TOWSON, Md. – The Towson gymnastics program begins the 2016 season when it travels to Pittsburgh for a quad meet on Sunday, Jan. 10 at 2 p.m. The Tigers will face Maryland and Eastern Michigan in addition to the host Panthers.
 
Towson is coming off an impressive 2015 season, finishing with 10 wins and tying for third-place at the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Championship. The finish was the Tigers' highest postseason finish since 2001. Towson had seven gymnasts earn All-EAGL honors while 12 were named to the EAGL All-Academic Team.  
 
The Tigers return 10 gymnasts and welcome a six-member freshman class for the 2016 season. With only five upperclassmen, youth will play an important factor for the Tigers.
 
"We have six freshmen and two sophomores who were injured last year that are now healthy and back in the lineup, so that's eight people that have not actually competed in a college meet yet," said head coach Vicki Chliszczyk. "I think in one sense, because of the youth we have, we're in a really good spot but their learning curve needs to be small for us to continue where we left off last year.
 
"We have a lot of potential," Chliszczyk continued. "It's going to take us some time to really figure out who our lineups consist of, the right order for them to go in and what's comfortable for them to help us build scores."
 
Freshmen
 
The freshman class consists of Mary Elle Arduino, Cortni Baker, Amanda Pratt, Brittney Ranti, Aysia Sharif and Erin Tucker.
 
Chliszczyk anticipates Arduino and Baker to have an impact on all four events for the Tigers this season. Baker is expected to be counted on early on while Arduino could be a "silent but deadly" gymnast for Towson.
 
"Mary Elle could be the silent one who may not win every event she's in, but at the end of the meet, finds herself on the podium," said Chliszczyk. "She's beautiful to watch on beam and has a grace to her gymnastics that I believe the judges will appreciate. At this point in time she needs to become more consistent, specifically on floor and vault before she will see herself in the all-around. The potential is there and she is working hard to get there.
 
Pratt has the potential to provide a great floor routine for the Tigers and could fight for a lineup spot on both beam and vault.
 
Chliszczyk predicts Sharif to have a routine on floor that wins over the crowd and has the potential to compete on other events as the season develops.
 
"We saw at our intrasquad meet that Aysia has a phenomenal routine on floor that the crowd gets involved with," said Chliszczyk. "Her leaps and jumps are magnificent and she can tumble and dance. Overall, she has the complete package"
 
Tucker, who is recovering from injury, has the potential to be a force on all four events for the Tigers and is expected to have a presence in the gym.
 
Sophomores
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The five-man sophomore class will play an important role for the Tigers this season. Towson returns Lauren Cahalan, Noelle Harada, Katie McGrady, Tyra McKellar and Gabrielle Yarussi.
 
Cahalan appeared on beam and floor in all 12 meets for the Tigers last season. She earned second team All-EAGL honors on floor and was named to the all-tournament team for beam.
 
"I expect once Lauren gets back out there, she'll just jump right back to where she was," said Chliszczyk. "She loves being out there and competing. It's just so fun for her."
 
Harada was a consistent member of the Tigers' bars and floor lineups last year. She finished tied for fifth-place on bars at the EAGL Championship, earning all-tournament honors for the event.
 
"Noelle is having a phenomenal preseason," Chliszczyk commented. "She's looking great on everything and she's more consistent and confident. She's certainly progressed from last year as far as her confidence and I expect that to shine through on the competition floor."

McGrady did not appear in any meets for Towson last season but Chliszczyk is impressed with her performances during preseason. She is expected to compete in the all-around this season for the Tigers.
 
McKellar is coming off a remarkable rookie campaign that saw her earn All-EAGL and all-tournament honors for four events (bars, beam, floor, all-around). She was selected as the all-around specialist for the NCAA Auburn Regionals where she placed 11^th.
 
Yarussi made three appearances on beam in 2015 but Chliszczyk expects to see her have a more active role in the lineups this season.
 
"Gabby is a competitor so I think being back out there, hopefully in the lineups week after week, she'll continue to get stronger," said Chliszczyk. "She thrives on that competition."
 
Juniors
 
Towson has three juniors returning to the roster: Bayleigh Fobes, Bailey Gallagher and Bridget Steffen.
 
Fobes appeared in the final two meets of the season for the Tigers on floor. She's been held out recently with illness but Chliszczyk expects Fobes could find herself in the floor lineup as the season develops.
 
"She's always someone that I feel like we can put in and she's going to hit a floor routine," Chliszczyk explained. "Now it's just a matter of getting back from illness."
 
Gallagher did not appear in any meets for the Tigers last season but played an important role on the sidelines. She was a mainstay on all four events during her freshman year.
 
Steffen was a consistent member of the beam lineup for the Tigers last season, earning all-tournament honors for the event. She also made eight appearances on bars throughout the season.
 
"Bridget will be back in the bars and beam lineups," Chliszczyk said. "She's worked really hard on floor and vault. She's not quite there yet but she's certainly much further ahead than she was last year at this time so it's possible. She just needs a little bit more time."
 
Seniors
 
The Tigers will be without seniors Lydia Thompson and Vicki Vesecky as the season gets underway.
 
Thompson suffered a preseason injury and has the potential to make a return on bars later in the season if her recovery allows it.
 
Vesecky will be out for the entire season but is expected to play an important role on the sidelines and during practices.