When – Sunday, January 21, 2024
Where – McGonigle Hall | Philadelphia, Pa.
Time – 5 p.m.
Team Records – Towson (0-2) | Temple (5-2)
Live Stats – Stat Broadcast
Live Video – ESPN +
 
It's Always Sunny
The gang heads up to Philadelphia this Sunday for a dual meet against EAGL foe Temple at 5 p.m.
 
Season Opener Highlights
The Tigers debuted the 2024 season at #9 Ohio State last Sunday in a tri meet with Ball State. Towson put up the second highest season opener score in program history, 195.225, to finish third behind the Cardinals (195.650) and the Buckeyes (197.150).
 
The Black & Gold dominated throughout the first two rotations, remaining in first place after posting the seventh highest floor score in program history (49.275) and third highest vault score in school history (49.250).
 
Camille Vitoff and Isabella Minervini earned spots on the podium, both placing second in their respective events. Vitoff logged a 9.9 on vault while Minervini posted a 9.875 on bars.
 
Elise Tisler (vault - 9.850), Felicia Poblete (vault - 9.800), Adriana Hoffman (vault - 9.825) and Grace Vaillancourt (floor - 9.900) all posted or tied their career highs.
 
Jenna Weitz competed in her 55th meet as a Tiger, breaking the program record for most meets competed in a career of any Towson gymnast.
 
In the Rankings
The Tigers currently hold the top vault, floor, bars and team scores in EAGL conference.
 
For the national rankings, the Tigers are checking in at ninth in the nation on vault and 20th on floor.
Elise Tisler is the first Tiger to pick up an EAGL weekly award this season as she was named Co-Specialist of the Week
 
Scouting the Owls
The Owls finished the 2023 season ranked 49th with an NQS of 195.490. The team posted program records on vault (49.250) and floor (49.400) as well as scores in the top-10 all-time marks for bars (49.200 - third) and beam (49.200 - fifth). The season wrapped up with returners Brooke Donabedian (floor) and Renee Schugman (floor) qualifying for NCAA Regionals as individuals.
 
After competing in three meets so far this season Temple is currently 2-6 with wins over Ivy Leagues Yale and Cornell.
 
Temple's strongest event at this point in the season has proved to be floor, averaging 48.850. The Cherry and White put up a season high 49.175 on the event last week at George Washington, led by Brooke Donabedian's season high 9.900. The five other Temple gymnasts in the event scored a 9.725 or better.
 
The Owls hit their season high team score at George Washington's quint meet as well, finishing the meet in third place with a 194.100.
 
Madison Dorunda holds the team's top scores for vault (9.775) and beam (9.850) while Brooke Donabedian's 9.900 on floor ranks first for the Owls. At 9.875 Sarah Stallings holds the bests bars score on the team.
 
Temple currently ranks 61st nationally with a floor ranking of 41st. The team ranks 58th on vault and bars.
 
Towson - Temple By the Numbers
-Towson and Temple are familiar foes, as this will be the 18th matchup in program history
-Series Record: Towson leads, 11-6
-Home Record: 6-3
-Away Record: 3-0
-Neutral Record: 2-3
-Conference Record: 4-0
-Last Meeting: March 12, 2023
-Towson: 196.525 | Temple: 196.250
 
Last Time Out vs. Temple | Mar. 12, 2023 | College Park, Md. | Xfinity Arena
-Towson posted the second-highest team score of the season, posting a 196.525, placing second to Maryland ahead of EAGL foes Temple and George Washington as well as Yale.
-Temple put up a 196.250 to finish third.
-The Tigers matched their highest bars score of the season at 49.400, having the top score of the meet in that event.
-Towson gymnasts posted top place finishes on vault and bars; Polina Belanovski posted a 9.9 on vault for the victory while Isabella Minervini won bars with a 9.95.
 
2023 Rewind
Aside from winning EAGL Championships for the first time in Towson program history, the Tigers had several other accomplishments that attributed to a record-breaking 2023 season.
 
The team recorded the highest National Qualifying Score (NQS) of 196.450 in program history, which was the first time Towson's NQS has been made up of only 196's. The Tigers also saw the highest opening road, home opener and away scores in program history.
 
Towson accumulated 33 wins total last season, which made team 55 the winningest in school history. This made the Tigers the most winningest team in the NCAA, having the most victories out of any NCAA gymnastics program last season.
 
The Black & Gold also posted program record on vault (49.400) and bars (49.400). Bars proved to be the strongest event of the Tigers' 2023 season, as the Tigers hit the program record twice and were ranked 16th in the nation in January.
 
The team demonstrated its depth with eight different athletes earning first place finishes on all four events. The Tigers picked up 30 new career highs and had the most podium finishes in a season in program history.
 
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".
 
Promotional Schedule
-At the end of December, the Tigers announced the themes for the four home meets this season.
-January 26: Chelli Calloway Invitational/Pink Meet (LIU, George Washington, Cornell, New Hampshire)
-Pink/breast cancer themed giveaway items: 250 rally towels and 100 tshirts
-February 23: George McGinty Alumni/Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Meet (Temple)
-March 10: Pride Meet (Maryland)
-Pride themed giveaway items: 250 tshirts
-March 15: Own Your Roar/Dog Toy Toss/Senior Night Meet
-Giveaway item: 200 GohTigers themed fanny packs
-Fans are also encouraged to bring dog toys to donate to Maryland SPCA at the conclusion of the meet
 
Student Athletes
-Towson gymnastics earned a team cumulative GPA of 3.643, the highest of all sports teams at Towson
-Six athletes earned perfect 4.0 GPAs; Grace Vaillancourt, Brissa Portillo, Clara Hong, Lauren Greene, Elise Tisler and Steph Macasu.
-17 gymnasts were on the Dean's List for earning 3.5 or higher and six were on Athletic Director Honor Roll.
 
Road To Nationals
-Towson finished the 2023 regular season ranked 31st, which is the fourth highest ranking in program history
-After week two (1/1-1/15) in the 2024 season Oklahoma remains ranked first with an average of 197.875 and high score of 197.900.
-Denver, one of Towson's opponents this season, is ranked 10th with a 196.875 average and 196.900 high.
-Towson is currently ranked 34th with a 195.225 average and high score.
 
Next Time on Tiger Gymnastics
The Tigers host their home opener next Friday night, welcoming LIU, George Washington, New Hampshire and Cornell the annual Chelli Calloway Invitational.