This Weekend's Parking Information
Saturday, November 13 - Noon Volleyball
Lot 7 (Behind SECU Arena) - Open only to volleyball student-athletes and staff.
Lots 4 & 5 (North Side of Johnny Unitas ® Stadium) - Free Parking Available. Use the paved walkway on the East Side of Johnny Unitas ® Stadium, between the stadium and Osler Medical Center.
Lot 8 (In Front of Towson Center) - Fans can purchase a Lot 8 Parking Pass for $15. Call 1-855-TU-TIGER (1-855-888-4437) to purchase a parking pass.
Handicap/Elderly Drop Off - Near Gate One on Auburn Drive by the entrance to Lot 8 in front of the Towson Center.
Parking Services will only allow those with a Lot 8 permit or Handicap tag to pull into Lot 8 and drop off anyone in front of the Towson Center.
Cars without a Lot 8 or 7 permit will not be permitted past the Auburn House on Auburn South.
Anyone parking in Lot 4/5 will have to enter through the north side of Auburn Drive.

Sunday, November 14 - Noon Volleyball
Lot 7 (Behind SECU Arena) - Reserved for volleyball fans. Passes MUST BE PICKED UP on Saturday at SECU Arena for Sunday's parking. Passes can be picked up from Events and Conference Services at Gate One on Saturday
Parking in all other lots is first come, first served.

First Serve
Another weekend, another CAA title match rematch as the Tigers take on Northeastern in a battle of last spring's CAA Championship match. Last weekend, the Tigers faced JMU for the first time since the 2019 CAA Championship.

In The National Rankings
Neither team was mentioned on the Week 11 (Nov. 8) AVCA Coaches Poll.

The Senor Weekend Tigers
The Tigers round out the regular season and that means Senior Weekend for several key members of the program. Prior to Sunday's match, Emily Jarome, Katie McLellan, Nikiya Mitchell, Kristin Spengler, Ally Townsend and graduate student transfer Megan Wilson will be honored. The Tigers have a chance to clinch the CAA regular season title with a pair of wins at SECU Arena this weekend, earning the right to host the 2022 CAA Women's Volleyball Championship. Towson is coming off a split weekend at James Madison, which was a battle of the league's heavyweights. Towson dropped the first match 3-0 before rebounding with a 3-1, full-team win on Sunday. Fay Bakodimou (2.83 k/set) leads the Tigers, while Nina Cajic (2,74 k/set) returned to the starting lineup last weekend at JMU. Emily Jarome (2.74 k/set) is third on the team with Lydia Wiers (1.95 k/set) checking in fourth. Megan Wilson leads Towson's assist efforts with 518 (5.45/set) followed by Kristin Spengler at 458 (5.80/set). The Tigers continue to be one of the top service ace teams in the country, ranking sixth in Division I in team service aces with 188. Bakodimou leads those efforts with 51 total aces, which ranks fourth in the country while her 0.55 aces per set checks in at seventh. Towson's block continues to power the defense, led by Nikiya Mitchell's 1.17 blocks per set with Wiers close behind at 1.08. Backing the block, Rachel Hess snags 4.03 digs per set, racking 387 total digs entering the final weekend of the regular season.

Scouting the Huskies
Northeastern travels south with a split 12-12 overall record and an 8-6 mark in the CAA after splitting last weekend's results with Charleston. The Huskies dropped a 3-1 decision on Saturday but returned on Senior Day Sunday for a sweeping victory. Erica Staunton leads Northeastern with 2.91 kills per set, while four teammates Evelyn Gonzalez (2.59), Defne Arliel (2.22), Nailah Jenkins (2.19) and Rafaella Lepenioti (2.13) all average better than two kills per set. Samantha Shupe runs that offense with 329 assists, followed by Jessica Frannea's 297. Liz Carroll has accumulated 222 assists as well. Defensively, Marika Virthe leads the blocking efforts with 98 total stops, averaging 1.05 per set. Jenkins is second with a 0.78 per-set average and 69 total stuffs. Kayla Martin leads in the back row with 4.07 digs per set, grabbing 354 total entering this weekend. Shupe grabs 3.00 per set on average.

Towson-Northeastern By the Numbers
All-Time Series Record NU Leads 25-16
at Towson NU 11-9
at Northeastern NU 13-6
at Neutral Sites Towson 2-1
at Unknown Sites n/a
First Meeting 1987 (NU 2-0)
Last Meeting April 3, 2021
Towson 3-0
Streak Towson +4

It Has Not Been a Minute.
This weekend marks the second and third time this calendar year the Tigers and Huskies will do battle. The teams last met in the 2020/1 CAA Women's Volleyball Championship at Towson's SECU Arena. Towson won the title match 3-0, just the Tigers sixth match of the season.

The teams were slated to play during the regular season in late March but COVID-19 protocols cancelled the matches that were scheduled for SECU Arena.

Last Time Out vs. Northeastern | April 3, 2021 | Towson, Md. | SECU Arena
Fighting through one of the most bizarre and unstable seasons in college athletics history, the Tigers and Huskies finally met in the CAA Championship match as the top two teams in the CAA's 2021 North Region won their semifinal showdowns to reach the title bout. Despite a 3-0 Towson win, it was a close fight the whole way as Towson won 26-24, 25-17, 25-22. Lydia Wiers dropped in 13 kills to lead the Tigers while Emily Jarome knocked down 11. Nina Cajic finished with nine as Kristin Spengler hoisted 39 assists in just three sets. Towson's block was strong as the Tigers out-blocked Northeastern 6-3, led by five total blocks from then-rookie Aayinde Smith. Defne Arliel finished with 15 kills to lead Northeastern with Erica Staunton in second with nine. Nailah Jenkins added another eight kills with Samantha Shupe posting 22 assists.

With a Win Over Northeastern on Saturday, Towson Would...
- Extend its winning streak over the Huskies to five matches.
- Win its 14th match this season at SECU Arena.
- Win its fourth-straight at SECU Arena.
- Win at least 11 CAA matches for a second-straight full season.

What a Class
- Prior to Sunday's match, head coach Don Metil and his staff will honor and recognize six members of the program who will graduate this spring.
- Honorees: Emily Jarome, Katie McLellan, Nikiya Mitchell, Kristin Spengler, Ally Townsend, Megan Wilson. Fay Bakodimou matriculated in 2018 with Jarome and Spengler but will return to the program next fall.
- The Class of 2022 has helped rebuild the Towson program, never suffering a losing season while accumulating 74 wins entering this weekend, despite a heavily reduced 2020/1 season.
- In 2019 and 2021, the class has won at least 20 matches, racking 29 wins in 2019 and another 22 this fall with at least three more chances for wins.
- The Class of 2022 has won two straight CAA Women's Volleyball championships, captured one outright regular season title (2019), along with two berths in the NCAA Women's Volleyball Tournament (2019, 2020).
- In 2019, this class won the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament match, topping American in a five-set thriller at Penn State's Rec Hall.

Cajic Named CAA Player of the Week (Again!)
- Sophomore opposite hitter Nina Cajic picked up her second CAA Offensive Player of the Week honor on Monday. She was also named the honoree on Sept. 6.
- The Subotica, Serbia native helped Towson to a split in a first place clash at JMU.
- Cajic banged down 4.00 kills per set, tagging the Dukes for 28 total in seven sets. She hit for .453 over the weekend while landing a career-best 19 kills in just four sets in Sunday's win.
- Cajic hit at a .567 rate on Sunday and .304 on Saturday morning in her return to the starting lineup for the first time since late September.

Everyone on the Block
- If you're attacking Towson's defense, you're going to have a LOT of hands in your face.
- As of Nov. 9, Towson is ranked sixth in the country in opponent hitting percentage, holding opponents to a combined .133.
- The Tigers rank 28th in Division I in blocks per set (2.59) and are first in the CAA in that category.
- Towson checks in at 13th in Team Total Blocks in Division I with 248.5 this year, thanks to a HUGE day at the net on in the Friday match at William & Mary with another 17.5 blocks, including 11 from Nikiya Mitchell.
- Towson's set a program record on Sept. 3 against Loyola Maryland, stuffing the Greyhounds 21 times in five sets. Lydia Wiers was accounted for on 11 total blocks in the match, tied for the third-most by a Tiger in program history.
Mitchell and Wiers are two of four players in program history to hit 11 total blocks in the 25 point rally scoring era (2008-present), joining Susan Gansor (vs. UNH, 2011) and Shelynne Hoyt (vs. Penn, 2009).
- As of October 31, the Tigers' Fall 2021 total of 230.5 blocks ranks 10th all-time for a single season in program history.

Moving to the Commonwealth
- The Tigers better get comfortable playing on the road in Virginia in the next three weeks.
- Towson had a successful 2-0 trip to Williamsburg, Virginia for a pair on Oct. 22 and Oct. 23.
- The Tigers made their final league trip to Harrisonburg, Virginia and split at James Madison, improving to 3-1 in the Commonwealth this fall.
- The JMU trip came after a one-weekend stay at SECU Arena against Delaware this weekend following the William & Mary trip.

The Ace of Spades (The Ace of Spades)
- Towson served up 27 aces in the opening weekend with another 32 coming in the Towson Invitational, followed by 25 aces at the Tiger Invitational.
- Towson is ranked 12th in the most recent NCAA Extended Stats (Nov. 9), averaging 1.96 aces per set. Fay Bakodimou ranks seventh in Division I with 51 total aces.
- The Tigers are sixth in the country in total aces (188).

What Conference Are We In???
- Through the first three weekends of the season, Towson has played opponents from five different conferences: America East, Horizon, Ivy, MEAC and Patriot League.
- It feels like the Tigers may be an associate member of the America East, MEAC or Patriot League, having played opponents from those leagues twice.
- Towson added Conference USA (FAU) and American Athletic Conference (Temple) to the mix this weekend.
- Towson has more wins in two different conferences this year 3-0 MEAC, 3-0 Patriot) than it did in the spring, playing in (and winning!) two CAA matches in the offset season.

Mr. 400
- During opening weekend, Towson head coach Don Metil picked up the 400th win of his head coaching career, coming in dramatic fashion with a 3-2 come-from-behind win at Navy.
- Entering the spring 2021 season, Metil is 42nd among NCAA coaches with a minimum five years as a Division I head coach.
- Metil is 417-202 all-time (.674) as a head coach.
- Metil's records by school: Notre Dame College: 40-30 | Lees-McRae: 30-9
Coppin State: 15-46 | Maryland Eastern Shore: 145-45 | Towson: 188-73
- Metil is second all-time in wins at Towson University.
- Cathy Cain: 201-143 (1989-98) | Don Metil: 188-73 (2013-Pres.) | Chris Riley: 144-54 (2000-05)

Two Legs vs Four Legs
- Mascots come in all shapes, sizes, animals and breeds and people. But that hasn't stopped the Tigers this season.
- Towson's 2021 vs. Two-Legged Mascots: 6-1
- Towson's 2021 vs. Four-Legged Mascots: 16-3
- This week's opponent, Northeastern, is represented by the four-legged Husky.
- In 2019, the Tigers went 17-1 against mascots with four legs (Bobcats, Bears, Tigers, Great Danes, Greyhounds, Wildcats, Dukes (dog), Huskies, Pride (lions), Tribe (griffin), Cougars, and Nittany Lions).
- Two of Towson's 2019 losses came against two-legged foes, the Scarlet Knights and Chanticleers, before falling to the four-legged Nittany Lions.
- Towson went 3-1 in 2020/1 against four-legged mascots, topping Stony Brook (Seawolves), Charleston (Cougars) and Northeastern (Huskies) but falling to Dayton (see last line).
- Towson's opponent in Spring 2021, the Dayton Flyers, are in the four-legged category (Orville and Wilbur Wright). (This is according to an impromptu Twitter poll).

Birds of a Feather
- Bird mascots are very popular, it seems, on the Towson schedule.
- The Tigers played nine matches this regular season against feathered foes.
- Towson had won its last 15 matches against bird-related mascots before dropping the Saturday match against Elon.
- Towson is 8-1 against bird mascots in 2021.
- The Tigers did not play a single bird opponent on the road during the regular season.
- As of October 31, the only bird mascot in the league to clinch a spot in the CAA Tournament is Elon. Delaware is currently in seventh with UNCW in eighth at 2-10.

Protect this House
- Since moving into SECU Arena full time in 2013, Towson has racked up an impressive 81-24 overall record at SECU Arena.
- The Tigers have four seasons with double digit wins, including an 13-1 mark in 2021
- The Tigers finished 2018 strong at home with a three-match win streak.
- The Tigers finished 2019 with a 12-1 overall mark at SECU Arena, with an 8-0 mark in the CAA.
- Towson is already 13-1 this fall at SECU Arena with nine sweeps in 14 chances.
- Towson's single-season wins record at SECU Arena was a 14-1 campaign in 2014. Towson has a chance to tie and break that mark in the regular season finale block against Northeastern.

In a ______ State of Mind
- Towson has played opponents from all over the eastern seaboard and the eastern portion of the midwest.
- To date, Towson has played at least one match against opponents from eight different states
- This weekend Towson adds another state to the list: Massachusetts.
- Maryland: 4 | New York: 4 | Pennsylvania: 2 | North Carolina: 4 | Delaware: 2 | South Carolina: 2 | Virginia: 4 | Ohio: 1 | New Jersey: 1  | Florida: 1)

When in Colonial Rome...
- Towson has played against programs from seven of the original 13 Colonies.
- Of the 13 Original Colonies, the Tigers have tussled with teams from Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
- Two weekends ago, Towson brought that total to eight, adding the First State, Delaware.
- The regular season total will reach nine with a visit from Northeastern, representing Massachusetts.
- The only missing colonies are Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Georgia.

Tigers in the Community
- For the 7th consecutive year, the department exceeded 10,000 hours of community service to the Greater Baltimore region, finishing with 11,162 hours of community service in the 2018-19 academic season.
- Towson ranked #1 nationally for community service and won the 2018 National Championship for Community Service through the Helper Helper NCAA Team Works Competition.
- Towson had a 97% participation rate, attended 118 community service opportunities and volunteered with 19 organizations.
- Towson won the 2018 Volunteer of the Year Award from Susan G. Komen of Maryland.