TOWSON, Md. ?  Konstantinos Kosmakos, a four-year starter on the offensive line for the Towson University football team, has been named as a Defensive Assistant Coach for the Tiger football program, it has been announced by Coach Rob Ambrose.

“As a former player, a former member of the coaching staff and a local high school football standout, ?Gus' is very important to us,” said Coach Ambrose, who was named as the Tigers' head football coach in January. “There is nobody who has his finger on the pulse of the student-athletes and this campus more than he does. He is a young, hungry and focused coach who bleeds black and gold.”

A native of Phoenix, Md., Coach Kosmakos earned his B.A. degree in Business Administration from Towson in 2006. In 2004 and 2005, he was named as the Tigers' Offensive Player of the Year.

 A fixture on the offensive line from 2002 to 2005, Kosmakos was one of the most versatile offensive linemen ever to play for the Tigers. As a freshman, he earned a starting position when injuries struck the offensive line. He started one game at guard and four games at center.

As a sophomore, he appeared in ten of the Tigers' 12 games and started eight of them at offensive guard.

In his junior season, he moved into the starting lineup as Towson's offensive center. In his final two seasons, he started all 22 games at center. In his senior season, he helped the Tigers post a 6-5 record in their second year of Atlantic 10 Football. The 2005 Tigers went 3-5 in conference play with wins over Delaware, Rhode Island and Villanova. Towson had gone winless in its first A-10 season.

When he was named as the Tigers' Offensive Player of the Year, he became only the fourth offensive lineman in school history to earn the award. He joined offensive guard Jason Gunning (2003), offensive center David Snyder (1995) and offensive center Kevin Fidati (1979) as linemen to win the award.

He was also the sixth player to earn the award in consecutive seasons.

A starter in 34 of 39 career games, Kosmakos is a graduate of nearby Dulaney High School. At Dulaney, he was an honorable mention All-State selection as an offensive lineman. In his junior year, he helped the Lions compile a 7-3 record after they had gone winless in his sophomore year.

He was also a standout for the Lions' wrestling team and finished as the runner-up in the Maryland state tournament as a senior. A two-time All-Baltimore County selection as a wrestler, Kosmakos compiled a 78-4 career record.

Last year, he was a first-year member of the Tigers' coaching staff and worked with the offensive line.

With the hiring of Coach Kosmakos, Coach Ambrose has completed his coaching staff. Previously, he announced the hiring of Offensive Line Coach John Donatelli, Wide Receivers Coach Guilian Gary, Quarterbacks Coach John Kaleo, Defensive Assistant Brian Fleury, Running Backs Coach James Vollono, Defensive Line Coach Canute Curtis, Tight Ends Coach Jared Ambrose, Cornerbacks Coach Derrick Johnson and Defensive Coordinator Matt Hachmann.