Making a name for himself

When Towson hired a new head football coach last December, Danzel White (Hylton ’08) got excited about his prospects of starting as a freshman linebacker for the Tigers. With the new staff came the understanding that every player, veteran or rookie, would get a fair shake at showing what they could do.

“I was going to make a name for myself,” White said. “Everyone knew things were starting from scratch.”

White impressed the Towson coaches enough that he was rewarded with a starting spot coming out of spring practice. With his position now settled, White knew he’d have to learn quickly and not let his inexperience serve as an excuse for poor play.

White received an eye-opener in Towson’s first regular-season game Sept. 5 when it traveled to Northwestern of the Big Ten. In the first quarter, White worked hard at staying focused and letting the game play at a pace that didn’t feel like it was overwhelming him.

White soon made the necessary adjustments and realized he was capable of handling his own, finishing with nine tackles in the 47-14 loss. 

“Here’s a Big Ten school and I saw them as giants,” White said. “But I realized I could play with them.”

White hasn’t missed a beat since then. He currently ranks fourth in the Colonial Athletic Association in tackles. In eight games, he has 82, an average of 10.2 per game.

Last Saturday against defending FCS champion Richmond, White recorded 16 tackles and recovered a fumble. The Tigers lost to the top-ranked Spiders 42-14, but White was pleased he was able to contribute to his team’s effort in any way he could.

“I’m not looking at the scoreboard,” White said. “I want to get the ball to our offense as quickly as possible.”

White’s work ethic in the offseason also earned him notice from the coaching staff.

When workouts began at 5:25 a.m. for conditioning, White always made sure he arrived 10 to 20 minutes early. Even if he was up late the night before, finishing a mandatory study hall and then getting something to eat before going to bed at 10:30 p.m., White never overslept.

White committed to Towson during the summer before his senior season at Hylton. At the time, the Tigers were the only school to offer White. Although the coaching staff that recruited him is no longer there and the team is currently 2-6, White has no regrets about sticking it out with the Tigers.

“There is not a team that I’ve ever played on who works harder than this team,” White said.

SOCCER
Todd Bailess (Osbourn Park ’94) was recently inducted into the Barton College (N.C.) Athletic Hall of Fame.

Bailess was a three-time all-conference selection at Barton, where he ranks third all time in school history with 51 goals. He was also the school’s first NCAA All-Region selection as well as the Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference Player of the Year in 1997.

Bailess also coached Barton’s women’s soccer team from 2000 to 2002, leading them to two league titles and an overall record of 38-15-2. Bailess now has his own law firm in Charleston, West Virginia.

FIELD HOCKEY
Christina Pybus (Forest Park ’06) was named to the WomensFieldHockey.com Honor Roll Oct. 26 after earning the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Field Hockey Player of the Week award.
Pybus scored three goals to help her team go 2-0. This was the second time Pybus received the conference’s player of the week award.

VOLLEYBALL
Ashley Ferry (Osbourn Park ’06) was named the Specialist of the Week Oct. 26 for the Peach Belt Conference.

Ferry, a senior at Lander University, averaged 5.95 digs per set in five matches as the Bearcats won three of four at their Dig Pink Event. 

Sports editor David Fawcett can be reached at 703-878-8052 or at