When           Saturday, Sept. 28 – 11 a.m.
                    Sunday, Sept. 29 – 1 p.m.
Where          Bob Carpenter Center | Newark, Del.
Stream         FloVolleyball
Series          Towson leads Delaware 52-41
 
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University Tigers volleyball team continues Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play this weekend with two matches against the Delaware Blue Hens in Newark, Delaware.
 
The first match is set for Saturday, Sept. 28 at 11 a.m. First serve for the second match is Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Both matches will be streamed on FloVolleyball. Live stats for both matches will be available on TowsonTigers.com.
 
LAST WEEK'S RECAP
Towson opened the CAA slate last weekend with two matches against William & Mary. The Tigers handled the Tribe in straight sets on Saturday night before winning in five sets on Sunday to start 2-0 in conference play.
 
Victoria Barrett was named the CAA Offensive Player of the Week after averaging 5.63 kills/set in the Tigers' two victories. She amassed a season-high 23 kills in Saturday's sweep and added 22 in the five-set win on Sunday. The senior hit at an impressive .367 clip for the weekend with 45 total kills.
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Towson closed its non-conference schedule with the Tiger Invitational two weekends ago at TU Arena. 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 redeemed themselves 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 to bring her season total to 16.
 
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 bring back nine returners 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 Sarah Callender from William & Mary, Belmont transfer Izzy Schauer, and freshmen outside hitter Ava Nakai and setter Kaitlyn Moran.
 
SCOUTING THE BLUE HENS
The Blue Hens come into the weekend at 6-3 overall. They started CAA play with a pair of sweeps over Campbell and are on a current four-game winning streak. Delaware has wins over Kent State, California Baptist, Marist and Howard in the non-conference slate. The Blue Hens were picked to finish second in the CAA preseason poll with three first-place votes. They boast preseason All-CAA selections in outside hitter Savannah Seemans and middle blocker Kirah Johnson, plus honorable mention middle blocker/opposite hitter Gha'Naye Whitfield-Moss.
 
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.
 
Victoria 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 on Saturday night are both season highs.
 
LEADING THE AMBUSH
Outside hitter Victoria Barrett leads the CAA with 184 kills through 12 matches (46 sets). The Virginian stands 30th in the Division I with that total. She's averaging 4.00 kills/set, which is second in the league and 50th in the nation. Among points leaders in Division I, Barrett ranks 15th nationally with 220. Her 4.78 points/set stands 38th in DI.
 
Middle blocker Ylenia De Mango is second among league block leaders in the CAA with 57.0. The senior's 1.24 blocks/set is the fourth-best mark in the league. That total puts her tied for 40th among all players in Division I.
 
Libero Sydney Stewart leads the league with 24 service aces and is tied for 19th among national leaders in the category. Her 0.52 aces/set average is 36th in all of Division I.
 
AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
The Black & Gold stand among the best in Division I in multiple team categories. The Tigers' 93 total aces stand seventh in the country and their 2.02 aces/set average is 20th. Towson has also held opponents to a .139 hitting percentage, which is 11th among NCAA leaders. The Tigers are hitting at a .259 clip, which is 39th among national leaders. The Tiger defense's 114.5 team blocks are tied for 37th in the country. At 11-1 through four weeks, Towson's win-loss percentage is .917, which is tied for 8th in the nation.
 
PLAY THE HITS
Towson holds the top hitting percentage in the conference with a .259 clip. The next closest team is Delaware at .241. The Tigers stand second in the league with 577 total kills in 46 sets played. Elon stands ahead of the Tigers with 608 in 50 sets.
Protect this House
- Since moving into TU Arena full-time in 2013, Towson has racked up an impressive 121-27 (.818) overall record at home.
- The Black & Gold have opened the 2024 season 9-0 at TU Arena.
- The Tigers have seven 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 68-5 (.932) 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 105-27 record in league play since then, including a record-setting 16-0 mark in 2019.
-Towson finished conference play at 14-2 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: 2-0 | 2023: 14-2 | 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: 103-27 (.792)
 
TOP OF THE CHARTS
- Now in his 23rd season as an NCAA volleyball head coach, Coach Don Metil has amassed 486 wins.
- Metil is 486-213 all-time (.695) 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: 256-83
- Metil passed Cathy Cain as the all-time wins leader after knocking off #7 Pittsburgh on Sept. 10th, 2022.
- Don Metil: 256-83 (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".