TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University women's gymnastics team opens its 50th anniversary season on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., in the Little Boston Invitational at the Hynes Convention Center. The Tigers will face Maryland, New Hampshire and Temple.
 
Towson will rotate on bars, beam, floor and vault.
 
"This meet has been a huge success in the past and we are super excited to get the season started," said head coach Vicki May. "New Hampshire will now be joining us as they are unable to get out for their intended trip to Arizona this weekend, so the meet will now have four teams."
 
The LBI will mark the earliest season opener for Towson by one day after the team opened the season on January 7 last year. Prior to that, the earliest was Jan. 8, 2000 when the Tigers competed at Maryland.
 
There is a lot of excitement surrounding this season. In addition to being the 50th anniversary of gymnastics at Towson, the team is hosting six home meets, including the EAGL championships.
 
In addition, the Tigers are coming off a strong season in 2017. The Tigers had three individuals qualify for regional championships in Gabriella Yarussi, Tyra McKellar and Mary Elle Arduino and May was named Southeast Regional Head Coach of the Year. Towson also had 14 student-athletes earn All-EAGL Academic Team honors, the most in program history, and boasted the highest GPA in the EAGL.
 
Against Rutgers on Feb. 24, 2017, the Tigers totaled the eighth-highest score in school history with a 195.675 to defeat the Scarlet Knights. It was the highest score for Towson inside SECU Arena and its best since Mar. 22, 2015.
 
Arduino matched her season-high with a 9.900 on the balance beam while McKellar posted a career-high 9.925 on floor exercise. Meanwhile, Yarussi finished with a career-high 9.900 on floor to finish second.
 
Up next, the Tigers will make their home debut on Sunday, January 14 inside SECU Arena against Temple and William & Mary.