Holly Mahan is a late addition to the Towson University women?s basketball program. Head coach Joe Mathews announced her transfer to the 2006-2007 roster Wednesday.
“She is going to come in and make an immediate impact,” Mathews said of Mahan. Mahan, from Queens, New York, is transferring to Towson after two national junior college championships with Monroe CommunityCollege in Rochester, N.Y.
Mathews anticipates that Mahan will play the wing for Towson, with fellow recruits Omara Parker (Glen Burnie, Annapolis High School) and Haliena Snowden (Laurel, Seton Keough). Towson also inked Kandace Davis (Hyattsville, Laurel High School) and Ashlee Keown (Manassas, Va., C.D. Hylton) to play in the post.
“We are very excited to have three Maryland kids,” Mathews said. “It speaks to how attractive Towson is to Maryland players. They have to learn quick and there is a chance to be a nice mixture” with veteran players.
Mathews will also be looking for a third assistant this summer. Second assistant Derek Jordan left the program to pursue another career, and University of Maryland graduate Stephanie Cross will be promoted to his position. “We hope to fill that position very soon,” Mathews said.
Towson will return three of last season?s top four scorers, including Kelly Robinson. “I don?t think anybody is going to expect us to be as good as we will be,” Robinson said.
“We are totally going to turn into a transition team,” Robinson added. “Injuries prevented that last year, but everybody on our team likes to run.”
Last year the Tigers finished 9-19 after setting the school record for wins (16) in 2004-2005. Towson played a tough schedule early, including Wake Forest, Missouri and Pittsburgh, but was plagued with injuries the rest of the year.
Senior guard Kacy O?Brien suffered a knee injury against Wake Forest that set back her comeback, after she was sidelined by an injury in 2004-2005.
After O?Brien?s knee injury, guard Alis Freeman and center Erin Gaston both suffered torn ACLs. “It changed the dynamic and structure of our team,” Mathews said.
“We are working harder than we ever had,” Mathews said of his team?s preparation for the 2006-2007 season. “There is no guarantee that the person you are working next totoday is going to be there tomorrow.”
TIGERS ON THE PROWL
» The Tigers will complete their series with Wake Forest this season, this time on the road. Last year, Towson beat Wake Forest of the Atlantic Coast Conference at home, 63-48. The Tigers lost their leading scorer and rebounder from last season, Tierra Jackson. Jackson averaged 15.6 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game.
