSU held a four-goal lead, 8-4, at 2:10 in the same frame.

Towson cut the advantage to two goals three times, 8-6 at 11:52 in the fourth on an EMO goal from Mabus, 9-7 after junior Thomas DeNapoli scored unassisted at 10:07 in the fourth and the final 10-8 after a Hodgson goal.

The Tigers return to action Saturday, April 20 at Drexel at 4 p.m.