When                                    Saturday, February 18, 2023
Where                                   Pratt Recreation Center | N.Y.
Team Records                    Towson (14-2)
                                               LIU (5-6)
Live Stats                             TBD
Live Video                            ESPN +
 
First Rotation
Towson heads to the big apple this weekend for two meets hosted by EAGL foe Long Island University. The action starts this Saturday at 7 p.m. as the Tigers and Sharks go head-to-head for a dual meet. Two days later Bridgeport and Brown will join for an early week quad meet on Feb 20 at 1 p.m.
 
Back-to-Back
The Tigers earned back-to-back quad meet victories last week, starting with a big conference win over three EAGL competitors. NC State, Temple and Pittsburgh traveled to SECU for a Friday evening meet.
 
Towson posted a season high 196.375, edging out second place finisher Temple by over a point. The Tigers earned 49.000s or better on vault (49.150), bars (49.400) and floor (49.125). Gymnasts picked up three career best and nine season bests, updating the record book with new top-10 program best scores for individuals and the team as well. The Tigers also earned eight top-five finishes including two first places from freshmen Polina Belanovski and Isabella Minervini.
 
Two days later the Tigers went on to collect their second win of the week against UPenn, West Chester and Ursinus.  Towson dominated the quad meet, posting the top scores for every event and collecting nine podium finishes including three gold medal performances from Polina Belanovski, Grace Vaillancourt and Paige Casper.
 
Scouting the Sharks
This event will mark LIU's sixth meet of the season. The Sharks highest team score this year (195.100) was reached at their most recent meet, and EAGL quad with New Hampshire, George Washington and North Carolina.
 
LIU is currently ranked 49th via RoadToNationals.com and sixth in EAGL. The Sharks have one EAGL weekly award under their belt, earned by Mara Titarsolej who was named Specialist of the Week on January 25th. Titarsolej currently leads EAGL in uneven bars as she is ranked first with a high of 9.950. The junior has posted 9.950 on the event for the past three meets in a row. Prior to that she received scores above 9.900. Ilka Juk is ranked third in EAGL on beam with a high of 9.925. Syd Morris (9.800) currently has the highest vault score on the team while Katy Koopman (9.875) has the highest floor.
 
Towson and LIU last saw each other February 4, 2022 at SECU Arena where the Tigers posted 196.700, the second highest score in program history. LIU finished fourth at the quad meet with a 193.350. Mara Titarsolej captured the win on bars with a 9.95 while Amy Stewart won floor with a career high 9.95.
 
Towson-LIU By the Numbers
-Towson has competed against LIU four times since 2021.
-Series record Towson leads, 4-0
-Home Record 2-0
-Away Record 2-0
-Conference Record 1-0
 
Rookie of the Week Streak
Freshman Polina Belanovski was named EAGL Rookie of the Week Wednesday morning, which makes that the fourth time this season Towson has been awarded it. Isabella Minervini picked up the first three awards, two of which were consecutive.
 
Queens of Uneven Bars
-Towson has picked up success after success on bars this season, proving to be the team's strongest event.
-The Tigers have scored above a 49.000 at every meet this season, including a program best 49.400 achieved at last week's EAGL quad meet.
-Currently they are ranked 11th in the nation in the event
 
EAGL Standings
-Towson (14-2(3-1 EAGL)) is currently ranked first in EAGL with a high 196.450 and average 195.983.
-Isabella Minervini is ranked third on bars, Grace Vaillancourt is ranked fourth.
-Carmella Calafati is ranked second on floor.
 
Road To Nationals
-Towson moved up a couple spots and is now ranked 26th nationally.
-The Tigers improved in bars as well, currently ranked 11th.
-LIU is ranked 49th.
 
Towson Leaders by Event 
-Vault: Polina Belanovski, 9.900
-Bars: Grace Vaillancourt and Isabella Minervini, 9.950
-Beam: Grace Vaillancourt and Lauren Keener, 9.825
-Floor: Amy Stewart and Paige Casper, 9.925
 
Getting Into the Spirit
-The following is the remaining theme for the last home meet this season:
-February 26: Senior/Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Day (George Washington, Fisk and William & Mary).
 
Talented Playing Field
-12 out of the 21 teams Towson will compete against for the 2023 season are either ranked or receiving votes in the WGCA Preseason Coaches Poll.
-The highest ranked competitor is University of Denver, ranked 13th with 1119 points.
-Maryland (424) and Iowa State (407) are ranked 29th and 30th respectively.
-West Virginia is ranked 33rd with 214 points.
-George Washington, Temple, New Hampshire, Rutgers, Pittsburg, LIU, Ball State and Fisk all received votes.
 
In The National Rankings
-Towson was only two points away from being ranked in the Top 36 teams for the WCGA Preseason Coaches' Poll after picking up 142 points.
-LIU received votes, earning 4.
 
How to Say It: TOWSON
TOWSON is pronounced TOW like towel + Son.
 
IT IS NOT: TOE-son, Townson, Towsond, Townsend, Townsen, Towzen. One N, no Z.
 
We are Towson University, no longer Towson State University (and haven't been since July 1, 1997).
 
Our mascot is Doc The Tiger, named after Donald "Doc" Minnegan, long-time soccer coach and athletics department administrator. Towson became the "Tigers" in 1962 after John Schuerholz (yes, the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame General Manager) pushed for the name change from the "Towson College Knights".
 
Next Time on Tiger Gymnastics
-Towson remains at LIU for a quad meet with Brown and Bridgeport on Feb 20 at 1 p.m.
-The Tigers' final home meet of the season will happen later that week on Feb 26 at 1 p.m.
-George Washington, Fisk University and William & Mary travel to SECU for a quad meet.
-Graduating seniors will be recognized at the conclusion of the meet.
-Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Day is the theme of the meet.