Last June, I published my version of the 2009 preseason poll and added another entry of three teams that I thought had potential. So in keeping with that tradition, here are three teams that did not finish above .500 and missed the tournament this past season. But what they do have is intrigue in either the form of returning players, a new head coach or a campaign that just fell short of the tournament. In alphabetical order, the teams flying under the radar are:

Continue reading "Review & preview: Three teams under the radar" »

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Categories: Review & preview, Towson
        

The men’s Final Four returns to Baltimore next year. What about the women’s Final Four?

Towson, which enjoyed record attendance in three categories while hosting the women’s tournament this past weekend, did not initially submit a bid for the 2010 and 2011 events due to potential conflicts with the proposed construction of a 5,000-seat arena next to Johnny Unitas Stadium.

"We were anticipating being in construction of our new arena, and so we didn’t feel as though – with [construction affecting] one of our parking lots – that would be a good idea to try to host a large event such as women’s lacrosse," Nance Reed, Towson senior associate athletic director and tournament director of 2008 and 2009 Women’s Lacrosse Championships, said, adding that the school has since applied to be the host next year. "But for 2010, we know right now we won’t be under construction at that point. Maybe close to it, but not quite there."

Reed, who is a sitting member of the NCAA’s Sports Management Cabinet, said the panel is expected to discuss the site selection either before or during a conference call at end of June.

"We like to host championships," she said. "We think we’ve got some great facilities, especially Johnny Unitas Stadium, and we like to show it off."

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Categories: Towson
        

Here’s the second installment of a new series that checks in with the seven Division I programs in the state to give a glimpse into the past and the future. Today, we take a look at Towson.

Continue reading "Review & preview: Towson" »

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Categories: Review & preview, Towson
        

I just got off the phone with Towson coach Tony Seaman, who informed me that he and Navy coach Richie Meade have agreed to resume a short-lived series that probably should have gotten a longer run -- especially for area fans.

The Midshipmen last faced the Tigers on April 12, 1997 (a 14-6 victory for the Tigers), and Navy leads the series, 5-3.

There is, however, a price for Towson. The game against Navy will fall between contests against Maryland and Virginia, which makes for a tough stretch leading up to Colonial Athletic Association play.

"So we’ve got Maryland on Saturday, Navy on Tuesday night, and Virginia on Saturday," Seaman said in what sounded like an am-I-crazy-or-what chuckle. "I’ve been wanting to play Navy since I’ve been here, and I think it’s a game we should have, and they thought it was a great opportunity, too. ... I just thought that’s a game we should play -- even though it’s suicide."

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Categories: Navy, Towson
        

The season may be over for the Tigers, but the same can’t be said for Tony Seaman’s coaching tenure at Towson.

The only coach in Division I history to aid three different schools to the NCAA tournament, Seaman was informed in a meeting Monday afternoon with school officials that he would be retained for at least another season.

"I’m just looking forward to having this team and my staff and myself back for 2010," said Seaman, who boasts an overall record of 253-148 (a winning percentage of .631) in 26 years and a mark of 89-75 (.543) in 11 years with the Tigers. "We couldn’t be happier to be part of the Towson lacrosse program."

Continue reading "Towson's Tony Seaman isn't going anywhere" »

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Categories: Towson
        

Junior midfielder Will Harrington and senior faceoff specialist Mitchell Rosensweig were voted to represent the Tigers on the All-Colonial Athletic Association first team.

Harrington, a Baltimore native and Friends graduate, leads the team in goals with 23 and ranks second in points with 26. He has registered three four-goal outings this season, including in a 10-2 victory over Drexel in a CAA tournament semifinal Wednesday night.

Rosensweig, a Baltimore native and Pikesville graduate, ranks 11th in the country with a .569 faceoff percentage, and he leads the conference with 107 ground balls. He ranks 10th on the school’s all-time list with 212 career ground balls.

Senior attackman Bill McCutcheon and redshirt freshman defenseman Marc Ingerman were named to the second team. Ingerman was also selected to the All-Rookie team.

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Categories: Towson
        

The Tigers have a golden opportunity to not only capture their fourth Colonial Athletic Association tournament championship, but also assure themselves of a berth in the NCAA tournament.

Here are a few things that must turn in Towson’s favor Saturday night so that the team can avoid the anxiety of Selection Sunday:

Continue reading "Villanova at Towson: Three things to watch" »

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Categories: Three things to watch, Towson
        

Towson has cemented the No. 2 seed and a semifinal game at home in the four-team Colonial Athletic Association tournament next week.

With No. 9 Hofstra routing Villanova, 10-3, Saturday night, the Tigers finished second in the league with a 4-2 conference mark. So on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Towson will play host to Drexel, which earned the No. 3 seed by virtue of a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Wildcats. (The Dragons beat Villanova, 9-8, on April 11.)

The Tigers defeated Drexel, 7-4, on March 28 and if they win again Wednesday, they would meet the winner of the Hofstra-Villanova semifinal on Saturday. If it’s Hofstra, Towson would have to travel to New York. (Hofstra won, 11-10, on April 11.) If it’s the Wildcats, the Tigers would be the hosts. (Villanova won, 13-4, on April 8.)

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Categories: Towson
        

The Blue Jays got a taste of what could become familiar.

The Tigers disrupted Johns Hopkins’ offense by carrying the ball into their offensive end, holding onto the ball despite several stall warnings and waiting for the Blue Jays’ defensemen to either get frustrated or over-aggressive before going on the offensive.

Through the first three quarters, Towson had a 26-19 advantage in shots and a 9-6 lead on the scoreboard.

"It’s definitely frustrating as an offense," Johns Hopkins junior midfielder Michael Kimmel said. "Especially when you get down by three goals, you want to score three goals in one possession. That’s not possible, obviously. But it’s definitely frustrating as an offense when you see your defense out on the field a lot. And then we get the ball and throw it away and then more defense. We were trying to press out at the end there. But we were playing defense the entire game. They were doing a good job of keeping the ball away."

The key for the Tigers was their ability to be patient and score when the opportunities arose. Then when they got the lead, they were able to sit on it and milk the clock. That formula might not work for every team, and senior midfielder Brian Christopher wasn’t sure every opponent might employ a similar strategy.

"It depends on the kinds of teams you see," he said. "Teams like Virginia and Syracuse push the ball no matter what. It all depends on what they want to do."

Other notes:

Continue reading "Postscript from Johns Hopkins at Towson" »

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Categories: Johns Hopkins, Postscript, Towson
        

The Blue Jays have enjoyed a lopsided relationship with the Tigers, winning 33 of 36 meetings, and Towson hasn’t earned a victory in the series since 1996. Here are a few things I will be looking for from the press box at Johnny Unitas Stadium Wednesday night.

Continue reading "Johns Hopkins at Towson: Three things to watch" »

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Categories: Johns Hopkins, Three things to watch, Towson
        

Will Harrington has found a home in Towson.

After transferring from Maryland to Hobart to the Tigers, the junior midfielder has settled into his role as a finisher. Harrington ranks second on the team in goals with 18 – 11 in his past four contests.

"I’m not that much faster than anyone," he said. "I use my body a lot when I dodge, so I guess I’m strong for my size, and I try to utilize that against smaller people. But most of the time, it’s just being in the right place at the right time with my teammates."

Harrington, a Baltimore native and Friends graduate, spent last season sitting out and playing on the scout team after transferring from the Statesmen. It was a difficult role, he acknowledged.

Continue reading "Will Harrington finding groove at Towson" »

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Categories: Towson
        

With a 5-7 overall record, the Tigers won’t get an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. But Towson still has a shot for the automatic qualifier that comes with winning the Colonial Athletic Association tournament, which begins April 29.

The CAA isn’t willing to speculate on which schools will earn a berth in the four-team tournament, but here’s what we know:

Continue reading "Towson's playoff picture" »

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Categories: Towson
        

When No. 6 Hofstra visits the Tigers at Johnny Unitas Stadium on Saturday, the Colonial Athletic Association rivals will join forces against non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

The Pride has been a key campaigner for the HEADstrong Foundation, which was created by former player Nick Colleluori to help raise awareness and funds to battle the disease. Colleluori was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and passed away on Nov. 28, 2006.

Hofstra players have been wearing lime green HEADstrong shoelaces to honor Colleluori, and Towson will wear similar apparel during Saturday’s game.

The idea came from freshman midfielder Kevin Lalley, who is all too familiar with the disruptive nature non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma can have on a family. His sister Jen was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2005, and even though she is in her third year of remission, Kevin Lalley said watching her ordeal was a struggle.

"It was tough to watch her go through that," he said. "My sister is strong. She beat it."

Lalley – who chose the No. 27 jersey in honor of his sister and Collelouri, both of whom wore that number at Ohio State and Hofstra, respectively – asked Tigers coach Tony Seaman for permission to ask his teammates to buy and wear the shoelaces Saturday.

"They were all very supportive," Lalley said. "They all thought it was a great idea, and they backed me up 100 percent."

For more information, visit www.HEADstrongfoundation.org.

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Categories: Towson
        

A lot of attention has been devoted to Saturday’s Smartlink Days of Rivals, which features Army against No. 12 Navy at 11:30 a.m. and No. 11 Johns Hopkins against No. 15 Maryland at about 2 p.m.

But there are some critical games involving other local teams Saturday.

* Since UMBC joined the America East conference in 2004, the Retrievers and Albany have split the league titles with UMBC winning in 2006 and 2008. The two schools will tangle Saturday, and with both teams undefeated (2-0) in conference play, the winner will likely sit in the driver’s seat to host the season-ending league tournament. The No. 7 Retrievers are just 1-2 when playing the Great Danes on their home turf, but UMBC boasts one of the most prolific midfields in Peet Poillon, Kyle Wimer and Alex Hopmann. No. 17 Albany is hopeful that senior attackman Corey Small will play for the first time since undergoing leg surgery last month.

* Despite Georgetown’s troubles this season, Loyola coach Charley Toomey has consistently held to his theory that the road to the Eastern College Athletic Conference title runs through the Hoyas. The No. 19 Greyhounds are the reigning league champions and with a 3-1 record in the ECAC, they are a half-game behind current leader Massachusetts (3-0 in the conference). But Loyola is 0-3 at Georgetown, which has won seven ECAC championships since the league was formed in 2000. The Hoyas, who upset then-No. 20 Fairfield last Saturday to improve to 1-2 in the conference, would love to play spoiler again. The Greyhounds could use another big outing from attackman Shane Koppens, who has posted six goals and four assists in his past two games against Georgetown.

Continue reading "Pivotal weekend matchups" »

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Categories: Loyola, Mount St. Mary's, Towson, UMBC
        

Matt Latham of UMBC and Rob Wheeler of Towson were honored by their respective conferences for their performances last week.

Latham, a junior attackman, was named the America East Player of the Week for his three-goal, one-assist effort in No. 7 UMBC's 14-8 win against Stony Brook on Saturday. The Eldersburg native and Liberty graduate has scored six times in the last two contests, and the Retrievers (6-2) are 6-0 when Latham records at least one point.

Wheeler, a junior goalkeeper, anchored Towson's victories over Bucknell and Drexel, surrendering just 11 goals and making 24 saves. His 14 saves against the Bison are a career high. The Tigers (4-4) have won their last three games.

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Categories: Towson, UMBC
        

UMBC's Alex Hopmann and Towson's Bill McCutcheon collected America East and Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week accolades, respectively.

Hopmann tied his career-high with four goals, including the game-winner, in the No. 8 Retrievers' 9-8 overtime victory over No. 18 Ohio State on Saturday. The senior midfielder and Annapolis graduate -- who shared the award with Stony Brook's Jordan McBride -- leads the team with 19 goals and is one score shy of tying his single-season best total of 20 goal set in 2007.

McCutcheon also racked up four goals, including the final two in the Tigers' 11-9 win against Robert Morris. The senior attackman leads the team in goals with 13 and points with 20 and is tied with senior midfielder Randall Cooper for a team-best seven assists.

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Categories: Towson, UMBC
        

A 1-4 start has the potential to tear a team apart, but the Tigers are resolute that brighter days are ahead.

All four losses have come at the hands of opponents ranked in The Sun's top 20 (Virginia, Maryland, Denver and Loyola). Only seven of the 45 players on the roster are seniors and two freshmen have started four of five games on attack. So the program sort of expected growing pains, coach Tony Seaman says.

"We've tried to be matter-of-fact about where we were at the beginning of the year and where we needed to develop and what kind of experience we were hoping to get out of that," he said earlier today. "If you compete against a Maryland and you compete against a Virginia, then it doesn't surprise you a lot when other teams walk on the field against you athletically. We're playing good teams, and we've got good teams coming up."

Seaman acknowledged that one of challenges associated with his job is keeping optimism high and frustration low among the players.

"That's the other thing you're always worried about," he said. "Certainly, losing breeds [pessimism], but I felt coming out of the Maryland game [a 9-7 loss], we weren't at all. We felt we played pretty well and with a couple breaks, we had a chance to win that game. But we never had a chance to win that game Saturday [against Virginia] with the way we played."

Towson's upcoming contest against Robert Morris will be only the school's second game at the friendly confines of Johnny Unitas Stadium before the team embarks on its second three-game road trip of the season.

"We played a couple of really, really good teams," Seaman said. "Hopefully, we grow on that. Let's see how we do this week against Robert Morris and Bucknell [on March 24] and Drexel [on March 28]. It puts us back in our league, in our world so to speak. Let's see how we come out of it and if we've grown and if we're ready to compete against those people."

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Categories: Towson
        

The lives of Randall Cooper and Mitchell Rosensweig have centered on lacrosse. Now the Towson senior midfielders are preparing for life after lacrosse.

Cooper and Rosensweig are putting the finishing touches on successful academic careers.

Cooper, 23, is a biology major who has earned only three B's en route to compiling a 3.849 cumulative grade point average. The surprising thing is that Cooper, who wants to specialize in orthopedic medicine with a focus on youth-aged athletes, admits he wasn't much of a student at Friends, where he recorded a 2.9 GPA.

Cooper said his transformation began in the latter half of his senior year in high school when he tagged along with a family friend who was a general surgeon as part of a work study program.

"After spending about a month and a half with him, I decided that medicine was what I wanted to go into," Cooper said. "After that, I knew I’d have to put in the time and effort if I wanted to go to med school. That kind of turned it around for me."

Cooper isn’t a slouch on the lacrosse field either. He has posted 31 goals and 25 assists in the past two seasons, and his 25 points ranked third among the Tigers last year.

Rosensweig, 21, is a business administration major with a 3.644 cumulative GPA who wants to pursue a degree in sports law with an eye on becoming a sports agent. The Pikesville graduate credited his mother Fran, an educator in the Baltimore County public school system, and his father Jeffrey with instilling a strong work ethic.

"They were always on my back since middle school, making sure I did well," said Rosensweig, who returns as the nation’s fourth most successful faceoff specialist, winning 58.4 percent of them last season.

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Categories: Towson