Members of the TU football team gather on the steps of the Capitol Building in Annapolis, with President Loeschke and Rob Ambrose, front right.
Towson’s football team is accustomed to victory on the field, but on Monday the Tigers also tasted success in the halls of the historic State House in Annapolis.
Members of the football team, President Maravene Loeschke, Athletic Director Tim Leonard, Head Coach Rob Ambrose and several of his assistants were all guests of honor in the Maryland Senate and House of Delegates, in recognition of their record-setting 13-win season and unprecedented trip to the FCS national championship game in Frisco, Texas.
The impeccably attired Tigers first visited the House chamber where Speaker Michael Busch presented President Loeschke and Coach Ambrose with an official citation honoring the team’s achievements.
“You all did an outstanding job of representing not only Towson University but the entire state of Maryland,” said Speaker Busch, whose wife is a Towson alum. “Congratulations on an outstanding season.”
The players and assistant coaches filled the balcony seats and received a standing ovation from the House members during the brief ceremony. Among the assistant coaches and football staff with a balcony view were Konstantinos “Gus” Kosmakos, Joe Tricario, Reno Ferri, Jon Schwartz, Dassin Blackwell, Mike Moyseenko and Jon Dahlquist.
After posing for photos with Senator James Brochin and other elected officials on the marble steps just outside the Senate chamber, the team was led onto the Senate floor along with President Loeschke, Ambrose and Leonard. Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller echoed Speaker Busch’s comments about the sense of pride the Tigers brought to their home state.
“We all watched you on TV as you won those playoff games in the cold and snow,” said President Miller, recalling Towson’s FCS playoff wins at Eastern Illinois and Eastern Washington. “The entire state of Maryland is proud of your accomplishments this season and over the past three seasons. You all put Towson University football on the national map.”
Following the Senate ceremony, the players, coaches, athletic director and president filed out of the State House and walked the short distance to Lawyers Mall, where two buses were waiting to return them to Towson’s campus.
“That was awesome,” coach Ambrose said during the brief walk. “We were so proud to come here to Annapolis and represent the entire Towson University family, and we were honored to be joined by President Loeschke and Tim Leonard. Our guys will never forget this night and the special recognition they received for all of their hard work.”
“And just think,” joked coach Ferri, “we’ll all be back on the practice field again in about seven hours!”
[Towson University debate team members Ameena Ruffin and Korey Johnson, who recently made history at the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) national championship by becoming the first black women’s team to win a national tournament, are scheduled to be honored in the Maryland House and Senate chambers this Friday, April 4.]
