When             Saturday, Oct. 26 – 2 p.m.
                        Sunday, Oct. 27 – 2 p.m.
Where            Schar Center | Elon, N.C.
Stream           FloVolleyball
Series            Towson leads the all-time series 19-3
 
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University volleyball team continues Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play this weekend with two matches against the Elon Phoenix at the Schar Center in Elon, N.C.
 
The first match is set for Saturday, Oct. 26, at 2 p.m. First serve for the second match is Sunday at 2 p.m.
 
Both matches will stream live on FloVolleyball.
 
LAST WEEK'S RECAP
In the fifth week of league play, Towson faced Hampton at TU Arena. The Tigers handled the Lady Pirates in straight sets in both matches to get to 7-3 in CAA play and 13-0 at home this season.
 
Freshman Ava Nakai earned CAA Rookie of the Week honors after amassing 19 kills and just one error, hitting at a .621 combined hitting percentage, in the Tigers' two three-set sweeps.
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Towson visited the Charleston Cougars in the fourth week of CAA play. The Tigers fell in three sets on Friday before dropping a five-set battle on Saturday.
 
Towson hosted North Carolina A&T in the second home weekend of the CAA slate. The Tigers handled the Aggies in two straight-set victories at TU Arena.
 
In the first CAA road trip of the season, the Tigers split two matches against the Delaware Blue Hens. In the first match, Delaware defeated Towson in four sets. The Tigers responded in match two with a five-set victory over the Blue Hens.
 
Towson opened the CAA slate against William & Mary. The Tigers handled the Tribe in straight sets in the first match before winning in five sets in the second to start 2-0 in conference play.
 
Towson closed its non-conference schedule with the Tiger Invitational at TU Arena in the third week of play. The Tigers defeated Loyola in four sets, Coppin State in a sweep and Seton Hall in another four-set victory.
 
Outside hitter Victoria Barrett was named the Tiger Invitational MVP while libero Sydney Stewart and middle blocker Ylenia De Mango each received All-Tournament accolades for their weekend performances.
 
Towson went on its first road trip of the 2024 season to Halton Arena for the Charlotte Invitational in the second week of the season. The Tigers faced Delaware State, Tennessee Tech and Charlotte. Towson split its two matches on Friday, beating the Hornets in straight sets before falling to the Golden Eagles in five sets in the afternoon. The Tigers are the first team to win a single set over Tennessee Tech this season and held a 12-8 advantage in set 5 before falling 17-15 in the deciding frame. The Tigers responded on Saturday with a three-set sweep vs. the hosting 49ers to close the weekend.
 
Outside hitter Zyare Abdul-Rahim and libero Sydney Stewart each earned All-Tournament recognition for their performances. Abdul-Rahim finished the weekend hitting .271 with 27 kills and three total blocks. Stewart totaled 47 digs and 13 assists, adding seven service aces.
 
Towson University outside hitter Victoria Barrett led the way for the Black & Gold in the opening weekend with a double-double in the opening match vs. Saint Francis (20 kills, 16 digs) and double-digit kill totals (20, 16, 11, 14) in all four to begin the year. Against Lehigh, four Tigers accumulated double-digit kills (Nakai - 19, Barrett - 11, De Mango - 10, Callender - 10).
 
Towson entered the 2024 season as the preseason favorite in the Coastal Athletic Association. The Tigers return nine players from last season's 24-6 run, including two-time All-CAA first team selection and 2022 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America honorable mention Victoria Barrett.
 
Barrett was voted as the CAA Preseason Player of the Year and a preseason first team All-CAA selection after totaling a career-high 354 kills last season, averaging 3.34 kills/set, the fourth-best mark in the league. Barrett notched double-digit kills in 20 of 30 matches played.
 
Junior middle blocker Erin Brothers and junior defensive specialist/libero Sydney Stewart each garnered All-CAA honorable mention accolades in the preseason poll as well. Brothers ranked fourth in the CAA in blocks/set in 2023, averaging 0.99. Stewart averaged 4.22 digs/set a season ago, landing her third in the league. Stewart totaled double-digit digs in 24 of 28 matches played.
 
The 2024 roster features 15 newcomers, including six freshman and nine transfers. Highlighting the group is transfer outside hitter Sarah Callender from William & Mary, Belmont setter transfer Izzy Schauer, and freshmen outside hitter Ava Nakai and setter Kaitlyn Moran.
 
SCOUTING THE PHOENIX
Elon enters the weekend series at 11-10 overall and 5-5 in league play. The Phoenix hold series sweeps over UNCW and Hampton and split two matches vs. Campbell. Charleston and Stony Brook each won both matchups against Elon. The Phoenix was picked 10th in the conference preseason poll, with one All-CAA honorable mention selection in outside hitter Sydney Love.
 
COLLECTING HONORS
CAA Preseason Player of the Year Victoria Barrett was named the CAA Co-Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 2 after the opening weekend of play. The senior amassed 61 kills on a .355 hitting percentage. She opened the season with a double-double against Saint Francis and totaled double-digit kills in all four matches of the weekend.
 
In the third week of play, Ylenia De Mango was named the CAA Defensive Player of the Week after posting 21.0 blocks across three matches. The senior posted 1.91 blocks/set and 3.05 points/per set during the Tigers' perfect 3-0 weekend, adding 13 errorless kills in the final match against Seton Hall.
 
Barrett earned her second CAA Offensive Player of the Week award in the first weekend of conference play. The senior averaged 5.63 kills/set hitting at a .367 clip in the Tigers' 2-0 weekend over William & Mary. Her 23 kills and four service aces in Saturday's match are both season highs and she followed that with 22 in Sunday's five-set victory.
 
Barrett collected her third CAA Offensive Player of the Week award in the third week of conference play. Barrett totaled 32 kills on a .365 hitting percentage, averaging 5.33 kills/set across two wins over North Carolina A&T. The senior finished one dig short in the second match of back-to-back double-doubles for the weekend.
 
In the fifth week of league play, outside hitter Ava Nakai was named the CAA Rookie of the Week after totaling 19 kills and just one error in two wins over Hampton. The Utah native posted a .621 combined hitting percentage across both matches, including a .765 clip in the first match with 13 errorless kills.
 
LEADING THE AMBUSH
Outside hitter Victoria Barrett is second in the CAA with 302 kills through 20 matches (75 sets). The Virginian stands 34th in Division I with that total. She's averaging 4.03 kills/set, which is third in the league and 46th in the nation. Among points leaders in Division I, Barrett ranks 24th nationally with 354. Her 4.72 points/set average is 41st in DI.
 
Middle blocker Ylenia De Mango is second among league block leaders in the CAA with 88. The senior's 1.17 blocks/set is the third-best mark in the league.
 
Libero Sydney Stewart is third in the league with 32 service aces and is tied for 41st among national leaders in the category. Her .43 aces/set average stands fourth in the league. Stewart also stands 39th in the nation with 349 total digs. Her 4.65 digs/set are 44th most in Division I.
 
AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
The Black & Gold stand among the best in Division I in multiple team categories. The Tigers are tied for 22nd in the country with 145 total aces, and their 1.93 aces/set average is 20th. Towson has also held opponents to a .149 hitting percentage, which is 12th among NCAA leaders. On the offensive side, the Tigers are hitting at a .260 clip, which is 35th among national leaders. At 16-4, Towson's win-loss percentage is .800, which is tied for 21st in the nation.
 
PLAY THE HITS
Towson holds the top hitting percentage in the conference at a .260 clip. The next closest team is Delaware at .237. The Tigers stand third in the league with 974 total kills in 75 sets played. The Tigers offense is holding opponents to a 1.70 blocks/set average, which is tied with Charleston for the league's best mark.
 
LOCKDOWN DEFENSE
Towson is holding opponents to 10.24 kills/set which is best mark in the conference. Their 9.59 opponent assists/set average also leads the league.
 
PROTECT THIS HOUSE
- Since moving into TU Arena full-time in 2013, Towson has racked up an impressive 125-27 (.822) overall record at home. That total includes CAA Tournament games played at TU Arena.
- The Black & Gold have opened the 2024 season 13-0 at TU Arena.
- The Tigers have eight seasons with double-digit wins, including a perfect 16-0 mark in 2022 and a 17-1 mark in 2021.
- Dating back to 2019, the Black & Gold have amassed a 72-5 (.935) record in the arena.
- Towson went 3-0 at home in the shortened 2020 season (played in spring of 2021).
- The Tigers finished 2019 with a 12-1 overall mark at SECU Arena, with an 8-0 mark in the CAA.
- The Tigers finished 2018 strong at home with a three-match win streak.
 
A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
-Since 2015, Towson has been one of the top teams in the CAA. The Tigers have recorded a 112-30 record (.789) in league play since then, including a record-setting 16-0 mark in 2019.
-Towson finished conference play at 16-2 last season, including their first three-set loss in league play since 2018.
-The Black & Gold finished with a 15-1 mark two seasons ago, going a perfect 8-0 at home.                 
-Three years ago, The Tigers went 12-4 and never got swept.
2024: 7-3 | 2023: 16-2 | 2022: 15-1 | 2021: 12-4 | 2021 (spring): 2-0 | 2019: 16-0 | 2018: 10-6 | 2017: 12-4 | 2016: 10-6 | 2015: 12-4 | Total: 112-30 (.789)
 
TOP OF THE CHARTS
- Now in his 23rd season as an NCAA volleyball head coach, Coach Don Metil has amassed 491 wins.
- Metil is 491-216 all-time (.694) 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: 261-86
- Metil passed Cathy Cain as the all-time wins leader after knocking off #7 Pittsburgh on Sept. 10th, 2022.
- Don Metil: 261-86 (2013-Pres.) | Cathy Cain: 201-143 (1989-98) | Chris Riley: 144-54 (2000-05)
 
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".
-TowsonTigers.com-