Towson University - Athletics

Athletics

The Towson Tigers, formerly the Towson College Knights, are the athletics teams of Towson University. All of the major athletic teams compete in the Colonial Athletic Association with 20 Division I athletic teams (13 in women's sports, 7 in men's sports).

Under the leadership of President Bob Caret the University placed a greater emphasis on the athletics program. In September 2010 Caret hired a new Director of Athletics, Michael P. Waddell, who has significant program building experience at the highest levels of college sports.

Towson University offers the most comprehensive sports program in the metropolitan Baltimore area, fielding 20 varsity teams that compete in the Colonial Athletic Association. Since joining the league in 2001-02, the Tigers have won CAA titles in men’s and women’s lacrosse, women’s swimming, men’s soccer and men’s golf. During an athletics history that traces its roots to the 1920s, Towson has sent teams and individual student-athletes to NCAA post-season competition in baseball, basketball, football, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, track & field and volleyball.

Tiger student-athletes have distinguished themselves in the classroom as well as on the field of competition. Eleven Tigers have been named CAA Scholar-Athlete Award Winners for their respective sports, including the 2010 cross country recipient, Brandi Gervais, a senior Biology/Pre-Dentistry Major with a perfect 4.0 GPA. A number of student-athletes have gone on to enjoy professional careers, including most recently Jermon Bushrod, the starting left offensive tackle for the 2010 Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints; outfielder Casper Wells with the Seattle Mariners; and shooting guard Gary Neal with the San Antonio Spurs. Saint's Associate head coach Joe Vitt is also a prominent alumnus as well as a major contributor to the Athletics Department. Current Atlanta Braves' President John Schuerholz is also a Towson alumnus and a member of the school's Board of Visitors.

In May 2011, the department broke ground on the future of Towson Athletics as it began construction of Tiger Arena, a new 5,200-seat, state-of-the-art arena for basketball, volleyball and gymnastics, slated to open in the Spring of 2013.