Over the years, we have all heard many coaches say that the biggest jump a player makes is normally from their freshman year to their sophomore year. But what about coaches?

This Friday, the Towson women's basketball team will do something they have never done before: Play in the NCAA Tournament. Yes they have to play UConn, maybe the biggest dynasty in any sport over the last 25 years. So what? For the first time since the 1983-84 season, the Towson women's basketball team won a conference championship. Back then, the Tigers were in the ECC and the conference didn't have an automatic bid to the NCAA's.

On Saturday, the Tiger men's lacrosse team will take on the number 13 Pioneers of the University of Denver. Towson comes into that game ranked 7^th in the nation, but also needs a victory to snap a two game losing streak. The Tigers will be playing in Johnny Unitas ® Stadium for the first time since beating then No. 1 Loyola back on Feb. 27.

So both then men's lax team and the women's hoops team have chances to make a statement this weekend. They both also have something else in common: Their coaches.

Unless a coach leaves to take another job or retire, a change at the top happens because your program isn't having success. That was the case after the 2011 season when Shawn Nadelen was named the head coach of the lacrosse team, and that was the case after the 2016-17 season when Diane Richardson was named head coach of the women's basketball team.

In both of their first years, Coaches Nadelen and Richardson had losing seasons. But then both turned things around in their second years. The men's lacrosse team won the CAA and went to the NCAA Tournament. And as we all know what happened this past weekend, Coach Richardson and the Tigers won the CAA Championship in Delaware.

Much like the college player that makes that great leap from freshman to sophomore year, our two coaches have done the same from their first to second years at the helm.

The results are not surprising. Those who were around the lacrosse program in 2012 could see a big change. I don't think many people outside of Towson thought the program could be turned around as quickly as it was, but those on the inside knew that Coach Nadelen was starting to create something special. Four CAA championships, a final four appearance, and for the first time ever a number one ranking, the whole lacrosse world knows how special Coach Nadelen is.

When Coach Richardson was hired two years ago, one phrase kept coming up from people who were just meeting her: "Rock Star". The national media is going to find that out this week.

I haven't broadcast a women's basketball game in about 10 years. Joe Mathews had some good seasons in the early to mid 2000's, but besides that, it hasn't been a great couple of decades. Coach Richardson has now taken this team to heights it has never seen in just two seasons. She is indeed a rock star.

From all of us who can't be there in Storrs this Friday, Coach, go get you some Huskies. Show the nation what those of us around Towson have learned in a short period of time, you aren't just a rock star. You're a winner.

Glenn Smith and I will have the call of this Saturday's matchup between the No. 7 Tigers and the No. 13 Pioneers starting at 11:45 a.m. on TowsonTigers.com. It should be a doozy.

Until next week, GO TIGERS!!!