TOWSON, Md. – Diamondback Brewing Co. is introducing a new pale ale, Doc's Hops, with proceeds benefiting Towson University student-athletes. The beer will debut this September in athletic venues including Johnny Unitas® Stadium and SECU Arena. Inspired by Towson's longtime mascot, Doc the Tiger, Doc's Hops honors the university's first athletics director, Donald "Doc" Minnegan.

Ten percent of the proceeds from sales will benefit Towson's Student-Athlete Resource Fund, a transformative new initiative aimed at empowering Towson University's student-athletes. This fund will provide critical support through scholarships and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities, ensuring that TU can continue to compete at the highest level of college athletics. The new Student-Athlete Resource Fund is designed to help Towson Athletics stay competitive in a rapidly evolving college sports landscape. By attracting and retaining top talent, this fund plays a key role in ensuring the success of TU's student-athletes across all sports. 
 
"When I first got here two and a half years ago, Priya Exantus, who oversees licensing for the institution, said her goal was to launch Towson University's first license consumable," said Towson Deputy Athletics Director Casey Cegles, Deputy Athletics, who oversees revenue generation for the department. "In the world of NIL, we realized this would be a terrific opportunity to generate extra revenue. Our partners at Van Wagner pitched the opportunities and Diamondback came in and showed strong interest. This is great for branding exposure for Towson University and Towson Athletics but also another opportunity for us to stress the importance of the Student-Athlete Resource Fund and finding new and creative ways to generate revenue to support that fund."
 
Founded in 2014 by longtime friends and Towson-area natives- Tom Foster, Francis Smith and Colin Marshall, Diamondback Brewing has cemented itself as a community-oriented, experimental brewing company with more than a dozen types of beers: lagers, pilsners, and IPAs with two locations – one in South Baltimore and a second location that opened in Timonium last year. Annually, Diamondback produces 2,000 barrels of beer, with 75 percent of its product distributed in Maryland. Doc's Hops will be available on tap and in cans at both locations.
 
"I went to Towson for about a year and am very familiar with the school and have seen it grow throughout the years," Foster said. "With us opening the location in Baltimore County, it seemed like a natural fit. This is a beer that will be enjoyable during football and basketball games. The flavor is very approachable. It has a hop character to it. It is your classic pale ale."

Towson Athletics, the Tiger Athletic Fund and Diamondback Brewing will host a special launch event on Thursday, Sept. 25 at Diamondback Brewery's Timonium location at 9490 Deereco Road. The event, which is open to the public, will start at 4 p.m.

"The opportunity to continue seeking new revenue streams in this new era is really imperative for this department," Towson Director of Athletics Steve Eigenbrot said. "To have institutional support to seek this out and as we have talked to other institutions, the idea that we can grow in the consumable space is something that we are anxious to see happen – whether the next evolution of this is a candy bar, coffer or ice cream. This is the tip of the spear, and it will be an important opportunity for us to evolve because of the new landscape of Division I athletics."