Athletics

Rising to the top 

Before Jay Ramirez ’03 coached one of the top collegiate gymnastics teams, he was a TU marketing major with a passion for the sport. While in high school, the Westminster, Maryland, native shifted from competing to coaching so he could earn spending money, and he’d grown to love it so much that in his first month at TU, he asked to shadow then-coach Dick Filbert. Over time he became an essential part of the team, and by his senior year he’d earned a spot as assistant coach.  

The job put him in proximity with recent German Olympic gymnast Gabi Weller '00, who was on TU’s roster at the time. The two worked well together, and Weller helped Ramirez get a summer job coaching the German junior national team. That led to a post-graduation gig coaching top collegiate gymnasts at Chelsea Piers in New York, which led to an elite coaching position at Hills Gymnastics—the training facility known for launching Dominique Dawes. Eventually Ramirez’s Maryland roots brought him and his new family back to Towson, and in 2019 he returned to the TU squad—this time as head coach. 

Ramirez quickly brought on associate head coach Ashley LeVine, and together they began envisioning TU’s rise.  

“We asked the athletes what they wanted to achieve, then we built a plan to help them get there,” Ramirez says.  

Get there they did. In Ramirez and LeVine’s first year coaching, TU gymnastics climbed 10 spots in the rankings and earned a 5-1 home record before COVID ended the season. The following year, they jumped an additional 20 spots and qualified for the NCAA tournament. In 2023, they racked up an astounding 33 wins to take home the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) championship for the first time in TU history. The team earned the regular season EAGL title in 2024 and repeated the accomplishment in 2025, sending two gymnasts to the NCAA tournament and tying for the most regular season victories in the country.  

“I’m a big believer in visualization,” Ramirez says. “As coaches, we provide the path and we cheer our athletes on as they walk that path. But they have the vision and they do the work to get there.” 

When the 2026 season kicks off Jan. 4 at Clemson, Tigers fans can look forward to watching All-American Isabella Minervini and six fellow seniors lead the team in their final year alongside a promising group of up-and-coming gymnasts hungry for a championship. And who knows—there may be a young gymnastics fan in the stands watching, learning, and waiting to one day take TU even higher.

Doc’s Hops benefits TU student-athletes

Baltimore-based Diamondback Brewing Co. has introduced Doc’s Hops, a new pale ale with a catchy name.

Each sip goes to a great cause: 10% percent of the proceeds of each sale benefit TU student-athletes. The beer is a 4.4% light pale ale, with medium bitterness and hops and fruit flavors.

Inspired by TU's longtime mascot, Doc the Tiger, Doc's Hops honors the university's first athletics director, Donald “Doc” Minnegan, and is available at basketball and football games to those 21 or older.  

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CAA Preseason All-CAA Towson Tiger, India Johnston.