Opening Faceoff
Towson caps its only two-game home stand of the 2019 regular season this Saturday as the Tigers open CAA action with longtime rival Hofstra. The Tigers will look to exact revenge on the Pride, who beat Towson 9-3 on The Island in last season's league lid-lifter.

In The National Rankings
After suffering its third-straight loss, Towson slipped to the fringes of the national top 10s, ranking 10th in the USILA Coaches' Poll, 11th in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll and 12th in the US Lacrosse Magazine Division I Top 20. The Hofstra Pride were not mentioned in any of the three national polls.

The Home-Standing Tigers
For the only time this regular season, the Tigers will play back-to-back home games as Towson opens league play. Towson's offense has slowed lately, but is still paced by Brendan Sunday (24-13-37), who leads in shots as well with 69. Brody McLean (18-4-22) is second in points and leads the Tigers' extra-man offense with three strikes. Timmy Monahan (11-8-19) looks to join the pair in the 20-point club with at least one goal or an assist this Saturday. Luke Fromert (12-6-18) inches closer while ranking 32nd nationally in shooting percentage (.444). Towson's defense held firmly against a potent Denver Pioneer offense, limiting the guests to seven goals, the fourth time this season Towson has held an opponent below 10 goals. Tyler Canto made another 11 saves against the Pios, bringing his season total to 94 with a 55.0 save percentage. At the X, Alex Woodall looks to become the program's all-time career faceoff wins leader, sitting three adrift of Justin Berry's 507 from 1998-2001. Woodall is currently second among Division I active players with 616 career faceoff wins.

Scouting the Rival Pride
The 3-6 Hofstra Pride makes its way to Towson on a two-game slide, falling 10-7 on Saturday against Rutgers. The Pride's offense is led by Ryan Tierney (22-6-28) with Jimmy Yanes (5-7-12) and Ryan Kinnard (10-1-11) ranking second and third, respectively. Yanes leads Hofstra in assists while Tierney is the top EMO threat with four goals. In goal, Bobby Casey is the only Pride keeper to see time, logging 542 minutes. He has made 94 saves in his nine games, stopping 51.1 percent of the shots on goal he has faced. He enters with a 9.97 goals against average. Michael Altmann leads Hofstra's defense with 11 caused turnovers. Brian Herber has been the go-to faceoff specialist, winning 109 of his 192 draws (.568) along with a team-best 56 ground balls. 

Towson-Hofstra History
It's a tale nearly as old as time (AKA Towson's varsity lacrosse history). The Tigers and the Hofstra first squared off in 1961, a 14-1 Hofstra victory. The Pride won last season's CAA opener 9-3 in Hempstead. It's a tight series as Hofstra leads 27-22 overall, but the Tigers have won two of the last three meetings. Towson and the Pride have met at least once a year since the 1996 season. The two schools have been league foes in three different conferences: The East Coast Conference, which then became the America East Conference, before both joined the CAA in 2002.

Towson-Hofstra By the Numbers
All-Time Series Record Hofstra Leads 27-22
at Towson Towson 14-8
at Hofstra Hofstra 15-6
at Neutral Sites Hofstra 1-0
at Unknown Sites Hofstra 3-2
First Meeting 1961 (Hofstra 14, Towson 1)
Last Meeting  March 31, 2018 
rv Hofstra 9, Towson 3
Streak Towson -1

Last Time Out vs. Hofstra | March 31, 2018 | Hempstead, N.Y. | Shuart Stadium
Hofstra jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period before Towson got an extra-man tally from Grant Maloof early in the second, the only goal of the frame. Hofstra made it 3-1 before Timmy Monahan pulled Towson back within one at 10:35 of the third. Hofstra scored three more times in the third to put too much distance ahead of the Tigers. Brendan Sunday scored the Tigers' third goal of the day with five seconds left in the third but it was too little too late for Towson.

With a Win Saturday Towson Would...
- Win its third game against Hofstra in the last four meetings.
- Collect its first CAA-opening win since an 8-7 win over Drexel in 2017.
- Improve Towson to 6-2 in CAA openers under Shawn Nadelen and 13-5 all-time in the league.
- Give Towson its 42nd win all-time in the CAA. Towson is the only CAA team with at least 40 wins since the league began sponsoring lacrosse.
- Improve Towson to 3-1 at home this season.
- Halt a three-game slide for the Tigers.
- Hand Shawn Nadelen the 78th win of his career.

Come See Us!
Through last weekend's games, the Tigers rank fourth in Division I in terms of average attendance, with nearly 2,100 guests per game. Towson's cumulative attendance this season has been 6,294, which ranks seventh in Division I. Towson is the only program in the top 10 of cumulative attendance to play just three home games to date. This season, well over 12,500 souls have seen the Black & Gold take the field, including home games, road contests and a pair of neutral-site tilts.

One of the Active Greats
Senior faceoff specialist Alex Woodall currently ranks second among active NCAA Division I lacrosse players with 616 career faceoff wins. He trails only Yale's TD Ierlan (806). Woodall is poised to become Towson's all-time career faceoff wins leader with 504 in the Black & Gold, just three behind Justin Berry's 507 from 1998-2001.

Protect This House
Homefield advantage is no joke. The Tigers have a been a force at home under the guidance of head coach Shawn Nadelen, especially in CAA openers.

Under Nadelen, the Tigers are 7-0 in CAA homeopeners, including a 17-9 win over Drexel last season. Towson is 1-0 against Hofstra when the Pride serve as the Tigers CAA homeopener, coming on a 7-6 win on March 30, 2013.

Since joining the league, Towson is 12-5 all-time in CAA openers while holding an incredible 16-1 overall mark in the first CAA game at Unitas Stadium of the year. The lone loss was a 12-5 defeat against No. 10 Hofstra during the 2011 campaign.

In the Top 10
Saturday will be Towson's eighth game this season ranked in the top 10 of the USILA Coaches' Poll. The Tigers are 4-3 this year as a top-10 team, with the three losses coming against top 15 opponents, including numbers two and three. Towson has not spent this many consecutive games in the top 10 of the USILA Coaches' Poll since playing 10 games in the top 10 during the famed run to Championship Weekend in 2001.

Watch Me Now
The Tewaaraton Foundation announced its first round of additions to its watch list for the prestigious Tewaaraton Award. Two Tigers were added to the list and served as the only additional student-athletes from the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Sophomore close defenseman Koby Smith was added along with senior attackman Brendan Sunday. The pair join seniors Zach Goodrich (SSDM) and Alex Woodall (FOGO) on the previously announced watch list.

Fast Hands for a Big Man
Much has been written about the transformation undergone by Towson senior faceoff specialist Alex Woodall, but he wasn't the only Tiger to undergo a rebuild this summer. Entering the 2017-18 academic year as the team's third goalie on the depth chart, Tyler Canto has improved his game by also trimming down and working over the summer at a boxing clinic to help improve his hand speed, a development clearly shown in his highlight-reel save against No. 1 Loyola on Feb. 27 (See #LaxTwitter for details).

2019 MLL Draft Results
Three Towson University Tigers were selected in this year's Major League Lacrosse Draft, hosted at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina. Faceoff specialist Alex Woodall was the first overall draft pick as the Ohio Machine claimed him to begin the event. Defensive midfielder Zach Goodrich was selected third overall as the Boston Cannons claimed the two-time All-American. Breakout attackman Brendan Sunday was snagged 13th overall by the Atlanta Blaze.

Rank and File
Last Saturday's game was the Tigers' sixth contest this season against an opponent ranked in the USILA Division I polls. The Tigers are currently 3-3 against the top 20. The Tigers have not beaten four ranked teams in a single season since the 2017 campaign when Towson went 4-4 versus ranked opponents, collecting wins over No. 6 Johns Hopkins (13-8), No. 9 Hofstra (10-8), No. 13 Penn State (12-8, NCAA First Round) and No. 2 Syracuse (10-7, NCAA Quarterfinals). Towson will potentially have the chance to square up with at least one more ranked opponent this season when it hosts UMass on Saturday, April 13.

CB30 Award
Over the summer, Towson Lacrosse great Carl Beernink passed away. An integral part of the program's rise to dominance in the 1990s, Carl was a leader and inspiration to the program both on and off the field. This season, Zach Goodrich will wear a CB30 patch in place of his captain's C to honor the late Carl Beernink. This annual award will be given to a Towson player who embodies the fighting spirit of Carl Beernink.

It's Carl Beernink Day
According to life-long friend John Blatchley, one of the best defenders in program history, Carl Beernink, declared every 30th day of the month as Carl Beernink day. Beernink passed away suddenly this summer, but his memory and influence carry on with the program. This Saturday will be March 30, Carl Beernink Day at Johnny Unitas ® Stadium. Prior to the game, the program will honor Carl's family on field.

Strength of Schedule
Towson cannot be accused of ducking top opponents this season. Through last weekend's games, the Tigers have one of the most difficult schedules, per the NCAA Statistics report. Towson's past opposition has a combined winning percentage of 65.6 (40-21), which ranks fifth among Division I programs. Towson's entire 2019 slate is currently 65-40 through March 24, a 61.9 winning percentage that ranks 10th in Division I.

Throwing it Back (Again)
For a fourth time this season the Towson University men's lacrosse team will wear throwback porthole-style jerseys, including the season opener against Johns Hopkins. The Tigers are 2-1 in the gold jerseys and throwback helmets, knocking off two top-10 opponents along the way.

The kit harkens back to the program's golden years in the early 90s, including a run to the national championship game in 1991. The gold jerseys feature the word Towson across the chest with black and white pipping on the neck and sleeves. The CAA logo is emblazoned on the left sleeve while the American flag is on the back shoulder panel.

Towson's Cascade S helmets feature decals akin to the bucket-helmet style helmets worn back in the day. Included in the decals on the back panel are laces, a nod to the tie-back style of the helmets from yesteryear. On the side of the helmets is an old school Towson logo, similar to the style worn in the 1990s.

Climbing the Charts
Senior faceoff specialist Alex Woodall is in his third season with the program after transfering from High Point University following his rookie season. The Annapolis, Marylander has made a lasting impact already with his 504 faceoffs in the Black & Gold. He currently ranks second all-time in program history, surpassing Matt Eckerl (466) in the game against No. 3/No. 2 Cornell. Up next on the list is the top spot, currently held by Justin Berry who won 507 faceoffs from 1998-2001.

All-Time Faceoff Leader Board
1. 507 Justin Berry 1998-01
2. 504 Alex Woodall 2017-Pres. (Career at Towson)
3. 466 Matt Eckerl 2004-07
4. 411 Scott Mullins 1983-86
5. 375 Mark Goers 1993-95

X Marks the Spot
Alex Woodall has won double-digit draws in each of this last 12 games, including a 12-of-17 effort against No. 13 Denver. Over that stretch, he has won 211 of his 281 draws, a remarkable 75.1 winning percentage at the X. Woodall has grabbed 145 ground balls in that span.

Hats Off!
Entering the 2018 season, Towson's active roster had combined for four hat tricks. Brendan Sunday had three, Matt Sovero had two and Timmy Monahan had one.

Kicking off the 2019 campaign, the Tigers have turned in 10 hat tricks. Brendan Sunday leads the way with four in the first seven games while Brody McLean has a trio. Grant Maloof, Timmy Monahan and Luke Fromert have one apiece. Sunday had a "sock trick" with six goals in the season opener on Feb. 9.

The Sunday afternoon game against No. 2 Cornell marked the first time this season that a Tiger failed to score at least three goals. Towson has not had a hat trick since the Jacksonville game, going 0-3 in that span.

Wearing the C
This season, head coach Shawn Nadelen and his staff announced four student-athletes that will serve as captains for the 2019 season.

Senior defensive midfielder Zach Goodrich is the program's first-ever three-time captain.

Senior attackman Brendan Sunday will be a first-time captain.

Senior defensive midfielder Jimmie Wilkerson will be a first-time captain.

Senior faceoff specialist Alex Woodall will be a first-time captain.

Sunday, Wilkerson and Woodall will wear captains' Cs on their jerseys while Goodrich will have the CB30 patch in lieu of the captains letter.

Home Cooking
As the 2019 season got underway, the Tigers have some home cooking to look forward to. The Tigers opened the 2019 home slate with a 12-10 win over No. 1 Loyola on Feb. 27 after capping last year's regular season with back-to-back home games at Johnny Unitas ® Stadium, which is a good thing. Since head coach Shawn Nadelen took over the program in 2012, no current member of the CAA has won more home games than the Tigers. 

Team: Home Record Since 2012 (as of March 25)
Towson: 41-19
Hofstra: 36-25
UMass: 33-22
Fairfield: 32-25
Drexel: 31-18
Delaware: 25-31 

Near. Far. Wherever You Are.
Playing for the home crowd is always a pleasure for any team. But the Tigers have had success on the road in the Shawn Nadelen Era as well. Since taking over the program in 2012, the Tigers have racked a 31-26 (.554) record in road games.

Community Service National Champions
In the fall 2018 semester the Towson University athletic teams completed the most community service hours among all schools in the NCAA Team Works Helper Helper Competition. Tiger student-athletes and staff completed 5,583 hours of community service from September to November in the Greater Baltimore Area. Towson's national championship in community service was celebrated at the Feb. 14th men's basketball game against Delaware.

How Big is a Tiger?
Not only has the roster size gotten larger this year, but the student-athletes that comprise have gotten bigger as well. Since Shawn Nadelen took over the program in 2012, the Tigers have gotten bigger and heavier. As researched by former Media Relations Student Intern Zoë Winslow, below are the average heights (in inches) and weights (in pounds) for the last seven Towson University men's lacrosse teams.

2012: 71.2 / 182.3
2013: 71.4 / 182.3
2014: 71.5 / 182.7
2015: 71.5 / 184.2
2016: 71.4 / 183.9
2017: 72.0 / 187.9
2018: 72.0 / 187.2
2019: 72.4 / 190.3

One and Done
Since head coach Shawn Nadelen took over the program in 2012, the Tigers have found themselves in some tight contests. The March 23 game against No. 13 Denver marked the 31st time Towson was involved in a one-goal game. And the Tigers have flexed their clutch muscles in those games, sitting at 21-10 in games decided by one goal after suffering a 7-6 loss against the Pioneers at home. In overtime games, Towson is now 4-4 and has won two of its last three extra-stanza contests, both wins coming on the road at Ohio Stadium. 

Defense + Offense = Success
With a defense as heralded as Towson's, it's not a surprise to followers of the team that the Tigers have lots of success when the offense and defense pair well. Since head coach Shawn Nadelen took over in 2012, the Tigers are 47-7 in games when Towson scores double digits. When Towson's defense limits opponents to single digits, the Tigers are a whopping 67-11 in that same time after a 14-8 win at No. 16 Georgetown. On 42 occasions, the Tigers have scored in double figures while holding opponents to single digits, obviously a 42-0 record.