Opening Faceoff
For a second-straight season, the Tigers advanced out of the Preliminary Round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship, drawing second-seeded, and defending national champion, Denver in the first round. The Tigers concluded their home schedule for the year with an 18-5 win over Hobart Wednesday.
In The National Rankings
Towson moved back into the Top 10 in two of the polls this week, sitting 10th in both the Nike Lacrosse/USILA Coaches’ Poll and the Cascade/Maverik Inside Lacrosse Media Poll. The Tigers are ranked 11th in this week’s Nike Lacrosse/Lacrosse Magazine Top 20, falling back one spot.
Updating the Advancing Tigers
After a four-goal output in the 2016 CAA Championship game on Saturday, the Tiger offense came back to life with its second 18-goal production of the season. Ryan Drenner (30g, 21a) leads the Tigers with 51 points, the most since Thomas DeNapoli put up 60 in 2013. Spencer Parks (23g, 17a) hit the 40-point landmark with a two-goal performance on Wednesday. Joe Seider (33g, 5a) is nearing the 40-point mark for a second-straight season. Towson’s offense is just 11 goals shy of hitting 200 milestone, the most in a single season since Towson joined the CAA in 2002. In its three postseason games, Towson has allowed just 13 goals, lifting the Tigers to second place in the national rankings for goals allowed; Towson limits opponents to 7.00 per game. Tyler White has the best goals against average (6.57) while backing the defense. Faceoffs will be key on Sunday as Alec Burckley is winning at a 53.3 percent clip (138-259) while Steven Stillwell has won 38 of his 78 opportunities. Towson commits the third-fewest turnovers per game at 10.59.
Scouting Second Seeded Denver
Denver has one of the top offenses in the country, ranking second with 13.87 goals per game. Connor Cannizzaro
(44g, 23a) leads the Pioneers with 67 points while three of his teammates are north of 40 points. Zach Miller (24g, 21a) is second with 45, with Tyler Pace (20g, 23a) and Jack Bobzien (22g, 18a) in third and fourth, respectively. Denver’s defense is also solid, allowing 9.07 goals per game, backed by Alex Ready in goal, who carries an 8.93 goals against average and a 52.5 save percentage, making 135 saves against 257 opponent shots on goal. Faceoff specialist Trevor Baptiste is fourth in the country at 68.1 percent (252-370) and has 152 groundballs.
Towson-Denver History
Sunday’s game will be the fifth meeting all-time between the Tigers and Pioneers and the third in the Mile High City. Towson leads the series at 3-1, winning the first three meetings. Denver won the last matchup on March 1, 2009, 9-4. Towson’s last win at Denver came on March 6, 2005, a 10-8 victory. Sunday’s game will be the first meeting between the program’s head coaches, Shawn Nadelen (Towson) and Bill Tierney (Denver). Nadelen has headed up the Tigers since 2012, while Tierney has been at the helm since 2010.
Towson-Denver By the Numbers
All-Time Series Record Towson 3-1
at Towson Towson 2-0
at Denver Towson 1-1
at Neutral Sites n/a
at Unknown Sites n/a
First Meeting March 19, 2000
Denver 9, Towson 16
Last Meeting March 1, 2009
Towson 4, Denver 9
Streak Denver +1
Last Time Out vs. Denver
It’s been a while since the Tigers and Pioneers clashed, dating back to March 1, 2009. Towson was unranked in that meeting, squaring off with 16th-ranking Denver. The Tigers got four goals from four sources as starters Bill McCutcheon (Attack) and Randall Cooper (Midfield) scored, while Will Harrington and Peter Mezzanotte logged goals off the bench. Rob Wheeler made seven saves. Denver’s Joey Murray was the only player in the game with multiple goals as seven other Pioneers scored. Towson won the faceoff battle in Denver, winning nine of the game’s 16 draws.
With a Win Sunday
– Towson would advance to the 2016 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship Quarterfinals, hosted at Ohio Stadium on May 22. The winner of Sunday’s game draws the winner of Saturday’s first round rematch between Loyola and Duke at the Greyhounds’ Ridley Athletic Complex.
– The Tigers would reach the NCAA Quarterfinals for the first time since 2003 after Towson dropped No. 11 Penn State 11-6 in the First Round.
– Towson would win its first NCAA Tournament game on the road since a 12-11 win at No. 6 Maryland on May 20, 2001 in the NCAA Quarterfinals.
– Towson would extend its winning streak to six games, its longest of the season and longest since winning six straight in 2014.
– Collect its second win of the year over a top-five program, joining the Tigers’ 10-8 win at No. 5 Loyola on March 2.
– Towson would earn its first win over a team ranked second in the country since joining the Division I ranks in 1980. The highest-ranked team Towson ahs even beaten was No. 3 Princeton with a 14-13 triple overtime victory against Princeton in 1991 – a team under the direction of Bill Tierney, now Denver’s head coach.
– Towson would pick up its 16th win of the season, extending the program’s single-season wins record.
Familiar Faces on the Sidelines
There are several deep connections between Sunday’s opponents. Towson head coach Shawn Nadelen got his coaching start at Princeton after graduation from Johns Hopkins University. Denver’s head coach Bill Tierney added Nadelen to his coaching staff for three seasons. Towson’s starting close defenseman Nick Gorman began his collegiate career with the Pioneers before transferring closer to home after his freshman season.
The Friendly Confines
On Wednesday, Towson logged its 11th win from the Friendly Confines of Johnny Unitas Stadium, extending the program’s single-season record for home wins. The previous highwater mark was eight. The Tigers have the most home wins in Division I this season, with Saint Joseph’s ranking second with eight at Sweeney Field. With its 11 home wins this season, Towson has more wins at home than 75 percent of the Division I teams had total wins.
Coming Up on 200
The Tigers have put away 189 goals this season, averaging 11.12 per outing, nearly three goals per game more than the 2015 campaign. The Tigers’ 189 goals this season are the most since Towson joined the CAA for the 2002 season. Towson has not scored 200 or more goals in a season since 2001 when Towson played 18 games and notched 236 markers en route to the 2001 NCAA Division I Championship Weekend.
Go West, Young Tigers
Sunday’s game will be Towson’s second trip west this season after heading to Ohio State for a 10-9 overtime win on March 15. The Tigers have not played west of the Mississippi River since Towson’s last game at Denver on March 1, 2009. Towson played two games in Colorado that season, beating Air Force 11-9 on February 28 at the Harrow Sports Face-Off Classic, hosted by Denver. The Tigers are 6-1 against programs in Colorado, holding a 3-0 mark against Air Force and 3-1 versus Denver.
How Many Miles?
There are approximately 1,700 miles between Towson’s Johnny Unitas Stadium and Denver’s Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. According to Wikipedia, Towson, Maryland sits at an elevation of 463 foot above sea level. Denver, Colorado is between 5,130 and 5,690 feet above sea level.
Google Maps’ first travel recommendation is to fly.
A Defensive Slugfest for the Title
Last Saturday, the Tigers bested second-seeded Fairfield 4-2 in the 2016 CAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship game. It was the lowest-scoring CAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship game since the league began a Tournament in 2001. There was no tournament in 2002. Previously, the fewest goals scored in a CAA Championship game was No. 4 Delaware’s 2011 9-7 win over No. 3 UMass in Amherst, Massachusetts. After a poll of the nation’s Division I men’s lacrosse sports information directors, it is believed to be the lowest-scoring conference championship game ever played.
All-Tournament Selections
After winning the program’s sixth CAA Championship on Saturday, Towson had three players named to the league’s All-Tournament Team. Defenseman Nick Gorman and goalie Tyler White anchored a defense that surrendered just eight goals in the CAA Championships, holding No. 2 Fairfield to just two and the fourth-seeded Drexel Dragons to six. Spencer Parks was selected after scoring the final two goals of the Championship game, securing Towson’s 13th Division NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship appearance.
Senior close defenseman Mike Lowe was selected as the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, finishing with three caused turnovers, while holding Co-Player and Rookie of the Year Colin Burke without a goal in the title tilt. Lowe is just the second-ever close defenseman to be named as the CAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, joining former Tiger Adam Baxter, who was the 2003 MOP in the Tigers’ first CAA Championship. Lowe is the sixth defensive player to win MOP honors, with the other four being goalies. Towson goalie Andrew Wascavage was the 2013 Most Outstanding Player, the last defensive Tiger to win the honor.
Defense Wins Championships
Towson claimed its sixth CAA Championship with the 4-2 win over Fairfield on Saturday. Towson has won twice as many CAA titles as the remainder of the conference. Delaware is second with three. Entering Wednesday’s game, the 2016 Tigers are ranked second in the country in scoring defense (7.13) while the 2015 CAA Champion Tigers allowed just 7.72 goals per game, sixth-fewest in the country. After the program won the first CAA title under head coach Shawn Nadelen, Towson was ranked 16th in the country in scoring defense (8.88) in the May 5, 2013 statistical rankings. In the two seasons Towson has not won the title under Nadelen (2012, 2014), the Tigers ranked 37th (9.93) and 29th (9.73), respectively.
Gimme Who Ya Got
As top-seeded Towson claimed its sixth CAA Championship, it did so in unique fashion. Not only was it the lowest-scoring CAA Championship game, a 4-2 Towson victory over No. 2 Fairfield, but it was the first time the No. 1 seed won the Tournament since Massachusetts did it in 2012. Only five No. 1 seeds have won the CAA crown in the league’s 15 Tournaments: Towson (2003, 2004, 2016), Hofstra (2006), UMass (2012).
Repeating as Conference Champions
The Tigers claimed their second-straight CAA crown with their defensive stand over Fairfield in a 4-2 victory at Johnny Unitas Stadium on Saturday. Towson became the first CAA team to repeat as league champions since Delaware won the Tournament in 2010 and 2011. Only three CAA programs have ever repeated as champions: Loyola (2001, 2002), Delaware (2010, 2011) and the Tigers on two occasions, winning three straight from 2003-2005 and most recently in 2015 and 2016.
As the 2016 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship field was set, only three of the 10 conferences with an automatic qualifying bid repeated as league champions: Towson (CAA), Syracuse (ACC) and Yale (Ivy League). The other seven AQs were claimed by a different team in 2016 than in 2015.
Even more unique than winning it as the top seed was in who Towson played. The Stags of Fairfield made their first-ever CAA Championship game in their second season in the league. The Tigers have won all six of their league titles against different opponents: 2003 vs. Hofstra, 2004 vs. Villanova, 2005 vs. Delaware, 2013 vs. Penn State, 2015 vs. UMass and 2016 vs. Fairfield.
Golden PAWS Awards
Held annually, the Towson Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) handed out its annual awards. The men’s lacrosse team was well represented at the May 9 event held at SECU Arena. Below is a list of the awards Towson men’s lacrosse won.
Jack Adams – Male Athlete of the Year
Brian Bolewicki – Male Comeback Player of the Year
Alec Burckley – Best Male Athlete in a Supporting Role
Dan Carder – Male Strength & Conditioning Award
Ian Kirby – Male Best Moment (Overtime game-winning goal at Ohio State)
Tyler White – Male Senior Career Achievements
Team – Bobbie Madison Award (highest increase in GPA from Fall 2014-Fall 2015.
50 Nifty Wins of Nadelen’s Career
Towson head coach Shawn Nadelen won the 50th game of his career with the Tigers’ 10-6 CAA Semifinal victory over Drexel. He becomes the third head coach in program history with at least 50 wins and is chasing his former boss, Tony Seaman, who won 99 games at the helm of the Black & Gold. Nadelen’s first career win came in his first career game, a 12-10 victory on the road at Jacksonville on Feb. 11, 2012. His 25th victory was a 6-5 affair at UMass on April 5, 2014. He has doubled his career wins total in the last two seasons.
Home, Sweet Home – Updated May 12
Towson’s 18-5 win over Hobart on Wednesday was the team’s 11th from the friendly confines of Unitas Stadium this season. That mark represents the most home wins in a single season in the program’s Division I Era (1980) and the first-ever double-digit home win season in Division I era. The previous best was eight home victories in 2004.
CAA Dominance – Updated May 9
No team has left its mark on the Colonial Athletic Association like the Tigers have. Since joining the league for the 2002 campaign, Towson has picked up 55 conference victories, more than any other program in the league. Hofstra is second with 54. The Tigers have won six CAA Tournaments. Delaware is second with three titles. No program has appeared in more CAA Championship games than Towson, which made its ninth title game showing since 2002.
All-Conference Nods
The Tigers did well in the 2016 CAA Men’s Lacrosse postseason awards. Towson saw junior Ryan Drenner earn Co-Player of the Year honors, while head coach Shawn Nadelen was the league’s Coach of the Year. Drenner became the first Tiger to win a share of Player of the Year since Ben DeFelice was also a Co-Player of the Year in 2004. Nadelen is the first Tiger head man to earn Coach of the Year honors since Tony Seaman won the award in 2010.
Joining Drenner on the First Team All-CAA list were juniors Jack Adams (SSDM) and Tyler Mayes (LSM). Four Towson standouts, Joe Seider (A), Mike Lynch (M), Mike Lowe (D) and Tyler White (GK) earned Second Team All-CAA plaudits. Freshmen Zach Goodrich (M) and Jon Mazza (M) were tabbed All-Rookie. Drenner was also the Tigers’ selection for the All-Academic Team.
The Century Mark
Towson’s starting attack line boasts two 100-point scorers. Junior Ryan Drenner notched his 100th point at 13:46 of the third quarter with a goal at Hofstra, while linemate Joe Seider utilized a hat trick to move to 101 career points, hitting the century mark at 11:56 of the third period.
Bouncing Back
During Shawn Nadelen’s tenure at Towson, the Tigers have allowed double-digit goals in just 27 of his 79 career games coached, including Towson’s 18-11 win in the regular season contest over Fairfield. Towson is 14-12 since 2012 following a game when it allows opponents double-digit markers. After allowing double digits, the defense has buckled down in the ensuing game; Towson has allowed opponents double digits just 10 times after allowing 10 or more in the previous game. Since taking over the program in 2012, Nadelen holds a 17-14 mark following a loss. Towson beat Fairfield 18-11 at home following a 10-7 setback against Delaware the week before.
Got That 35th Win – Updated May 12
Redshirt senior goalie Tyler White logged his 30th career win on April 9 in an 11-8 victory over CAA rival UMass. He now has the most for a Tiger keeper in the CAA Era.
White holds the top spot in the CAA in all-time wins since the conference first sponsored men’s lacrosse in 2002. His 35 wins stand alone for the most in the CAA, passing UMass’s Tim McCormack’s and Drexel’s Bruce Bickford, who each had 33.
30+ Career Wins for Current CAA Teams
Tyler White (Towson) – 35 (2013-Present)
Mark Manos (Drexel) – 33 (2009-12)
Tim McCormack (UMass) – 33 (2010-12)
Bruce Bickford (Drexel) – 31 (2006-08)
White Named Senior CLASS Award Finalist
Redshirt senior goalie Tyler White was one of 10 NCAA Division I student-athletes to be named as a Senior CLASS Award Finalist, announced March 30. White is the only CAA student-athlete to make the finalist list.
The Fan Vote counts for one-third of the final total, with the remaining two-thirds decided by NCAA Division I coaches and national media members.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. CLASS is an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®.
Bring Your Green Hat – Updated May 12
Junior attackman Joe Seider has been on an offensive terror lately, scoring at least one goal in his last 22 appearances. The streak began on April 25, 2015 in the regular season match up at Drexel. Since then, Seider has racked up 41 goals, averaging two per contest during the run. That scoring streak is the third-longest in the country. During that span, Seider has added seven assists and is one of 23 active players with a point streak of 20+ games.
Tigers Among the Division I Active Leaders – Updated May 12
Redshirt senior goalie Tyler White is among one of the top active goalies in the country. As of the May 11, 2016 statistical rankings, White was ranked 10th among Division I goalies in career saves, turning aside 456 opponent attempts.
Junior faceoff specialist Alec Burckley is currently tied at 28th on the active career groundball list, raking in 171. Wingman Pat Conroy is 48th on the active list with 132. Burckley is also 22nd in active faceoffs won (327) and 21st in faceoff attempts (626).
Seider in the Towson Career Top 10 – Updated May 12
Junior attackman Joe Seider has ripped off 348 career shots in his time with the program. Seider is now alone in second-place all-time with shot attempts, passing the 327 attempts by Kevin Sturm (1995-97, 1999). Glenn Smith sits atop the leader board with 458 shots from 1988-91. The Hereford, Maryland native has 90 career goals and has passed the 89 markers from Bobby Griebe (2004-07) and Tom Wagner (1976-79).
Burckley in the Towson Career Top 10 – Updated May 12
With his sixth faceoff win against Johns Hopkins University on March 12, junior faceoff man Alec Burckley moved into the program’s top-10 career list for faceoff wins. Burckley has 327 career wins, and is sole possession of sesven place all-time. With his 10th faceoff win against Hobart on May 11, Burckley passed Tim Lucky (1992-95), who won 323 draws from 1990-93. Burckley is now the eighth player in program history to win 300 or more draws. Towson Hall of Famer Justin Berry holds the career record at 507 from 1998-2001 and is the only player in program history to win more than 500 faceoffs.
Tyler White’s Career Numbers – Updated May 12
It’s no secret that Towson’s starting goalie, Tewaaraton Watch Lister Tyler White, is one of the best backstops in the country. White has the best goals against average (6.57) in the nation, a mark that would better his own single-season record of 7.57 from the 2015 campaign. Over the course of his career, White has built a 35-15 overall record. White’s win over UMass was the 30th of his career, passing Reed Sothoron, who won 29 from 2002-2005. White’s winning percentage is better at 69.3, edging Sothoron’s 64.4 percent (29-16). With goalie minutes available from 1997 to the present, White is among seven goalies with 1,000+ minutes in the rack, logging 2,929. Sothoron played in the most in that span at 2,976, while John Horrigan logged 2,660 from 1998-2001.
In it for the Long Haul – Updated May 2
The Tigers’ game at Ohio State was the farthest the Tigers will travel in the 2016 regular season. Towson flew out that Monday for Columbus and returned to Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on Wednesday. Johnny Unitas Stadium, home of the Tigers, sits roughly 415 miles from Ohio Stadium, the site of the March 15 contest. The trip was roughly 830 round-trip miles. On April 9, Towson traveled 356 miles to Amherst, Massachusetts to take on the Minutemen at Garber Field. The Tigers rounded out the regular season on April 30 at Shuart Stadium, home of the Hofstra Pride, a trip of 215 miles. Those two April games were the only CAA road trips for Towson this season.
Lowe Named CAA Player of the Week (5/2)
Lowe played an outstanding defensive game to help the No. 12 Tigers close out the regular season with an 8-7 victory over Hofstra. It was Towson’s first win at James M. Shuart Stadium since the 2012 season. Lowe anchored a defense that held its 11th opponent of the season to single digits. In addition, Lowe marked Hofstra’s second-leading point getter, Sam Llinares, keeping then-reigning CAA Player of the Year without a point and limiting Llinares to just one shot. Lowe forced three turnovers in the game and recorded seven groundballs.
Parks Named CAA Player of the Week (4/15)
After a four-point week where he scored his second hat trick of the season and added an assist to his day, senior attackman Spencer Parks was named CAA Player of the Week. Parks scored what proved to be the game-winning goal early in the third quarter as the Tigers recorded its second CAA win of the season. It is Parks’ second weekly honor and the Tigers’ sixth of the season. Parks is the first Tiger to win multiple CAA Players of the Week this year.
Burckley Named CAA Co-Player of the Week (4/2)
After winning 16 of his 21 faceoff attempts while collecting nine groundballs, junior faceoff specialist Alec Burckley was named CAA Co-Player of the Week (April 2). Burkley set a career-high in faceoff wins, besting his mark of 15 set twice last season. His nine groundballs against the Dragons represented a season high. His 16 faceoff wins were the second most for a Tiger in the Shawn Nadelen era (2012), just one behind Ian Mill’s mark of 17.
Seider Added to Tewaaraton Watch List – Updated May 12
Junior attackman Joe Seider was added to the coveted Tewaaraton Trophy, Presented by Under Armour, Watch List, announced by the Tewaaraton Foundation. Seider is the only CAA player to be added to the list this round and joins teammate and redshirt senior goalie Tyler White on the Watch List.
Seider is third on the team in points (28) and leads the Tigers with 32 goals. He is riding a 22-game scoring streak dating back to the 2015 regular season. The Sparks, Maryland native has started in all 17 games for the No. 10/No. 10 Tigers and has taken a team-best 131 shots. He has two game-winning goals to his credit while scoring six extra-man goals.
Defense + Offense = Success – Updated May 12
With a defense as heralded as Towson’s, it’s not a surprise to followers of the team that the Tigers have lots of success when the offense and defense pair well. Since head coach Shawn Nadelen took over in 2012, the Tigers are 32-5 in games when Towson scores double digits. When Towson’s defense limits opponents to single digits, the Tigers are a whopping 48-8 in that same time, including Wednesday’s 18-5 win over Hobart in the NCAA Play-In Game. On 29 occasions, the Tigers have scored in double figures while holding opponents to single digits, obviously a 29-0 record.
Opening Faceoff
For a second-straight season, the Tigers advanced out of the Preliminary Round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship, drawing second-seeded, and defending national champion, Denver in the first round. The Tigers concluded their home schedule for the year with an 18-5 win over Hobart Wednesday.
In The National Rankings
Towson moved back into the Top 10 in two of the polls this week, sitting 10th in both the Nike Lacrosse/USILA Coaches’ Poll and the Cascade/Maverik Inside Lacrosse Media Poll. The Tigers are ranked 11th in this week’s Nike Lacrosse/Lacrosse Magazine Top 20, falling back one spot.
Updating the Advancing Tigers
After a four-goal output in the 2016 CAA Championship game on Saturday, the Tiger offense came back to life with its second 18-goal production of the season. Ryan Drenner (30g, 21a) leads the Tigers with 51 points, the most since Thomas DeNapoli put up 60 in 2013. Spencer Parks (23g, 17a) hit the 40-point landmark with a two-goal performance on Wednesday. Joe Seider (33g, 5a) is nearing the 40-point mark for a second-straight season. Towson’s offense is just 11 goals shy of hitting 200 milestone, the most in a single season since Towson joined the CAA in 2002. In its three postseason games, Towson has allowed just 13 goals, lifting the Tigers to second place in the national rankings for goals allowed; Towson limits opponents to 7.00 per game. Tyler White has the best goals against average (6.57) while backing the defense. Faceoffs will be key on Sunday as Alec Burckley is winning at a 53.3 percent clip (138-259) while Steven Stillwell has won 38 of his 78 opportunities. Towson commits the third-fewest turnovers per game at 10.59.
Scouting Second Seeded Denver
Denver has one of the top offenses in the country, ranking second with 13.87 goals per game. Connor Cannizzaro (44g, 23a) leads the Pioneers with 67 points while three of his teammates are north of 40 points. Zach Miller (24g, 21a) is second with 45, with Tyler Pace (20g, 23a) and Jack Bobzien (22g, 18a) in third and fourth, respectively. Denver’s defense is also solid, allowing 9.07 goals per game, backed by Alex Ready in goal, who carries an 8.93 goals against average and a 52.5 save percentage, making 135 saves against 257 opponent shots on goal. Faceoff specialist Trevor Baptiste is fourth in the country at 68.1 percent (252-370) and has 152 groundballs.
Towson-Denver History
Sunday’s game will be the fifth meeting all-time between the Tigers and Pioneers and the third in the Mile High City. Towson leads the series at 3-1, winning the first three meetings. Denver won the last matchup on March 1, 2009, 9-4. Towson’s last win at Denver came on March 6, 2005, a 10-8 victory. Sunday’s game will be the first meeting between the program’s head coaches, Shawn Nadelen (Towson) and Bill Tierney (Denver). Nadelen has headed up the Tigers since 2012, while Tierney has been at the helm since 2010.
Towson-Denver By the Numbers
All-Time Series Record……………………….. Towson 3-1
……….. at Towson……………………………………… Towson 2-0
……….. at Denver………………………………………… Towson 1-1
……….. at Neutral Sites…………………………………………. n/a
……….. at Unknown Sites………………………………………. n/a
First Meeting………………………………….. March 19, 2000
…………………………………………………… Denver 9, Towson 16
Last Meeting…………………………………….. March 1, 2009
……………………………………………………. Towson 4, Denver 9
Streak…………………………………………………………… Denver +1
Last Time Out vs. Denver
It’s been a while since the Tigers and Pioneers clashed, dating back to March 1, 2009. Towson was unranked in that meeting, squaring off with 16th-ranking Denver. The Tigers got four goals from four sources as starters Bill McCutcheon (Attack) and Randall Cooper (Midfield) scored, while Will Harrington and Peter Mezzanotte logged goals off the bench. Rob Wheeler made seven saves. Denver’s Joey Murray was the only player in the game with multiple goals as seven other Pioneers scored. Towson won the faceoff battle in Denver, winning nine of the game’s 16 draws.
With a Win Sunday
– Towson would advance to the 2016 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship Quarterfinals, hosted at Ohio Stadium on May 22. The winner of Sunday’s game draws the winner of Saturday’s first round rematch between Loyola and Duke at the Greyhounds’ Ridley Athletic Complex.
– The Tigers would reach the NCAA Quarterfinals for the first time since 2003 after Towson dropped No. 11 Penn State 11-6 in the First Round.
– Towson would win its first NCAA Tournament game on the road since a 12-11 win at No. 6 Maryland on May 20, 2001 in the NCAA Quarterfinals.
– Towson would extend its winning streak to six games, its longest of the season and longest since winning six straight in 2014.
– Collect its second win of the year over a top-five program, joining the Tigers’ 10-8 win at No. 5 Loyola on March 2.
– Towson would earn its first win over a team ranked second in the country since joining the Division I ranks in 1980. The highest-ranked team Towson ahs even beaten was No. 3 Princeton with a 14-13 triple overtime victory against Princeton in 1991 – a team under the direction of Bill Tierney, now Denver’s head coach.
– Towson would pick up its 16th win of the season, extending the program’s single-season wins record.
Familiar Faces on the Sidelines
There are several deep connections between Sunday’s opponents. Towson head coach Shawn Nadelen got his coaching start at Princeton after graduation from Johns Hopkins University. Denver’s head coach Bill Tierney added Nadelen to his coaching staff for three seasons. Towson’s starting close defenseman Nick Gorman began his collegiate career with the Pioneers before transferring closer to home after his freshman season.
The Friendly Confines
On Wednesday, Towson logged its 11th win from the Friendly Confines of Johnny Unitas Stadium, extending the program’s single-season record for home wins. The previous highwater mark was eight. The Tigers have the most home wins in Division I this season, with Saint Joseph’s ranking second with eight at Sweeney Field. With its 11 home wins this season, Towson has more wins at home than 75 percent of the Division I teams had total wins.
Coming Up on 200
The Tigers have put away 189 goals this season, averaging 11.12 per outing, nearly three goals per game more than the 2015 campaign. The Tigers’ 189 goals this season are the most since Towson joined the CAA for the 2002 season. Towson has not scored 200 or more goals in a season since 2001 when Towson played 18 games and notched 236 markers en route to the 2001 NCAA Division I Championship Weekend.
Go West, Young Tigers
Sunday’s game will be Towson’s second trip west this season after heading to Ohio State for a 10-9 overtime win on March 15. The Tigers have not played west of the Mississippi River since Towson’s last game at Denver on March 1, 2009. Towson played two games in Colorado that season, beating Air Force 11-9 on February 28 at the Harrow Sports Face-Off Classic, hosted by Denver. The Tigers are 6-1 against programs in Colorado, holding a 3-0 mark against Air Force and 3-1 versus Denver.
How Many Miles?
There are approximately 1,700 miles between Towson’s Johnny Unitas Stadium and Denver’s Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. According to Wikipedia, Towson, Maryland sits at an elevation of 463 foot above sea level. Denver, Colorado is between 5,130 and 5,690 feet above sea level.
Google Maps’ first travel recommendation is to fly.
A Defensive Slugfest for the Title
Last Saturday, the Tigers bested second-seeded Fairfield 4-2 in the 2016 CAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship game. It was the lowest-scoring CAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship game since the league began a Tournament in 2001. There was no tournament in 2002. Previously, the fewest goals scored in a CAA Championship game was No. 4 Delaware’s 2011 9-7 win over No. 3 UMass in Amherst, Massachusetts. After a poll of the nation’s Division I men’s lacrosse sports information directors, it is believed to be the lowest-scoring conference championship game ever played.
All-Tournament Selections
After winning the program’s sixth CAA Championship on Saturday, Towson had three players named to the league’s All-Tournament Team. Defenseman Nick Gorman and goalie Tyler White anchored a defense that surrendered just eight goals in the CAA Championships, holding No. 2 Fairfield to just two and the fourth-seeded Drexel Dragons to six. Spencer Parks was selected after scoring the final two goals of the Championship game, securing Towson’s 13th Division NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship appearance.
Senior close defenseman Mike Lowe was selected as the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, finishing with three caused turnovers, while holding Co-Player and Rookie of the Year Colin Burke without a goal in the title tilt. Lowe is just the second-ever close defenseman to be named as the CAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, joining former Tiger Adam Baxter, who was the 2003 MOP in the Tigers’ first CAA Championship. Lowe is the sixth defensive player to win MOP honors, with the other four being goalies. Towson goalie Andrew Wascavage was the 2013 Most Outstanding Player, the last defensive Tiger to win the honor.
Defense Wins Championships
Towson claimed its sixth CAA Championship with the 4-2 win over Fairfield on Saturday. Towson has won twice as many CAA titles as the remainder of the conference. Delaware is second with three. Entering Wednesday’s game, the 2016 Tigers are ranked second in the country in scoring defense (7.13) while the 2015 CAA Champion Tigers allowed just 7.72 goals per game, sixth-fewest in the country. After the program won the first CAA title under head coach Shawn Nadelen, Towson was ranked 16th in the country in scoring defense (8.88) in the May 5, 2013 statistical rankings. In the two seasons Towson has not won the title under Nadelen (2012, 2014), the Tigers ranked 37th (9.93) and 29th (9.73), respectively.
Gimme Who Ya Got
As top-seeded Towson claimed its sixth CAA Championship, it did so in unique fashion. Not only was it the lowest-scoring CAA Championship game, a 4-2 Towson victory over No. 2 Fairfield, but it was the first time the No. 1 seed won the Tournament since Massachusetts did it in 2012. Only five No. 1 seeds have won the CAA crown in the league’s 15 Tournaments: Towson (2003, 2004, 2016), Hofstra (2006), UMass (2012).
Repeating as Conference Champions
The Tigers claimed their second-straight CAA crown with their defensive stand over Fairfield in a 4-2 victory at Johnny Unitas Stadium on Saturday. Towson became the first CAA team to repeat as league champions since Delaware won the Tournament in 2010 and 2011. Only three CAA programs have ever repeated as champions: Loyola (2001, 2002), Delaware (2010, 2011) and the Tigers on two occasions, winning three straight from 2003-2005 and most recently in 2015 and 2016.
As the 2016 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship field was set, only three of the 10 conferences with an automatic qualifying bid repeated as league champions: Towson (CAA), Syracuse (ACC) and Yale (Ivy League). The other seven AQs were claimed by a different team in 2016 than in 2015.
Even more unique than winning it as the top seed was in who Towson played. The Stags of Fairfield made their first-ever CAA Championship game in their second season in the league. The Tigers have won all six of their league titles against different opponents: 2003 vs. Hofstra, 2004 vs. Villanova, 2005 vs. Delaware, 2013 vs. Penn State, 2015 vs. UMass and 2016 vs. Fairfield.
Golden PAWS Awards
Held annually, the Towson Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) handed out its annual awards. The men’s lacrosse team was well represented at the May 9 event held at SECU Arena. Below is a list of the awards Towson men’s lacrosse won.
Jack Adams – Male Athlete of the Year
Brian Bolewicki – Male Comeback Player of the Year
Alec Burckley – Best Male Athlete in a Supporting Role
Dan Carder – Male Strength & Conditioning Award
Ian Kirby – Male Best Moment (Overtime game-winning goal at Ohio State)
Tyler White – Male Senior Career Achievements
Team – Bobbie Madison Award (highest increase in GPA from Fall 2014-Fall 2015.
50 Nifty Wins of Nadelen’s Career
Towson head coach Shawn Nadelen won the 50th game of his career with the Tigers’ 10-6 CAA Semifinal victory over Drexel. He becomes the third head coach in program history with at least 50 wins and is chasing his former boss, Tony Seaman, who won 99 games at the helm of the Black & Gold. Nadelen’s first career win came in his first career game, a 12-10 victory on the road at Jacksonville on Feb. 11, 2012. His 25th victory was a 6-5 affair at UMass on April 5, 2014. He has doubled his career wins total in the last two seasons.
Home, Sweet Home – Updated May 12
Towson’s 18-5 win over Hobart on Wednesday was the team’s 11th from the friendly confines of Unitas Stadium this season. That mark represents the most home wins in a single season in the program’s Division I Era (1980) and the first-ever double-digit home win season in Division I era. The previous best was eight home victories in 2004.
CAA Dominance – Updated May 9
No team has left its mark on the Colonial Athletic Association like the Tigers have. Since joining the league for the 2002 campaign, Towson has picked up 55 conference victories, more than any other program in the league. Hofstra is second with 54. The Tigers have won six CAA Tournaments. Delaware is second with three titles. No program has appeared in more CAA Championship games than Towson, which made its ninth title game showing since 2002.
All-Conference Nods
The Tigers did well in the 2016 CAA Men’s Lacrosse postseason awards. Towson saw junior Ryan Drenner earn Co-Player of the Year honors, while head coach Shawn Nadelen was the league’s Coach of the Year. Drenner became the first Tiger to win a share of Player of the Year since Ben DeFelice was also a Co-Player of the Year in 2004. Nadelen is the first Tiger head man to earn Coach of the Year honors since Tony Seaman won the award in 2010.
Joining Drenner on the First Team All-CAA list were juniors Jack Adams (SSDM) and Tyler Mayes (LSM). Four Towson standouts, Joe Seider (A), Mike Lynch (M), Mike Lowe (D) and Tyler White (GK) earned Second Team All-CAA plaudits. Freshmen Zach Goodrich (M) and Jon Mazza (M) were tabbed All-Rookie. Drenner was also the Tigers’ selection for the All-Academic Team.
The Century Mark
Towson’s starting attack line boasts two 100-point scorers. Junior Ryan Drenner notched his 100th point at 13:46 of the third quarter with a goal at Hofstra, while linemate Joe Seider utilized a hat trick to move to 101 career points, hitting the century mark at 11:56 of the third period.
Bouncing Back
During Shawn Nadelen’s tenure at Towson, the Tigers have allowed double-digit goals in just 27 of his 79 career games coached, including Towson’s 18-11 win in the regular season contest over Fairfield. Towson is 14-12 since 2012 following a game when it allows opponents double-digit markers. After allowing double digits, the defense has buckled down in the ensuing game; Towson has allowed opponents double digits just 10 times after allowing 10 or more in the previous game. Since taking over the program in 2012, Nadelen holds a 17-14 mark following a loss. Towson beat Fairfield 18-11 at home following a 10-7 setback against Delaware the week before.
Got That 35th Win – Updated May 12
Redshirt senior goalie Tyler White logged his 30th career win on April 9 in an 11-8 victory over CAA rival UMass. He now has the most for a Tiger keeper in the CAA Era.
White holds the top spot in the CAA in all-time wins since the conference first sponsored men’s lacrosse in 2002. His 35 wins stand alone for the most in the CAA, passing UMass’s Tim McCormack’s and Drexel’s Bruce Bickford, who each had 33.
30+ Career Wins for Current CAA Teams
Tyler White (Towson) – 35 (2013-Present)
Mark Manos (Drexel) – 33 (2009-12)
Tim McCormack (UMass) – 33 (2010-12)
Bruce Bickford (Drexel) – 31 (2006-08)
White Named Senior CLASS Award Finalist
Redshirt senior goalie Tyler White was one of 10 NCAA Division I student-athletes to be named as a Senior CLASS Award Finalist, announced March 30. White is the only CAA student-athlete to make the finalist list.
The Fan Vote counts for one-third of the final total, with the remaining two-thirds decided by NCAA Division I coaches and national media members.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. CLASS is an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®.
Bring Your Green Hat – Updated May 12
Junior attackman Joe Seider has been on an offensive terror lately, scoring at least one goal in his last 22 appearances. The streak began on April 25, 2015 in the regular season match up at Drexel. Since then, Seider has racked up 41 goals, averaging two per contest during the run. That scoring streak is the third-longest in the country. During that span, Seider has added seven assists and is one of 23 active players with a point streak of 20+ games.
Tigers Among the Division I Active Leaders – Updated May 12
Redshirt senior goalie Tyler White is among one of the top active goalies in the country. As of the May 11, 2016 statistical rankings, White was ranked 10th among Division I goalies in career saves, turning aside 456 opponent attempts.
Junior faceoff specialist Alec Burckley is currently tied at 28th on the active career groundball list, raking in 171. Wingman Pat Conroy is 48th on the active list with 132. Burckley is also 22nd in active faceoffs won (327) and 21st in faceoff attempts (626).
Seider in the Towson Career Top 10 – Updated May 12
Junior attackman Joe Seider has ripped off 348 career shots in his time with the program. Seider is now alone in second-place all-time with shot attempts, passing the 327 attempts by Kevin Sturm (1995-97, 1999). Glenn Smith sits atop the leader board with 458 shots from 1988-91. The Hereford, Maryland native has 90 career goals and has passed the 89 markers from Bobby Griebe (2004-07) and Tom Wagner (1976-79).
Burckley in the Towson Career Top 10 – Updated May 12
With his sixth faceoff win against Johns Hopkins University on March 12, junior faceoff man Alec Burckley moved into the program’s top-10 career list for faceoff wins. Burckley has 327 career wins, and is sole possession of sesven place all-time. With his 10th faceoff win against Hobart on May 11, Burckley passed Tim Lucky (1992-95), who won 323 draws from 1990-93. Burckley is now the eighth player in program history to win 300 or more draws. Towson Hall of Famer Justin Berry holds the career record at 507 from 1998-2001 and is the only player in program history to win more than 500 faceoffs.
Tyler White’s Career Numbers – Updated May 12
It’s no secret that Towson’s starting goalie, Tewaaraton Watch Lister Tyler White, is one of the best backstops in the country. White has the best goals against average (6.57) in the nation, a mark that would better his own single-season record of 7.57 from the 2015 campaign. Over the course of his career, White has built a 35-15 overall record. White’s win over UMass was the 30th of his career, passing Reed Sothoron, who won 29 from 2002-2005. White’s winning percentage is better at 69.3, edging Sothoron’s 64.4 percent (29-16). With goalie minutes available from 1997 to the present, White is among seven goalies with 1,000+ minutes in the rack, logging 2,929. Sothoron played in the most in that span at 2,976, while John Horrigan logged 2,660 from 1998-2001.
In it for the Long Haul – Updated May 2
The Tigers’ game at Ohio State was the farthest the Tigers will travel in the 2016 regular season. Towson flew out that Monday for Columbus and returned to Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on Wednesday. Johnny Unitas Stadium, home of the Tigers, sits roughly 415 miles from Ohio Stadium, the site of the March 15 contest. The trip was roughly 830 round-trip miles. On April 9, Towson traveled 356 miles to Amherst, Massachusetts to take on the Minutemen at Garber Field. The Tigers rounded out the regular season on April 30 at Shuart Stadium, home of the Hofstra Pride, a trip of 215 miles. Those two April games were the only CAA road trips for Towson this season.
Lowe Named CAA Player of the Week (5/2)
Lowe played an outstanding defensive game to help the No. 12 Tigers close out the regular season with an 8-7 victory over Hofstra. It was Towson’s first win at James M. Shuart Stadium since the 2012 season. Lowe anchored a defense that held its 11th opponent of the season to single digits. In addition, Lowe marked Hofstra’s second-leading point getter, Sam Llinares, keeping then-reigning CAA Player of the Year without a point and limiting Llinares to just one shot. Lowe forced three turnovers in the game and recorded seven groundballs.
Parks Named CAA Player of the Week (4/15)
After a four-point week where he scored his second hat trick of the season and added an assist to his day, senior attackman Spencer Parks was named CAA Player of the Week. Parks scored what proved to be the game-winning goal early in the third quarter as the Tigers recorded its second CAA win of the season. It is Parks’ second weekly honor and the Tigers’ sixth of the season. Parks is the first Tiger to win multiple CAA Players of the Week this year.
Burckley Named CAA Co-Player of the Week (4/2)
After winning 16 of his 21 faceoff attempts while collecting nine groundballs, junior faceoff specialist Alec Burckley was named CAA Co-Player of the Week (April 2). Burkley set a career-high in faceoff wins, besting his mark of 15 set twice last season. His nine groundballs against the Dragons represented a season high. His 16 faceoff wins were the second most for a Tiger in the Shawn Nadelen era (2012), just one behind Ian Mill’s mark of 17.
Seider Added to Tewaaraton Watch List – Updated May 12
Junior attackman Joe Seider was added to the coveted Tewaaraton Trophy, Presented by Under Armour, Watch List, announced by the Tewaaraton Foundation. Seider is the only CAA player to be added to the list this round and joins teammate and redshirt senior goalie Tyler White on the Watch List.
Seider is third on the team in points (28) and leads the Tigers with 32 goals. He is riding a 22-game scoring streak dating back to the 2015 regular season. The Sparks, Maryland native has started in all 17 games for the No. 10/No. 10 Tigers and has taken a team-best 131 shots. He has two game-winning goals to his credit while scoring six extra-man goals.
Defense + Offense = Success – Updated May 12
With a defense as heralded as Towson’s, it’s not a surprise to followers of the team that the Tigers have lots of success when the offense and defense pair well. Since head coach Shawn Nadelen took over in 2012, the Tigers are 32-5 in games when Towson scores double digits. When Towson’s defense limits opponents to single digits, the Tigers are a whopping 48-8 in that same time, including Wednesday’s 18-5 win over Hobart in the NCAA Play-In Game. On 29 occasions, the Tigers have scored in double figures while holding opponents to single digits, obviously a 29-0 record.