TOWSON, Md. – As a player Brian Yaniger's game was decent, but as the Tigers' golf coach his guidance put Towson University's program on the map, earning him a spot in its Athletic Hall of Fame when he joins the Class of 2024 at the 60^th Annual Induction Banquet on October 18^th.

Joining Brian are Jerrelle Benimon (basketball), Kacy Catanzaro (gymnastics), Mike Garner (track), Spiro Morekas (broadcaster), Frank Olszewski (soccer coach) and Bobby Poist (football). The 2012-13 men's basketball team will be honored as a Team of Distinction. The banquet will be held on campus in the University Union. Tickets are available by visiting https://towsonuniversity.regfox.com/towson-athletics-tiger-honors-hall-of-fame-induction-2024.

Brian swung his first club when he was 13. He played number two at Milford Mill during his interscholastic career prior to attending Loyola College where he co-captained the Greyhounds' 1972 team. As an alum he later captured medalist honors at Loyola's alumni tournament.

"I was a decent player but not a really good player," Brian says. "But I was a smart player. I knew when to try to hit it over the water and when not to, to play it safe. In coaching, that's what I brought to the team. I didn't change anyone's swing or grip. I stressed to our players the importance of making the right decisions and to think about every shot."

Brian began his coaching career at the bottom of the ladder, coaching in the rec councils. For 10 years he directed the girls Baltimore Maccabi basketball team, winning one gold and six silver medals in the Maccabi Games.

"While I was doing that I coached girls basketball at Owings Mills High School," he recalls. "Then their golf coach retired. They asked me to take over the golf team as well. I supposed that really launched my coaching career in the sport."

In 1996 Brian answered a newspaper ad announcing Towson University was seeking a golf coach for its men's team. He learned the job had been turned down by two others. "They weren't willing to spend 40 hours a week for 50 weeks out of the year for $4,000," Brian says. The job was part-time, but not to him. He devoted the ensuing 20 years to building a very competitive program despite not having full-time employee status until 2004.

Initially Brian recruited heavily in the Baltimore metropolitan area. If the Tigers wanted to make noise on the collegiate circuit, however, he had to expand those efforts. After a successful recruiting year that yielded the Baltimore area's three best golfers in Chris Baloga, Ben Phelps and Billy Wingerd, the Tigers started playing well. Towson's name spread. As the program began its climb up the leaderboard Brian's recruiting trips got longer, taking him to Bradenton, Fla. and IMG Academy, the ultimate prep school for student-athletes focused on continuing their sports careers at a high level. He also found success up North, eventually convincing high school state champions to attend Towson.

The results of his labors were impressive. Under his tutelage the Tigers won three conference titles (two America East, one Colonial Athletic Association), captured 12 tournament championships and earned four NCAA tournament berths. He was recognized as Coach of the Year twice by America East and three times by the CAA. He was twice named Towson's Coach of the Year. In 2005 he was selected Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year. Eleven of his players earned First Team All-Conference honors, of those four were conference tournament medalists. Two players were named CAA Golfer of the Year, two others were selected as CAA Rookie of the Year. Brian's players excelled academically as well. His squads consistently achieved the highest term GPA among Towson men's squads. One of his players, current Tiger golf coach Mike Larkin, was the CAA's Scholar-Athlete for Golf. Another player, Nyasha Mauchaza out of the IMG Academy, was honored as a first team Arthur Ashe Scholar All-American. Two of his players, Wingerd and Jeff Castle, were named to the CAA's 25^th Anniversary Team.

In 2006 Towson initiated a women's program. Brian directed both teams until 2010. One of his recruits, Airielle Dawson, won the 2011 PGA of America Minority Collegiate Golf Championship, becoming the first student-athlete at Towson to win an individual national title.
Since retiring from coaching, Brian has formed JEL Golf, LLC, a company that organizes and runs men's and women's college golf tournaments and fundraising events.