TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University gymnastics team opens the 2020 season at the University of Pennsylvania on Sunday, Jan. 12, beginning at 1 p.m. inside the Palestra.

"As a team as a whole, we are definitely working with the team factor of it," said new Towson head coach Jay Ramirez. "Our team goal is to have everyone on the team contribute and accomplish something."
"Every single person will bring out the best of what they have to give."

The Tigers are returning 11 student-athletes from last season including sophomore Emerson Hurst who made it to NCAA regionals for the Tigers on the balance beam. Hurst qualified after having a 9.840 National Qualifying Score (NQS). Hurst, made a name for herself in her rookie season after winning two East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Rookie of the Week awards and five individual titles between beam and vault.

The sophomore class also has Nikki Borkowski, Jaz Kauffman, Leah Smith and newcomer Tirzah Delph. All four will contribute on their strongest event in lineups as well as one or two other events.

The junior class include one of three captains, Tess Zientek, and Kyla Gamble. Zintek, being a stalwart on bars, makes her a dependably hit routine fun to watch for the Tigers.

Ally Wesoly, one of four seniors who competed in all events last season, is huge for the Tigers. The success she had last season is something Coach Ramirez and the Tigers look forward to her continuing.

Towson brings more depth than in seasons before. With seven new freshmen added to the roster, for the first time in a long time, the Tigers bring six 9.95 vault starter values and six single bar release moves in their lineup. The excitement to watch Kauffman, Zientek and Amy Stewart in the bar lineup will be something for all fans to enjoy.

The fans get to engage in four home meets this season, Jan. 17, Feb. 7, March 6 and March 15. The Tigers are very excited that all the coaches bring a local fan base back to SECU Arena. The Tigers are honored and ecstatic to showcase the choreographed floor routines by former assistant coach, Lyn Filbert. Keep a lookout for a legacy floor routine of alumni Kristen Presutti Callihan's perfect 10 routine performed by freshmen Jenna Weitz this season.

As always, Towson looks forward to competing against EAGL foe George Washington this year, once at home (March 6) and at GW's arena on March 8.

The last meet of the regular season is senior night on March, 15 versus Southern Connecticut. On that day the Tigers will honor four student-athletes including two of the captains in Olivia Lubarsky, Ally Wesoly, Zoey Packard and Melissa Temkov.

The Alumni meet will honor the passing of Towson Athletics Hall of Fame Head Coach George McGinty this year. Towson Gymnastics will be showcasing the memorial banner at the competition of McGinty's life in coaching.

"Coach McGinty was known for compassion, dedication, being kind, humble, encouraging, and empowering and "plays nice in the sandbox", said Ramirez. "The team will be honoring one student-athlete with the George McGinty Alumni Award. The athlete recipient will possess those qualities that McGinty possessed as a coach."
 
The last meet of the regular season is Senior Night on March 15 versus Southern Connecticut. On that day the Tigers will honor four student-athletes, including two of the captains, in Olivia Lubarsky, Ally Wesoly, Zoey Packard and Melissa Temkov.

All three of the captains this year, Zientek, Lubarsky and Wesoly bring something to the table and have something to offer to the squad this year. The leadership that each student-athlete brings is different in their own way but special enough to contribute the qualities that makes the team great.

Towson will close out the season with EAGL Championships, hosted by North Carolina on Saturday, March 21 beginning at 2 p.m.

Tickets for all home meets are on sale now at TowsonTigers.com or by calling the Towson Athletics Ticket Office at 1-855-TU-TIGER.