Women's Gymnastics Team
Women's Gymnastics Team
Background
Overview
The Towson University Women’s Gymnastics program has been a motif of strength and prosperity in the Athletics Department since itsbeginning. The program started as a club sport in 1966 and developed into an intercollegiate sport in 1967. The first season was coached by Virginia Evans and George McGinty, two steady pillars throughout the program’s early years, McGinty being credited as the program’s soul creator who led the team towards much success. Also, he was very influential in helping the team be recognized and advocated for them to receive more funding.
An article from Tower Light highlights, “Mr. McGinty…has devoted many valuable hours instructing young men and women in all areas of gymnastics."
This debut was part of an important shift, considering the men’s sports programs received most of the funding and overall attention. In fact, this was the first time that the Women’s Athletics Department and their programs were being taken seriously beyond just being intramural activities. For example, around the time that the women’s gymnastics team was still trying to be recognized competitively, the men’s sports teams quickly attained varsity status shortly after their creation. In 1967, around the same time that women’s gymnastics had just started performing in their first meets, men’s swimming and football had been added to Towson’s varsity list with an addition of seven new teams.
All of this made the concept of being a female athlete and being respected as one quite difficult. Not only that, but the world of gymnastics itself, from the movements to the way one was judged, significantly reflected very dated gender roles.
A Towerlight article from 1963 reads, “The girl’s movements should be graceful and beautiful while the men’s should be more powerful and deliberate.”
From its inception, the program achieved record-breaking feats. Just a year after receiving intercollegiate status in 1967, the team was given a national title, and they placed fourth in the national competition the year after. This fame also helped the Women’s Athletics Department at Towson receive more support. Coach McGinty became the first coach of a women’s team to receive TSU coach of the year for his 15-year work with the program. From there, the team and program continued to flourish even without his guidance.
An article from The Towerlight, titled “McGinty hangs up clipboard for the last time,” states that the team “…has received much, if not more, success than any other team on campus."
Head Coaches Timeline
The Women’s Gymnastics Program at Towson University is one of the oldest women’s intercollegiate sports programs available at the university. Since becoming an intercollegiate program at Towson in 1967, it has been coached by several individuals who have led it in becoming one of Towson’s most successful intercollegiate sports teams.
| Date | Coach |
| 1966 – 1981 | George McGinty |
| 1981 – 1982 | Dwight Normight |
| 1983 – 2010 | Dick Filbert |
| 2010 - 2019 | Vicki May |
| 2019 – present | Jay Ramirez |
Sources used:
"Danish Gymnastic Team Holds Towson Performance," Towerlight, September 27, 1963
"Outlook Bright for First Competition," Towerlight, September 29, 1967
"Seven Tiger Teams Added," Towerlight, September 29, 1967
"McGinty hangs up clipboard for the last time," Towerlight, March 6, 1981
"Ramirez Returns Returns to Towson as Head Coach of Gymnastics Team," Towson Athletics News, 2019
This wiki entry was created in collaboration with Madelyn Barton, a summer 2025 intern in Towson University’s Special Collections and University Archives department, and student at Notre Dame Preparatory high school in Towson, Maryland. If you have feedback on the content, please contact us through email (scua@towson.edu).
Background
Overview
The Towson University Women’s Gymnastics program has been a motif of strength and prosperity in the Athletics Department since itsbeginning. The program started as a club sport in 1966 and developed into an intercollegiate sport in 1967. The first season was coached by Virginia Evans and George McGinty, two steady pillars throughout the program’s early years, McGinty being credited as the program’s soul creator who led the team towards much success. Also, he was very influential in helping the team be recognized and advocated for them to receive more funding.
An article from Tower Light highlights, “Mr. McGinty…has devoted many valuable hours instructing young men and women in all areas of gymnastics."
This debut was part of an important shift, considering the men’s sports programs received most of the funding and overall attention. In fact, this was the first time that the Women’s Athletics Department and their programs were being taken seriously beyond just being intramural activities. For example, around the time that the women’s gymnastics team was still trying to be recognized competitively, the men’s sports teams quickly attained varsity status shortly after their creation. In 1967, around the same time that women’s gymnastics had just started performing in their first meets, men’s swimming and football had been added to Towson’s varsity list with an addition of seven new teams.
All of this made the concept of being a female athlete and being respected as one quite difficult. Not only that, but the world of gymnastics itself, from the movements to the way one was judged, significantly reflected very dated gender roles.
A Towerlight article from 1963 reads, “The girl’s movements should be graceful and beautiful while the men’s should be more powerful and deliberate.”
From its inception, the program achieved record-breaking feats. Just a year after receiving intercollegiate status in 1967, the team was given a national title, and they placed fourth in the national competition the year after. This fame also helped the Women’s Athletics Department at Towson receive more support. Coach McGinty became the first coach of a women’s team to receive TSU coach of the year for his 15-year work with the program. From there, the team and program continued to flourish even without his guidance.
An article from The Towerlight, titled “McGinty hangs up clipboard for the last time,” states that the team “…has received much, if not more, success than any other team on campus."
Head Coaches Timeline
The Women’s Gymnastics Program at Towson University is one of the oldest women’s intercollegiate sports programs available at the university. Since becoming an intercollegiate program at Towson in 1967, it has been coached by several individuals who have led it in becoming one of Towson’s most successful intercollegiate sports teams.
| Date | Coach |
| 1966 – 1981 | George McGinty |
| 1981 – 1982 | Dwight Normight |
| 1983 – 2010 | Dick Filbert |
| 2010 - 2019 | Vicki May |
| 2019 – present | Jay Ramirez |
Sources used:
"Danish Gymnastic Team Holds Towson Performance," Towerlight, September 27, 1963
"Outlook Bright for First Competition," Towerlight, September 29, 1967
"Seven Tiger Teams Added," Towerlight, September 29, 1967
"McGinty hangs up clipboard for the last time," Towerlight, March 6, 1981
"Ramirez Returns Returns to Towson as Head Coach of Gymnastics Team," Towson Athletics News, 2019
This wiki entry was created in collaboration with Madelyn Barton, a summer 2025 intern in Towson University’s Special Collections and University Archives department, and student at Notre Dame Preparatory high school in Towson, Maryland. If you have feedback on the content, please contact us through email (scua@towson.edu).