GREENSBORO, N.C. - Head coach Brenda Frese of the Maryland women’s basketball team was voted ACC Coach of the Year by the league’s head coaches and junior Alyssa Thomas was named ACC Player of the Year by the Blue Ribbon Panel for the second straight season Thursday. Frese’s honor is her first by the conference in her 11 seasons at Maryland. Thomas is the first in school history to be named Player of the Year twice.

Frese, the 2002 Associated Press National Coach of the Year, led the Terrapins to the No. 2 seed in this weekend’s ACC Tournament and a record of 23-6 overall and 14-4 in ACC play, despite key season-ending injuries to the Terps’ starting guards Brene Moseley and Laurin Mincy, as well as center Essence Townsend in the fall. As the season wore on, the Terrapins lost freshman Tierney Pfirman to a dislocated knee cap and played a stretch with seven available players.

“I’ve never had a player respond to challenges and have a year like Alyssa Thomas,” Frese said. “She’s willing to give every ounce of herself and do whatever her team needs. When adversity struck our team, she was a leader and always was the first person to step up and do more.”

Thomas, a 6-2 forward, has played every position on the floor for the Terrapins and led the league in rebounding with 10.4 per contest. She was second in assists (5.2) and third in scoring (17.7). In the 18 conference games, she led all players in scoring (19.7), rebounding (11.0) and assists (5.3). She notched an ACC-high 17 double-doubles this year, 12 in conference play.

“This year has been a really interesting road for us, but I think as a team, we’ve taken it all on and never made an excuse,” Thomas said. “To be voted this honor again is really special because there a lot of really good players in our league. I just work hard every day to make my team better and be the best I can.”

Thomas is the fourth Terrapin to earn ACC Player of the Year honors and third under Frese. Kristi Toliver earned the award in 2009 and Crystal Langhorne did in 2008. Last year, she was the first underclassman in school history to earn the league’s top individual honor and just the second in conference history.

“Alyssa Thomas is the most powerful player in the country and the best player in the ACC back to back years,” television analyst Debbie Antonelli said. “One of the best shot-makers and finishers in the country added play-making to her skill set which makes her more dangerous to defend and her teammates more productive and efficient. When she is motoring down the middle of the floor with the ball, there is no one better at making decisions or playing the game with balance and power.”

Frese has now been named Coach of the Year in every conference she’s coached. She was named Big Ten Coach of the Year while at Minnesota in 2002 and Mid-American Coach of the Year in 2000 while at Ball State.

“There’s a tremendous group of coaches in the ACC and to be honored by them is incredible,” Frese said. “I’m really flattered. This is an individual award, but it’s really about every person in our program. I specifically want to thank my staff for their tireless work ethic behind the scenes. Between them and our players, I’m fortunate to be surrounded by great people who make what we do a lot of fun. I couldn’t be prouder of how we’ve fought to get better each and every day, no matter the circumstance.”

Frese and her staff of associate head coach Tina Langley, Marlin Chinn and David Adkins, restructured the team’s practice time, cutting their practice time on the floor to just twice a week at 75 minutes each session.

“Coach Frese continues to validate her system and success by finding ways to win through adversity without excuse,” television analyst Debbie Antonelli said. “It is the true sign of a teacher and definition of a coach who finds ways to put her players in positions to succeed for the good of the team. Maryland finished second in the ACC replacing so many players from last year. They had a great year in the league. Congratulations to Coach Frese and her staff for being recognized by their peers.”

Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie was named ACC Coach of the Year by the Blue Ribbon Panel, which is comprised of media members and representatives from each school, as well as some national media members. Duke’s Chelsea Gray was voted ACC Player of the Year by the league’s head coaches.

Rookies Malina Howard and Chloe Pavlech were named to the All-ACC Freshman Teams Tuesday. Senior Tianna Hawkins and Thomas were voted to the All-ACC First Team Monday.

The 10th-ranked Maryland women’s basketball team will play seventh-seeded Georgia Tech or 10th-seeded Wake Forest Friday at 6 p.m. in Greensboro, N.C. The game will be shown on RSN and specific television channels will be released this week.

Maryland earned a first round bye for the eighth time under Frese. The Yellow Jackets (14-15, 7-11) and the Demon Deacons (12-18, 5-13) will play Thursday at 6 p.m., with the winner advancing to take on the Terrapins. Maryland’s 14 conference wins are a school record.

Maryland is 49-25 (.662) all-time in the ACC Tournament and is 14-8 (.636) under Frese. The Terrapins are 13-6 all-time as the No. 2 seed (.684). Maryland won the program’s 10th ACC title last year as the No. 3 seed with a 68-65 win over fourth-seeded Georgia Tech. ACC Tournament MVP Alyssa Thomas scored 29 points in the championship game to lift the Terps.

For game times and the latest on the ACC Tournament, log on to http://www.theacc.com/championships/acc-womens-basketball-tournament.html. All rounds will be televised.

A printable bracket can be found at http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/md/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2013ACCTournamentBracket.pdf.

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Senior Tianna Hawkins and junior All-American Alyssa Thomas were voted to both the Blue Ribbon Panel and league coaches All-ACC First Team, announced Monday by the conference.

Hawkins was named to the All-ACC Second Team in 2012 and Thomas, the 2012 ACC Player of the Year, made the First Team last year and the Second Team as a freshman in 2011. She was also named Rookie of the Year two years ago.

The two were Nos. 1 and 2 in the ACC in scoring and rebounding throughout the year. Hawkins led the league in scoring since day one of the season with her 18.5 points per game, which is the most by any Terrapin since Deanna Tate averaged 19.8 in 1988-89. Thomas finished third in scoring with 17.7 points per game.

Thomas led the league in rebounding throughout the season with 10.3 boards per game and Hawkins finished just behind her with 9.4. Thomas also finished second in assists with 5.3 per contest. In ACC games, Thomas led the league in scoring, rebounds and assists. Thomas also led the league with 17 double-doubles, 12 in 18 ACC games.

For the full All-ACC Teams, log on to http://www.theacc.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/030413aab.html.

The ninth-ranked Maryland women’s basketball team earned the No. 2 seed in this week’s ACC Tournament in Greensboro, N.C. The Terps will play seventh-seeded Georgia Tech or 10th-seeded Wake Forest Friday at 6 p.m. The game will be shown on RSN and specific television channels will be released this week.

Maryland (23-6, 14-4 ACC) earned a first round bye for the eighth time under head coach Brenda Frese. The Yellow Jackets (14-15, 7-11) and the Demon Deacons (12-18, 5-13) will play Thursday at 6 p.m., with the winner advancing to take on the Terrapins. Maryland’s 14 conference wins are a school record.

Maryland is 49-25 (.662) all-time in the ACC Tournament and is 14-8 (.636) under Frese. The Terrapins are 13-6 all-time as the No. 2 seed (.684). Maryland won the program’s 10th ACC title last year as the No. 3 seed with a 68-65 win over fourth-seeded Georgia Tech. ACC Tournament MVP Alyssa Thomas scored 29 points in the championship game to lift the Terps.

For game times and the latest on the ACC Tournament, log on to http://www.theacc.com/championships/acc-womens-basketball-tournament.html. All rounds will be televised.

A printable bracket can be found at http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/md/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2013ACCTournamentBracket.pdf.

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Maryland women’s basketball rookies Malina Howard and Chloe Pavlech were named to the All-ACC Freshman Teams, released Tuesday. Pavlech earned a spot on the team voted on by the Blue Ribbon Panel, which consists of national and local media members, as well as school representatives. Howard was named to the team voted on by the league’s head coaches.

Pavlech has started in 26 of 29 games for the Terrapins, since injuries took out their starting backcourt in the fall. She is fourth in the ACC in assist/turnover ratio and eighth in assists (4.2). Howard has averaged 7.5 points per game in league play and has scored in double figures in seven ACC games.

Pavlech and Howard are the 12th and 13th All-Freshman Team honorees under head coach Brenda Frese.

For the full All-ACC Freshman Teams, log on to http://www.theacc.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/030513aaa.html.

The 10th-ranked Maryland women’s basketball team earned the No. 2 seed in this week’s ACC Tournament in Greensboro, N.C. The Terps will play seventh-seeded Georgia Tech or 10th-seeded Wake Forest Friday at 6 p.m. The game will be shown on RSN and specific television channels will be released this week.

Maryland (23-6, 14-4 ACC) earned a first round bye for the eighth time under head coach Brenda Frese. The Yellow Jackets (14-15, 7-11) and the Demon Deacons (12-18, 5-13) will play Thursday at 6 p.m., with the winner advancing to take on the Terrapins. Maryland’s 14 conference wins are a school record.

Maryland is 49-25 (.662) all-time in the ACC Tournament and is 14-8 (.636) under Frese. The Terrapins are 13-6 all-time as the No. 2 seed (.684). Maryland won the program’s 10th ACC title last year as the No. 3 seed with a 68-65 win over fourth-seeded Georgia Tech. ACC Tournament MVP Alyssa Thomas scored 29 points in the championship game to lift the Terps.

For game times and the latest on the ACC Tournament, log on to http://www.theacc.com/championships/acc-womens-basketball-tournament.html. All rounds will be televised.

A printable bracket can be found at http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/md/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2013ACCTournamentBracket.pdf.

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The ninth-ranked Maryland women’s basketball team earned the No. 2 seed in this week’s ACC Tournament in Greensboro, N.C. The Terps will play seventh-seeded Georgia Tech or 10th-seeded Wake Forest Friday at 6 p.m.

The game will be shown on RSN and specific television channels will be released this week.

Maryland (23-6, 14-4 ACC) earned a first round bye for the eighth time under head coachBrenda Frese. The Yellow Jackets (14-15, 7-11) and the Demon Deacons (12-18, 5-13) will play Thursday at 6 p.m., with the winner advancing to take on the Terrapins. Maryland’s 14 conference wins are a school record.

Maryland is 49-25 (.662) all-time in the ACC Tournament and is 14-8 (.636) under Frese. The Terrapins are 13-6 all-time as the No. 2 seed (.684). Maryland won the program’s 10th ACC title last year as the No. 3 seed with a 68-65 win over fourth-seeded Georgia Tech. ACC Tournament MVP Alyssa Thomas scored 29 points in the championship game to lift the Terps.

Senior Tianna Hawkins has led the ACC in scoring all season long. She averages 18.5 points per game, which is the most any Terrapin has averaged in a single season since Deanna Tate averaged 19.8 in 1988-89. Hawkins is second in the league rebounding with 9.4 per contest. The senior recently broke the 1,000-rebound mark and is third on Maryland’s all-time list. She currently has 1,518 career points.

Thomas, the 2012 ACC Player of the Year, leads the league in rebounding with 10.3 per game and is third in scoring (17.9) and second in assists (5.2). The junior leads the league with 17 double-doubles this year, including 12 in ACC play.

For game times and the latest on the ACC Tournament, log on to http://www.theacc.com/championships/acc-womens-basketball-tournament.html. All rounds will be televised.

A printable bracket can be found at http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/md/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2013ACCTournamentBracket.pdf.

Maryland (19-9, 7-8 ACC) at Wake Forest (12-15, 5-10 ACC)

Saturday, March 2, 2013 • Noon ET

Game #29 • Road Game #9 • Winston-Salem, N.C. • Veterans Memorial Coliseum

TV: ACC Network – Tim Brant (Play-by-Play) & Cory Alexander (Analyst). Locally, the game can be seen on WTTG (Fox 5) in Washington, D.C., and WNUV (The CW) in Baltimore.

Radio: Terrapin Sports Radio Network – Johnny Holliday (Play-by-Play) & Chris Knoche (Analyst)

Storyline

• Coming off a 78-68 setback at Georgia Tech on Wednesday, Maryland looks to bounce back on the road when it visits Wake Forest Saturday at noon. The Terps have won five straight against the Demon Deacons, prevailing by an average margin of 18.8 points per game in that winning streak.

• In the first meeting with Wake Forest this season, Maryland used 67.3 percent shooting – the fifth-best single-game mark in program history – to win 86-60. The Terps used a balanced scoring attack, with six players scoring in double figures: Logan Aronhalt (13), Seth Allen (12), Jake Layman (12), Alex Len (12), James Padgett (12) and Dez Wells (11). Maryland assisted on 21 of 35 field goals in that game and shot 68.8 (11-16) percent from 3-point range.

• Dez Wells continued his strong play on the road with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting to go along with four assists at Georgia Tech. Wells leads Maryland in scoring in road games this season, averaging 15.8 points per game on 57.6 percent shooting. He also has a team-high 55 assists in conference play (3.7 per game).

• Also reaching double figures at Georgia Tech were Alex Len (13 points), Seth Allen (12) and Nick Faust (10). Maryland shot 42.9 percent in the game, but allowed the Yellow Jackets to shoot 51 percent, as they became  just the third team this season to exceed the 50 percent mark against the Terrapins. On the season, Maryland is holding opponents to 37.9 percent shooting, a mark which leads the Atlantic Coast Conference and ranks 11th nationally.

• A corps of young players continue to lead Maryland, as seven of the 10 players in the regular rotation are underclassmen, and 80 percent of the scoring coming from underclassmen. Maryland’s top four scorers – Alex Len, Dez Wells, Nick Faust and Seth Allen – are underclassmen.

Maryland-Wake Forest Series History

• Maryland leads the all-time series with Wake Forest, 67-56, which dates back to 1952-53. The Terps have won 10 of 12 since 2006, and five straight.

• Maryland has won the three meetings with Wake Forest since Mark Turgeon took over as head coach, by an average margin of 18.0 points per game. In addition to the 86-60 win earlier this season, the Terps defeated the Demon Deacons 70-64 at home on 1/11/2012 and 82-60 on 3/8/2012 in the ACC Tournament first round.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The No. 1 Maryland (3-0) men’s lacrosse team opens its 2013 ACC slate when it travels down “Tobacco Road” on Saturday to play at No. 19 Duke (2-3). The Terps and the Blue Devils are slated for an 11 a.m. start at Koskinen Stadium.

• The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU with Eamon McAnaney handling the play-by-play duties, while Quint Kessenich and Ryan Flanagan will provide the analysis.

• Maryland became the outright No. 1 team in the nation after its 12-10 victory at former No. 1 Loyola last Saturday in Baltimore. Senior John Haus, who has 13 points on seven goals and six assists, is the first Maryland midfielder to lead the Team in scoring after the team’s first three games since 2001 after totaling five points on four goals and an assist vs. the Greyhounds. Junior Niko Amato has been tremendous in cage for the Terps and fourth in the nation with a 6.62 goals-against average and fifth in the country with a .630 save percentage. Senior Jesse Bernhardt picked up a career-best 10 groundballs at Loyola to become the first Terp since since Feb. 27, 2010 to have double-digit groundballs in a game.

• Duke is 2-3 so far in 2013 after playing an amazingly tough first-month schedule. The Blue Devils’ three losses have come at the hands of No. 10 Denver, No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 14 Penn. Duke’s offense is paced by its junior trio of starting attackmen – Jordan Wolf (15-6=21), Christian Walsh (6-5=11) and Josh Dionne (6-0=6) – who were all named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List last week. The Blue Devils also boast an all-senior first midfield line of David Lawson (6-3=9), Jake Tripucka (5-5=10) and Miles Jones (5-2=7). Duke has excelled at the faceoff X thanks to junior Brendan Fowler, who is sixth in the nation with a .639 faceoff win percentage.

The Count Down
10 … Since 2002 Maryland has won 96 of the 105 games in which the Terps have scored 10 or more goals for a .914 winning percentage.
9 … Maryland is 112-25 in games since 2002 when it allows nine goals or less, for an .818 winning percentage.
8 … John Haus has eight career goals vs. the Blue Devils.
7 … The Terps have only lost seven of the 32 games they have played against Duke in Durham.
6 … Maryland and Duke have met six times in the past two seasons with the Terps winning four times.
5 … A school record-tying five Terps were selected in the 2013 MLL Collegiate Draft.
4 … Kevin Cooper set his career high with four assists vs. Duke in the 2012 NCAA semifinals.
3 … The Terps have shot 30% or better in each of their three games this season.
2 … Maryland and Duke are the only two teams to have advanced to the past two NCAA Final Fours.
1 … This is the first time since March of 2006 that Maryland has been the outright No. 1 team in the country.

Coaching Match-Up
• John Tillman is in his sixth season as a head coach, and third with the Terps, with a 48-30 career record for a 61.5 winning percentage. Tillman is 28-11 (.718) as Maryland’s head coach. He had a 20-19 record in three seasons as the head coach at Harvard.

• Duke’s John Danowski is in his 31st season as a head coach and holds an all-time record of 316-166 (.656). He is in his seventh season at Duke and has a 97-27 (.782) record with the Blue Devils.

• Tillman has a 5-4 career record against Duke while coaching at Maryland and Harvard, all against Danowski. The two have met twice in the NCAA tournament with Tillman’s Terps winning, 9-5, in the 2011 NCAA semifinals in Baltimore and again, 16-10, in the semis in Foxborough, Mass., in 2012.

Series History vs. Duke
• Maryland and Duke have played 78 times. The Terps hold a 59-19 edge (.756) in the series that dates back to 1940. Maryland’s 59 wins against the Blue Devils are the most against any opponent.

• The rubber match took place once again in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament and once again it was the Terps advancing to the title game with a 16-10 win at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Maryland never trailed in the game after opening up an early 3-0 lead. The Terps held just a two-goal lead entering the fourth quarter, but Owen Blye scored twice in a 6-0 run that put the game out of reach. Kevin Cooper led all scorers with five points on a goal and four assists, while Blye finished with three goals. Curtis Holmes won 12-of-21 faceoffs with six groundballs to help the Terps control the pace of play, while Niko Amato was soldi in cage, stopping 10 Blue Devil shots.

• The two teams met in the ACC semifinals in Charlottesville, Va., and the Terps and Blue Devils played a highly physical contest that saw Duke advance with a 6-5 win. Joe Cummings and Mike Chanenchuk paced the Terps with two goals apiece, while Josh Dionne had three for the Blue Devils.

• In 2012′s first meeting the Terps raced out to a 4-0 lead halfway through the first quarter and coasted to a 10-7 victory over No. 8 Duke at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium. Drew Snider led the Maryland offense with a hat trick. Niko Amato was spectacular in cage, making nine of his 14 saves in the fourth quarter.

• The stakes were much higher in the 2011 rubber match as unseeded Maryland defeated No. 5 seed Duke, 9-4, in a tough, physical game in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Grant Catalino led the offensive attack for the Terps with three goals, while Joe Cummings added two goals and an assist. The Terrapin defense was terrific in holding the Blue Devils to just four goals with Niko Amato making 13 saves to send the Terps to their first NCAA title-game appearance since 1998.

• The 2011 rematch took place again at Duke’s Koskinen Stadium, but this time the stakes were a bit higher – the ACC championship. This time it was the Terps coming away with an 11-9 victory to take its first conference crown since 2005. Ryan Young scored the first game-winning goal of his career when he jumped in the air to redirect a John Haus pass from behind the cage. Grant Catalino earned tournament MVP honors after scoring three goals vs. the Blue Devils in the title game.

• For the second time in two years the Terps and the Blue Devils needed overtime to decide things, but in 2011 in Durham it was Duke that pulled out a 9-8 victory on freshman Jordan Wolf’s game-winning goal 1:01 into the first OT. The Blue Devils held a 7-4 lead at the start of the fourth quarter, but four-straight goals by Landon Carr, Michael Shakespeare, Joe Cummingsand John Haus, who finished with three goals in the game, gave Maryland a one-goal lead with 3:48 to go. Maryland appeared to have the game wrapped up in the final seconds when Carr forced a Blue Devil turnover, but a controversial holding call gave Duke another chance and Zach Howell scored with 0:03 left to send the game into overtime. Both goalies were sensational in the game with Maryland’s Niko Amato making 19 saves and Duke’s Dan Wigrizer stopped 17 shots.

• The 2010 meeting will go down as one of the most memorable in the series as the Terps pulled out an 11-10 overtime victory at the 2010 Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic in Baltimore. Grant Catalino was the star of the game for the Terps, netting a career-best five goals, including the game-winner. Duke scored the final three goals of regulation to send the game into OT and then controlled possession for all but eight seconds of overtime, but that’s all the Terps needed for Bryn Holmes to cause a turnover, Brian Farrell to scoop a groundball and Dean Hart to push the transition and find Catalino on the left wing for the game-winning shot. Senior goalie Brian Phipps made 15 saves in the win.

• Maryland won an 11-8 decision over the Blue Devils at the 2009 Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic in Baltimore. Jeff Reynoldswas the key factor for the Terps in the victory. He scored a goal and had an assist, but he won three key face-offs that led directly to goals that spurred Maryland onto the win. Grant Catalino had six points on two goals and four assists, while Ryan Young had five points on a pair of scores and three helpers.

• In 2008 the Blue Devils defeated the Terps, 15-7, in Durham, N.C. Travis Reed totaled three goals for the Terps in the defeat.

• The 2007 meeting was the first road game for the Blue Devils since their 2006 season was cancelled. Duke responded with a 14-7 victory behind a six-goal, seven-point effort from Matt Danowski. Max Ritz led the Terps in the game with a three-point effort on two goals and an assist.

• The 2006 season saw the rivalry escalate even more as the teams entered the game ranked first and second in the nation. The game more than lived up to the hype as the two squads battled and needed overtime to decide the victor. In that overtime,Xander Ritz sent the Terps home with the 8-7 win after scoring his fifth goal of the game with 1:14 remaining in the first extra period.

• In 2005 the two teams played three times with the Blue Devils winning two of the three games. It was the second time in the series the two squads played three times in a season. In 1992 the two teams played in early March, again in the ACC Tournament and in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Maryland won all three games that season.

• In the 2005 NCAA Semifinals, Duke ended Maryland’s season with a 18-9 defeat at Lincoln Financial Field. Bill McGlonegave the Terps a 1-0 lead, but the Blue Devils responded with nine unanswered goals and took a 10-3 lead into halftime. Joe Walters scored three times in the third quarter, but Maryland could not close the deficit.

• In 2005′s ACC Final, Maryland turned in its finest defensive effort of the year. The Terps held Duke, the nation’s highest scoring offense, scoreless for more than 40 minutes en route to a 9-5 victory at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on May 1. ACC Tournament MVP Harry Alford made 15 saves on the afternoon, while freshman Will Dalton helped the Terps control the ball on face-offs, winning 7-of-10 draws. Offensively Maryland was led by All-American Joe Walters who scored his second straight hat trick vs. the Blue Devils, while adding an assist. Freshman attackman Max Ritz also chipped in a pair for goals in the victory.

• The 2005 regular season game saw Maryland dominate Duke at the Maryland Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex, but the Blue Devils found a way to get out of College Park with a 10-8 victory. All-American Joe Walters scored a hat trick for the Terps, but Duke outscored Maryland 6-3 in the second half to secure the win. Michael Phipps scored two goals and added an assist for his second career three-point game.

• The Terps dominated the series from 1955 through 1988, winning all 27 meetings.

• The teams have met five times in the NCAA Tournament with Maryland winning 13-11 in 1992, Duke retaliating 14-9 in 1994, and the Blue Devils taking the 2005 match-up 18-9. Maryland took the most recent NCAA meetings, 9-4, in the 2011 Final Four in Baltimore and again, 16-10, in the 2012 NCAA semis in Foxborough, Mass.

Maryland As The No. 1 Team
• The Terps took over the top spot in the USILA Coaches’ Poll on Feb. 18 after two impressive wins to open the 2013 season. The Terps became the outright No. 1 team in the country on Feb. 25 following their 12-10 victory at then-No. 1 Loyola on Feb. 23. This marks the ninth time Maryland has earned the No. 1 ranking since 1986.

• Overall, Maryland has played 23 games as the No. 1-ranked team and is 15-8 in those games.

• The last time Maryland was the top team in the nation was in March of 2006 after the Terps defeated then-No. 1 Duke, 8-7 on the road in overtime. Maryland defeated Towson as the No. 1 team the following Saturday, but fell, 7-6 in double-OT, to Bucknell on Tuesday, March 14. The Terrapins were still No. 1 in their 9-4 win at UMBC to close out their two-week stay at the top of the polls.

• The last time the Terps were the nation’s top team was in April of 2004. Maryland’s two-week run at the top of the polls ended with a 9-6 loss to No. 4 Navy in College Park.

• This season’s ranking is also the earliest the Terps have achieved the No. 1 ranking in a season. Previous to this week, the earliest Maryland was ranked No. 1 was March 10, 2006.

• The longest Maryland has held on to the No. 1 ranking was seven weeks in 1987. That streak came to an end with a 13-8 loss to No. 4 Johns Hopkins in the NCAA Semifinals.

Get To 10 And Win
• One axiom of lacrosse is that if you score 10 goals or more your chances of winning are pretty good. Well, a look at the results since 2002 shows that when Maryland scores 10 or more goals there’s not just a pretty good chance the Terrapins will win; it’s an almost certainty. Since 2002 Maryland has won 96 of the 105 games in which the Terps have scored 10 or more goals for a .914 winning percentage.

• Maryland scored 10, but fell at North Carolina, 11-10, on March 24, 2012 and again came out on the losing end, despite scoring 11 in a 13-11 loss at Colgate on May 5, 2012. The Terps scored 11 vs. Johns Hopkins on April 16, 2011, but the Blue Jays won the game in overtime, 12-11. On April 3 of last season the Terps lost to No. 1 Virginia by a final of 11-10, giving Maryland its only loss when scoring 10 or more goals in 2010. In 2009 the Terps lost to Georgetown, 13-10 on Feb. 21 and lost again when scoring 10 in the ACC Semifinals in a 16-10 defeat at North Carolina. Prior to that, Maryland had not lost when scoring 10 or more goals since dropping an 11-10 decision to Virginia in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament in Durham, N.C. The Terrapins got to 10 goals in the 100th game against Johns Hopkins, but the Blue Jays took the game 14-10. Virginia is the only team to beat the Terps twice when allowing 10 or more goals. The Wahoos did it first in 2002 with another 11-10 decision.

Holding Opponents To Single-Digits
• The Terps have been extremely impressive (winning 91.4 percent of its games since 2002) when it scores 10 or more goals, they have been nearly as impressive when holding opponents to less than 10 goals during that span.

• Since 2002 Maryland is 112-25 in games, for a .818 winning percentage, when it has held opponents under 10 goals. The Terps have played 183 total games since 2002. Maryland has held opponents to nine goals or less 74.9 percent of the time.

Shooting Tells The Story
• The difference between winning and losing for Maryland this season is simple – when the Terps shoot well they win. As it turns out 30% is the magic number for the Terps this season. Maryland is 3-0 on the year and has shot 30% or better in its three victories.

W- Mount St. Mary’s: 23 goals, 46 shots = 50.0%
W- at Hartford: 16 goals, 51 shots = 31.4%
W- at Loyola: 12 goals, 36 shots = 33.3%

• Since 2005 the Terps are a remarkable 58-4 (.935) when shooting 30% or better in a game. The only four losses were: 13-10 to Georgetown in 2009 (the Terps shot 10 of 30 for 33.3% vs. the Hoyas), 11-10 to No. 1 Virginia on April 3, 2010 (10 of 33 for 30.3%), 12-11 in overtime on April 16, 2011 to No. 3 Johns Hopkins (11 of 28 for 39.3%) and 13-11 at Colgate on May 5, 2012 (11 of 31 for 35.5%).

• If 30% is the benchmark, then 40% shooting is in a class all to itself and Maryland has shot 40% or better in 12 games since the start of the 2008 season. Out of those 12 games, Maryland shot 50% or better in three of them.

Three Terps Named To Tewaaraton Watch List
• Senior midfielders Jesse Bernhardt and John Haus are joined by junior goalie Niko Amato on the 2013 Tewaaraton Award Watch List. The Terrapin trio are three of 92 selections on the Watch List.

• The Tewaaraton Award annually honors the top male and top female college lacrosse player in the United States. The selection committees are made up of top collegiate coaches and are appointed annually by The Tewaaraton Foundation. Committees will make additions to these lists as the season progresses and athletes earn a spot along side these elite players. The lists will be narrowed to 25 men’s and women’s nominees in late April. In mid-May, five men’s and five women’s finalists will be announced. These finalists will be invited to Washington, D.C. for the 13th annual Tewaaraton Award Ceremony, May 30 at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian.

Terps On ESPNU
• Maryland has had 43 games on ESPNU since 2006. Maryland is 24-19 (.558) all-time in games broadcast on ESPNU.

• The Terps are scheduled to play five games (at Duke, vs. UMBC, at Virginia, vs. Johns Hopkis and the ACC tournament semifinals) on ESPNU in 2013.

Going Purple
· Once again this season, the Terps will be wearing purple “MY” stickers, to show their support for the fight against pancreatic cancer, which touched everyone in the Maryland lacrosse familywith the passing of Maria Young on April 17, 2011.

· This past fall the Terps, Maryland alums and family and friends came together for the inaugural Forever Young Walk/Run for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness. More on Ms. Young and her amazing story can be found here: Forever Young.

· If you’re interested in more information about the Lustgarten Foundation, including how to make a donation, click here to visit the foundation’s website. You can also get more information on pancreatic cancer at CurePC.org.

In case you’re wondering here are some facts about pancreatic cancer from the American Cancer Society:
· More than 43,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer present each year
· There are more than 36,000 deaths from pancreatic cancer each year
· The lifetime risk of having pancreatic cancer is about 1 in 71.
· The risk is about the same for both men and women.

Going Gray
· Maryland players will also be wearing gray stickers with the number 42 in honor of Zack Wholley’s father, John, who passed away from brain cancer on August 28, 2011.

· If you’re interested in more information, please visit the National Brain Tumor Society website.

In case you’re wondering here are some facts about brain and spinal cord tumors from the American Cancer Society:
· About 22,910 malignant tumors of the brain or spinal cord (12,630 in males and 10,280 in females) will be diagnosed. These numbers would likely be much higher if benign tumors were also included.
· About 13,700 people (7,720 males and 5,980 females) will die from these tumors.
· Overall, the chance that a person will develop a malignant tumor of the brain or spinal cord in his or her lifetime is about one in 150 for a man and one in 185 for a woman.

Going Teal
• Maryland players will also be wearing teal stickers in honor of Andrew Walsh’s mother, Gia, who was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

· If you’re interested in more information, please visit the Ovarian Cancer Institute website.

Here are some facts about ovarian cancer from the American Cancer Society and the Ovarian Cancer Institute:
· Ovarian cancer is the ninth most common cancer among women, excluding non-melanoma skin cancers.
· Ovarian cancer will strike over 20,000 women this year.
· It ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women, accounting for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system.
· Ovarian cancer accounts for about 3% of all cancers in women. A woman’s risk of getting ovarian cancer during her lifetime is about 1 in 71.
· Currently, there are no effective means of early detection.
· Only 25% of cases are diagnosed early before the cancer has spread to the pelvic region. For these women, the 5-year survival rate is 90%.

Maryland In Season Openers
• Maryland has an 84-3-1 (.960) lifetime record in season openers dating back to the 1924 season. The Terps have won their last 19 openers and 26 of the last 27, with the only loss coming to Duke in 1993, when they fell to Duke 9-5 on March 6.

• After losing their 1925 opener to Yale, 5-3, the Terps went on to win 40 consecutive season openers from 1926 through 1967. The streak was broken when Maryland tied Princeton, 6-6, in the 1968 opener. Following the deadlock, Maryland went on to win its next 14 openers, giving the Terps a 54-0-1 record over a 57-year span (Maryland did not field a team in 1944 and 1945 due to World War II.)

20 Straight in Season Openers
• After beating Mount St. Mary’s to open the 2013 season the Terps have an 20-game winning streak in season openers. Five of those wins came against Villanova (1994-98) and the last nine over Denver, Mount St. Mary’s (twice), Air Force, Hobart, Duke, Georgetown (four times), Bellarmine (twice), Presbyterian, Detroit Mercy and Hartford. Over the 20-year stretch, Maryland outscored its foes 290-105 (an average score of 14.5-5.3) in those games.

• The Terps have not allowed more than seven goals to any opponent in a season opener over the last 20 years. Maryland has not allowed an opponent to score 10 or more goals in a season opener since Syracuse beat the Terps, 16-13 on March 9, 1983.

Consecutive 10-Win Seasons
• Maryland’s 10-9 win over the Lehigh on May 11, 2012 extended the Terps’ streak of double-digit win seasons to 10. (Special thanks to Patrick Stevens of the D1scource.com).

• How does Maryland’s string of 10+ win seasons stack up against the rest of the college lacrosse programs? Take a look at programs with at least six-straight 10-win seasons:
Maryland (10): 2012 (12-6), 2011 (13-5), 2010 (12-4), 2009 (10-7), 2008 (10-6), 2007 (10-6), 2006 (12-5), 2005 (11-6), 2004 (13-3), 2003 (12-4)
Virginia (8): 2012 (12-4) 2011 (13-5), 2010 (16-2), 2009 (14-2), 2008 (14-4), 2007 (12-4), 2006 (17-0), 2005 (11-4)
Notre Dame (7): 2012 (13-3), 2011 (11-3), 2010 (10-7), 2009 (15-1), 2008 (14-3), 2007 (11-4), 2006 (10-5)
Duke (6): 2012 (15-5) 2011 (14-6), 2010 (16-4), 2009 (15-4), 2008 (18-2), 2007 ( 17-3)
Siena (6): 2012 (11-5), 2011 (13-5), 2010 (12-5), 2009 (12-6), 2008 (10-6), 2007 (10-6)

• Cornell’s string of seven-straight 10+ win seasons came to an end in 2012 with a 9-4 final mark.

The 700 Club
· Maryland’s 15-6 victory over Penn on April 14, 2009 was the program’s 700th victory in 84 seasons of varsity men’s lacrosse. The Terps join Johns Hopkins, Syracuse, Navy and Army as the only programs with 700 or more Division I wins.

· Two things that make Maryland’s accomplishment all the more impressive is that the Terps reached the 700-win plateau in just their 84th season. Only Syracuse reached win No. 700 in as few seasons, but it took the Orange 53 more games than Maryland. In fact, Maryland needed only 940 games to reach 700 wins and only Johns Hopkins needed fewer games (932) to hit the historic number, but the Blue Jays did so in their 105th season.

Terps’ 88th Season Of Lacrosse
• The Terps boast an all-time record of 740-249-4 (.747), dating back to the first varsity team in 1924 (a team was not fielded in 1944 and 1945 due to World War II). Maryland has finished every one of its previous 87 seasons with a .500 or better record, including last season when the Terps went 12-6. The program reached the 700-win milestone with a 15-6 victory over Penn on April 14, 2009 at Ludwig Field.

• During the decade of the 2000s, Maryland went 111-49 for a .694 win percentage, making it the winningest decade in Terrapin lacrosse history. In the decade of the 1990s, Maryland posted a 95-47 record. The .669 winning percentage matched Maryland’s win percentage of the 1980s when the Terps went 83-41 and also compiled a .669 win percentage. So far, Maryland is 25-9 in the 2010′s for a .735 winning percentage.

A Family Affair
· Many school’s refer to their sports programs as families, but the Maryland men’s lacrosse program is truely a family affair. Since 2002, the Terps have had 13 sets of brothers, including three on this season’s roster, don the red and black together for at least one season.

Harry & Thomas Alford: 2004-05-06-07
Jake & Jesse Bernhardt: 2010-11-12-13
Justin & Owen Blye: 2009-10-11
Brian & Kevin Cooper: 2011-12-13
Billy & Bobby Gribbin: 2012-13
Brendan & Ian Healy: 2003-04-05
Bryn & Curtis Holmes: 2010
Bryn & Travis Holmes: 2007
Dan & Mike LaMonica: 2002
Chris & Willy Passavia: 2002-03
Brian & Michael Phipps: 2007
Max & Xander Ritz: 2005-06
Mark & Michael White: 2008-09-10-11

Five Taken In MLL Draft
• Led by senior long pole Jesse Bernhardt, a record-tying five Maryland men’s lacrosse student-athletes were chosen in the 2013 Major League Lacrosse collegiate draft.

• Bernhardt was chosen fourth overall by the Chesapeake Bayhawks, becoming the second-highest Terrapin ever drafted in the MLL (Joe Walters, first overall selection in 2006). He is just the seventh Maryland player to be taken in the first round, joining Lee Zink (2004, 5th), Chris Passavia (2004, 6th), Walters, Bill McGlone (2006, 5th), Ray Megill (2007, 9th) and Joe Cinosky (2008, 9th).

• Senior midfielder John Haus was the next Terrapin off the board, going to the Hamilton Nationals in the second round with the 15th overall selection. Haus was followed by senior midfielder Kevin Cooper, who went to the Bayhawks with the 16th overall pick.

• The Denver Outlaws, which already has three Terps on its roster (Zink, Jeremy Sieverts and Drew Snider), were then next MLL squad to take a Maryland player, selecting senior midfielder Landon Carr with the 23rd overall selection.

• The fifth Terp to be selected was senior attackman Owen Blye with the very next pick by the Charlotte Hounds.

• The five players selected ties the school record for most players taken in the MLL draft. The 2011 senior class also had five players taken - Brian Farrell, Brett Schmidt, Dan Burns, Grant Catalino and Ryan Young.

• Maryland’s 2013 senior class also features redshirt senior midfielder Jake Bernhardt, who was selected by the Nationals with the 12th overall selection in the 2012 MLL collegiate draft.

2013 Team Captains
• Three players have been named team captains for the 2013 season. The trio, which was selected by a combination of team vote and coaches’ input, consists of seniors Jake Bernhardt, Jesse Bernhardt and Owen Blye. All three return as team captains from the 2012 squad.

Cierski, Farrand, Fulper and Renfro honored

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Running back Tyler Cierski, linebacker Cole Farrand, offensive lineman Bennett Fulper and punter Nathan Renfro were among 51 student-athletes named to the 2012 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Football team, announced Wednesday by the league.

Fulper was selected to the team for the third straight season, while Cierski, who will be a junior next season, was selected for the second time. Farrand and Renfo are first-time honorees.

To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during his academic career. All 12 ACC schools were represented by at least one selection on the team. The ACC has selected an All-ACC Academic Football team every year since 1954.

Maryland’s four selections were the fourth-most in the league, behind Duke (21), Clemson (6) and NC State (5). Fulper was one of just nine student-athletes to earn the award for the third time. Cierski was one of 24 to earn it for the second time.

The team was chosen from a pool of 104 ACC football student-athletes who were nominated by their schools.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 • 9 p.m. ET

Game #26 • Road Game #7 • Chestnut Hill, Mass. • Conte Forum

TV: ACC Network – Tim Brando (Play-by-Play) & Mike Gminski (Analyst)

Radio: Terrapin Sports Radio Network – Kevin Sheehan (Play-by-Play) & Chris Knoche (Analyst)

Storyline

• Maryland returns to the road on Tuesday when it takes on Boston College in the first of four away games over the regular season’s final six contests. The Terps have just two home games left – vs. Clemson this Saturday and vs. North Carolina on March 6. Road games at Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Virginia remain after Tuesday’s trip to Chestnut Hill. The Terps defeated Boston College in the first meeting this season, 64-59. Alex Len had 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Jake Layman had 15 points and Nick Faust had 11.

• On Saturday, Maryland beat Duke 83-81 and recorded its first win over a No. 1-ranked opponent since Jan. 19, 2008, when it beat North Carolina. Seth Allen knocked down a pair of free throws with 2.8 seconds left to break a tie and give Maryland the win, earning ACC Rookie of the Week honors for his effort. Allen scored all 16 of his points in the second half, including five of Maryland’s final six down the stretch.

• Alex Len had 19 points and nine rebounds against the Blue Devils, and helped in the defensive effort that held Mason Plumlee to a season-low four points on 2-of-7 shooting. Len, who is tied for second in the ACC with 2.1 blocks per game, had three against Duke.

• Maryland shot 60 percent (27-45) from the field, with all nine players that saw action recording at least one field goal. The Terps, who rank second in the ACC in field goal percentage at .476, have exceeded the 40 percent mark in each of the last seven games. They also got to the free throw line often, making a season-high 25 free throws on 34 attempts (.735). Len and Allen both set career highs with seven free throws made on eight attempts.

• On the boards, the Terps enjoyed their second largest advantage of the conference season by outrebounding the Blue Devils 40-20. Only against Wake Forest (plus-21) have the Terps had a bigger advantage. Maryland ranks second nationally in rebound margin at plus-10.7 and has outrebounded 24 of 25 opponents this season.

Maryland-Boston College Series History

• The series dates back to 1958 and is tied 8-8. Boston College owns the slight upper hand since joining the ACC, having won 7 of 12 meetings since 2005.

• The Terps have won both meetings since head coach Mark Turgeon took over at Maryland. The Terps won 81-65 in the lone meeting last season, and 64-59 in the first meeting this season, on Jan. 22.

• In the win over BC on Jan. 22, Alex Len had 16 points and 13 rebounds, Jake Layman had 15 points and Nick Faust added 11. The Terps limited BC to 35.7 percent shooting and outscored them in the paint, 34-12. Layman scored 10 of his points after the half to help break a 29-29 tie going into the locker room.

For what felt like the first time in the Mark Turgeon era, Comcast Center housed an incredible, big-game, “I swear to God I’m not sure the roof will be able to take this” atmosphere Saturday night as the University of Maryland stunned #2 (#1 according to the coaches) Duke 83-81.

It was an incredible night. The game itself was captivating, as the Terrapins completely squandered a late 10 point lead before two Seth Allen free throws saved them. There was controversy in officiating, a high level of intensity and physicality from players and a number of big time shots made by likely future NBA players like Seth Curry, Alex Len and Quinn Cook.

But even more captivating was the atmosphere in the building, which reached a Gary Williams era-esque “fever pitch” at multiple times. Celebrities, dignitaries and former Terps filled the building, students arrived hours early and delivered a charming first half flash mob before emptying onto the floor (and College Park’s Route 1) following the victory.

It was a two and a half hour frenzy, a feeling that remained palpable even as I watched the replay of the game Sunday night on ESPNU.

The victory was emotional for a number of reasons. It was emotional because it was a throwback to a decade ago, when the level of the Maryland-Duke series rivaled even Duke-North Carolina as the best in the entire sport. It was emotional because it gave a major shot in the arm to the fledgling NCAA Tournament hopes of a Terps team in danger of missing out on March Madness for a third consecutive season. It was emotional because there is clearly a renewed level of bad blood between the programs based on Maryland’s decision to bolt the ACC in favor of the Big Ten. In the week leading up to the game Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski made it clear Duke wouldn’t be continuing a series with the Terps after the conference change happened and after the game he continued to fire shots in the direction of a program that helped to put the ACC on the map.

But it was incredibly emotional in particular for head coach Mark Turgeon, who had yet to record a “signature” win as he began the homestretch in his second season in College Park. Students rushed the floor following the Terps’ win over then-Number 14 North Carolina State earlier in the season, but even at the time the win felt a bit flimsy. Maryland had made a habit out of knocking off top ranked teams under Williams but hadn’t made a similar level of national noise yet under Turgeon.

Yet when asked about what the win meant to him, Turgeon offered an unpredictable answer.

“It’s been a hard week”, Turgeon started while fighting back tears. ”I take a lot of pride in my coaching. I don’t do a lot of things well, but I’d like to think I can coach a little bit and I haven’t done a very good job.”

“It’s been a hard week on my family. It was hard on my son. Last week he had to leave the gym because the fans were so hard on his dad.”

The coach then motioned in the direction of his son and noted pointedly “this was for them.” He continued by saying “I got a loyal family. It’s very loyal to me.”

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Turgeon’s postgame press conference was his simplistic “I wanted to beat Duke” statement (which every Maryland fan everywhere echoes at just about all times), but the story about his son was clearly the most emotional.

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