BALTIMORE – One of the toughest things a student-athlete will go through is hanging up the cleats at the end of hopefully what was a long and storied career.
 
As the NCAA spots from years gone by say, "most of us will go pro in something other than sports." And while several former members of the Towson University lacrosse program have kick started their careers off the field, they also continue their championship tradition on the field.
 
In late November, three of the program's former student-athletes, Max Siskind, Pat Conroy and Spencer Parks, along with sixth-year head coach Shawn Nadelen, won the Baltimore Indoor Lacrosse League title sporting their baby blue jerseys for First Mariner. Conroy and Parks will graduate next week during the University's Winter Commencement.
 
"We're all very competitive people," said Conroy of playing. "When you finish up your final year of playing in college, it's hard not to miss the competitive atmosphere. When you have an opportunity to jump back on a team and compete together, there aren't many feelings better than that."
 
The former Tigers have a combined seven Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) titles during their time at Towson, with Conroy boasting three championship rings. Nadelen has been the head coach for all three of those titles.
 
Another Tiger connection, Buggs Combs (L), was on the First Mariner team as well. Combs was an assistant coach at Towson from 2003-08. Ben McCarty, a 2016 Towson graduate, played with First Mariner throughout the BILL season, but could not make it to the championship game. McCarty added depth as a forward after a Tiger career as a midfielder. McCarty was a two-time captain with the Tigers and like Conroy, won three CAA titles.
 
Backed with the Tiger talent, First Mariner fought back from a three-goal deficit late in the third quarter before topping Team Rebel 7-6 in overtime at Myers Pavilion in Baltimore. The Tigers had experience on their side, combining for four overtime wins during their collective careers from 2011 through the 2016 campaign.
 
"I think just having trust in each other was very helpful to our comeback," said Parks of rallying with current and former teammates. "The team is full of very talented players and we all understood that it wasn't just up to one person."
 
Naturally, it was a Tiger connection that gave First Mariner the winning goal. Siskind dodged the left side of the four-by-four foot goal, drawing a double team. The 2015 graduate curled back, finding a wide open Parks 12 feet off the crease, letting the 2016 alumnus sting the game-winner into the top left corner.
 
Game-winning goals are nothing new for Parks, who logged four of them during the Tigers' record-setting 2016 season. The Fallston, Maryland native had the deciding goal in both Towson wins over Fairfield, including the CAA Championship match at Johnny Unitas ® Stadium.
 
"Playing with the Towson guys during the BILL season helped because it was easier to know each other's tendencies," continued Parks. "It was a great group of guys to play with and we had a lot of fun, first and foremost, every time we played."
 
Perhaps it was the scouting report on Siskind that set him up for the game-winning helper. The second-generation Tiger capped his Black & Gold career with 34 goals and just two assists. The feisty West Chester, Pennsylvania native, who served a penalty during the third quarter of the championship game, used his speed to get down the alley and his scoring threat to draw the double, freeing up Parks.
 
"Our team is really talented defensively, so it makes it easy offensively," said Siskind of the team makeup. "…It was a nice way to seal the deal with an assist to Spencer. It was set up by a quick transition where I tried to be aggressive and push it, I saw a slide come from adjacent and I knew Spencer was open to bury the game-winner."
 
With the group's proximity to the Towson and the Greater Baltimore area, perhaps the 2016 BILL Championship was not the last time this group comes together in the baby blue uniforms of First Mariner to hoist a trophy.
 
- TowsonTigers.com –