Honorable Mention: Exhibition Women’s College Basketball-Catholic @ Maryland (Tuesday 7pm Comcast Center), Goldey-Beacom @ Maryland (Monday 7pm Comcast Center); Golf: WGC HSBC Champions (Thursday & Friday 9am Saturday & Sunday 8am live on Golf Channel), Champions Tour Charles Schwab Cup Championship (Thursday-Saturday 4:30pm Sunday 3:30pm from Scottsdale, AZ live on Golf Channel); High School Football: Hereford @ Perry Hall (Friday 7pm), MIAA A Conference Quarterfinals: McDonogh @ Loyola (Saturday 2:30pm), Mount St. Joseph @ Archbishop Spalding (Saturday 6pm); Tennis: ATP BNP Paribas Masters (Tuesday-Thursday 6am Friday 9am & 2:30pm Saturday 9:30am Sunday 9am from Paris live on Tennis Channel); Mixed Martial Arts: Bellator Fighting Championships 79 (Friday 8pm from Roma, Ontario, Canada live on MTV2)

10. Justin Bieber (Monday 7pm Verizon Center); Smashing Pumpkins (Saturday 8pm Patriot Center); The XX (Tuesday 8pm Rams Head Live), Eric Hutchinson (Sunday 7:30pm Rams Head Live); The Ravyns (Saturday 8pm Recher Theatre); MxPx/Unwritten Law (Thursday 6:30pm Ottobar), Further Seems Forever feat. Chris Carrabba (Saturday 7:30pm Ottobar); Aesop Rock (Wednesday 8pm Baltimore Soundstage); Edwin McCain (Thursday 8pm Rams Head Center Stage); Grouplove (Tuesday 7pm 9:30 Club), Dr. Dog (Thursday 7pm Friday 8pm 9:30 Club), Soullive (Saturday 8pm 9:30 Club); Umphrey’s McGee (Wednesday 7:30pm Fillmore Silver Spring), Gov’t Mule (Saturday 8pm Fillmore Silver Spring); Fozzy (Thursday 6pm Empire); Melissa Etheridge (Friday 8pm Strathmore); Roger Clyne (Friday 9pm IOTA Club); Donavon Frankenreiter (Saturday 6pm U Street Music Hall); JD McPherson (Thursday 8pm State Theatre); Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers (Saturday 8:30pm Howard Theatre); Tim Reynolds & TR3 (Saturday 8:30pm The Hamilton); Chris Isaak (Sunday 8pm Warner Theater); Nas & Ms. Lauryn Hill (Sunday 8pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Brandi Carlile (Thursday 8pm Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric); Flyleaf “New Horizons” and Trans-Siberian Orchestra “Dreams of Fireflies (On A Christmas Night)” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

Go see the Ravyns because Rob Fahey is the freaking greatest.

I had no idea Unwritten Law was still a thing. I’m so freaking in.

JD McPherson has a throwback sound that pleases me greatly.

I think there’s a significant chance Lauryn Hill is crazy. I don’t care. She’s so freaking ridiculously talented. I still can’t believe what a jerk her mom was to her in Sister Act 2 though.

9. Whoopi Goldberg (Saturday 8pm Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric); Shaq’s All-Star Comedy Jam feat. Gary Owen (Saturday 8pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Tony Rock (Thursday-Sunday DC Improv); Dom Irrera (Thursday-Saturday Magooby’s Joke House); “The Campaign” available on Blu-Ray/DVD (Tuesday); “Flight“, “Wreck-It Ralph” and “The Man With The Iron Fists” out in theaters (Friday)

This isn’t the most impressive list I’ve ever seen if I’m telling you the truth.

Umm…I’m KINDA excited for Wreck-It Ralph. I’d probably go see “Flight” if someone asked nice enough.

Otherwise…here’s a guy with a horse head mask running through Hurricane Sandy on a local DC news cast…

And here’s a picture Kate Upton Tweeted recently…

Yep, we upgraded there.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Led by a defense that ranks as one of the nation’s best, Maryland is 2-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference for the first time since 2001. The Terps, coming off victories over Wake Forest and Virginia, will look to improve to 3-0 in the league for just the second time since winning three straight ACC Championships from 1983-85, when it takes on NC State in its Homecoming game. Maryland and NC State have met 68 times in history, and the all-time series is even at 32-32-4. The Terps have won three straight over the Wolfpack in College Park and five of the last six.

First-and-10

• With another gutty fourth quarter performance, Maryland held on to beat Virginia, 27-20, last Saturday. The Cavaliers cut Maryland’s lead to 17-13 with 0:29 left in the third quarter, but the Terps scored the game’s next 10 points and held on late. In Maryland’s four wins, the Terps average margin of victory is just 5.5 points, and the opponent has been within a tying score at some point in the fourth quarter in each of those games. The Terps, though, have outscored opponents 51-31 in the final stanza and have received key defensive stops when it’s mattered most.

• The Terps rank ninth nationally in total defense (278.7 ypg), tied for ninth in rushing defense (95.5 ypg) and 18th in passing defense (183.2 ypg). Though Virginia tallied 168 rushing yards, the most by a Maryland opponent this season, the Terps have been tough against the run with an experienced front seven highlighted by senior defensive linemen Joe Vellano and A.J. Francis, and senior linebacker Demetrius Hartsfield. Those three have played a big role in holding opponents to an average of just 2.65 yards per rush, which ranks seventh nationally. The Terps received a major boost to their linebacking corps with the return of Kenneth Tate in the West Virginia game. Tate, a 2010 consensus first team All-ACC choice, had missed the previous 11 games dating back to the 2011 season due to a knee injury. The fifth-year senior has already made an impact in his three games back: he has 15 tackles, two for a loss, a sack, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

• Vellano and Darin Drakeford have been the biggest contributors for a Maryland defense which has been disruptive in the opponent backfield – Maryland’s 7.8 tackles for loss per game are tied for 11th in the FBS and its 3.0 sacks per game are tied for 14th. Drakeford, who was named the ACC Linebacker of the Week for his performance at Virginia, ranks third in the ACC with 0.75 sacks per game and is second on the team with 6.5 tackles for loss. That trails only Vellano with 11.0, which leads the conference and ranks 13th nationally.

• Offensively and on special teams, wide receiver Stefon Diggs continues to be Maryland’s most dynamic playmaker. Against Virginia, the freshman returned the game’s opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and went on to catch four passes for 89 yards. Over the last three games he’s averaging 102.3 receiving yards per game, while his 168.8 all-purpose yards per game this season lead the ACC and rank ninth nationally. Additionally, Diggs ranks second in the conference in yards per catch (21.6) and has earned ACC weekly honors in each of Maryland’s last three games (Rookie of the Week – WVU, Wake Forest; Specialst of the Week – Virginia).

• Quarterback Perry Hills, who is just the third true freshman quarterback to start for Maryland in school history (Randall Jones in 1998; Latrez Harrison in 1999), is directing the offense. Hills had his best collegiate game against West Virginia when he finished 20 of 29 for 305 yards and three touchdowns, all season highs. He led Maryland on the game-winning touchdown drive in the fourth quarter of the season opener against William & Mary, and was named ACC Rookie of the Week after going 11 of 21 for 190 yards and two touchdowns in the win at Temple. Hills has been at his best in the fourth quarter, having completed 24 of 35 passes for 390 yards and two touchdowns in the final stanza.

Quick Hitters

• Stefon Diggs has earned ACC Player of the Week honors in three straight games, and a Terp has captured Linebacker of the Week honors in two straight games. Diggs won Rookie of the Week for his play against West Virginia (9/22) and Wake Forest (10/6) and Specialist of the Week against Virginia (10/13). Demetrius Hartsfield earned Linebacker of the Week for his play against Wake Forest, while Darin Drakeford received the award against Virginia.

• For the first time since 1999, Maryland held its opponent under 300 yards of total offense in four of the season’s first five games. Only No. 17 West Virginia exceeded the 300 mark against the Terrapins (363). In the sixth game of the season, Virginia also broke the 300 mark (386).

• Diggs ranks eighth in the conference and first among freshmen with 75.5 receiving yards per game. Diggs, who has 21 catches for 453 yards, is averaging 21.6 yards per catch. That ranks second among ACC receivers and sixth among the top-100 receivers (yards per game) nationally.

• Diggs is the only Maryland freshman to record back-to-back 100-yard receiving games (vs. West Virginia and Wake Forest) since at least 1985, the earliest game-by-game statistics were recorded at the school.

• Maryland allowed Wake Forest to complete just 32.4 percent of its passes (13 of 38). That is the lowest percentage by an opponent with at least 30 passing attempts since Duke went 13 of 42 (30.9%) on Nov. 14, 1998.

• Joe Vellano’s father, Paul Vellano, was inducted into the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 5. The elder Vellano was a first team All-American in 1973, while Joe was a second team All-American in 2011. The father-son combo represent one of four known father-son All-America combos to attend the same FBS school (also Lee and Travis McGriff at Florida; Kevin and Drew Butler at Georgia; Archie and Eli Manning at Ole Miss).

• Thirteen players have made their first career starts at some point this season. In the season opener against William & Mary, quarterback Perry Hills, running back Albert Reid, safety Sean Davis, defensive back Jeremiah Johnson, linebacker Cole Farrand, nose tackle Darius Kilgo and offensive lineman Nick Klemm debuted. Against Connecticut, wide receiver Stefon Diggs made his first career start; defensive back Isaac Goins and running back Brandon Ross made their starting debuts at West Virginia. Defensive back Anthony Nixon and offensive linemen Mike Madaras and Andrew Zeller made their first starts vs. Wake Forest.

• Fourteen players saw their first career action for Maryland against William & Mary, and 22 players have seen their first career action for Maryland at some point this season (12 true freshmen, seven redshirt freshmen, two juniors, one senior).

• Maryland’s defense allowed just 682 total yards to opponents through its first three games (William & Mary – 229, Temple – 230, Connecticut – 223). That marks its best defensive performance in a three-game span since 2004, when it held The Citadel (137), West Virginia (156) and Eastern Michigan (275) to a total of 568.

• West Virginia came into its game with Maryland averaging 612 yards of total offense and 55.5 points per game. The Terps held the Mountaineers well below those averages, surrendering 363 yards and 31 points, seven of which came on a fumble return for a TD by the WVU defense.

• The Terps surrendered just 45 yards to Wake Forest in the second half, including just four in the fourth quarter. Maryland has been at its best in the second half all year, surrendering just 133.3 yards on average.

• The Terps are holding opponents to 2.65 yards per carry, which ranks seventh nationally. Of the opponents’ 216 rushing attempts this season, 147 (68.1%) have been for three yards or less (28 of 41 vs. William & Mary; 28 of 39 vs. Temple; 25 of 40 vs. Connecticut; 20 of 25 vs. West Virginia; 21 of 29 vs. Wake Forest; 25 of 42 vs. Virginia).

• Demetrius Hartsfield leads the team with 51 tackles and is tied for second with three sacks. He’s also had a hand in three turnovers, also a team high (one interception, two fumble recoveries).

• The Terps have done a good job controlling the clock. In six games, Maryland has had the ball for an average of 30:50 to 29:10 for the opponent. That’s a major upgrade compared to 2011, when Maryland averaged just 25:16 a game to 34:44 for the opponent.

• Head coach Randy Edsall hands out game balls for each win. Most recently, Darin Drakeford received the defensive game ball and Stefon Diggs got the special teams game ball.

• Against William & Mary, Perry Hills became the first true freshman starter at quarterback for Maryland since Latrez Harrison in 1999. He also became the first freshman to start a season opener since redshirt freshman Calvin McCall on Sept. 2, 1999, in a 6-0 win over Temple.

• Nine bowl teams from last year appear on Maryland’s 2012 schedule: Temple (Gildan New Mexico Bowl), West Virginia (Discover Orange Bowl), Wake Forest (Franklin American Mortgage Music City), Virginia (Chick-fil-A Bowl), NC State (Belk Bowl), Georgia Tech (Hyundai Sun Bowl), Clemson (Discover Orange Bowl), Florida State (Champs Sports Bowl) and UNC (AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl).

Maryland-NC State Series History

• Saturday’s game marks the 69th meeting between Maryland and North Carolina State. The schools first met in 1909 when NC State shut out Maryland 33-0. The teams have met every season since 1956, and the series is split evenly (32-32-4).

• The Wolfpack took eight of nine from the Terps from 1991 to 1999, before the Terps turned things around in the new millennium. Maryland has won eight of 12 in the series since 2000, with the games frequently ending in dramatic fashion. Aside from a 37-0 Maryland win in 2007, the 10 games since 2000 have been decided by an average of 6.5 points. Nick Novak hit game-winning field goals for the Terps in the final seconds in 2002 and 2003, and Maryland scored the decisive touchdown in 2001 with 41 seconds left. Quarterback Shaun Hill rallied the Terps from a 15-point halftime deficit in the 2000 game for a 35-28 double-overtime victory.

• Maryland has won three straight in College Park: 26-20 in 2006, 27-24 in 2008 and 38-31 in 2010. The Terrapins hold a 17-12-2 all-time advantage in the series in College Park and have lost to the Wolfpack just once at home since 2000.

• Last year, NC State overcame a 27-point deficit by scoring 35 points in the fourth quarter for a 56-41 win. It was the second biggest comeback in ACC history.

Hill to be Honored
• The University of Maryland department of athletics will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Darryl Hill becoming the first African-American player to play at the University of Maryland and in the Atlantic Coast Conference, when the Terrapins take on NC State Saturday afternoon. Hill, head coach Randy Edsall and director of athletics Kevin Anderson will also hold a press conference at noon on Tuesday, which can be seen here.

• Hill transferred to Maryland in 1962 and after sitting out one year he broke the color barrier in 1963, playing his first home game against NC State in College Park. Hill was also the first African-American to play at Gonzaga High School and the Naval Academy.

• Hill emerged as Maryland’s top wide receiver in 1963, finishing with 43 receptions, only three short of the school record at the time. Hill’s seven touchdown receptions that year are tied for the fifth most in a single season in school history.

• He played with the New York Jets for a short period before returning to school and earning a master’s degree from Southern Illinois. He has started businesses in China, Russia as well as the Pacific Energy Corporation. He also returned to Maryland for a period to serve as a Maryland’s director of major gifts.

COLLEGE PARK, MD. - Maryland opens Atlantic Coast Conference play on Saturday when Wake Forest, which has already played three league games (1-2 record), visits Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium. The Terps are coming off their bye week and are expected to be mostly healthy after battling injuries throughout the season’s first four games. Those injuries have played a part in Maryland seeing 12 true freshmen take to the field, which ranks as the ninth most in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

First-and-10

• With a number of experienced playmakers, the defense has been the most consistent unit for Maryland. The Terps rank eighth nationally in total defense (261.25 ypg), 11th in rushing defense (83.5 ypg) and 18th in passing defense (177.75 ypg). Maryland has been very tough against the run with an experienced front seven highlighted by senior defensive linemen Joe Vellano and A.J. Francis, and senior linebacker Demetrius Hartsfield. Those three have played a big role in holding opponents to an average of just 2.3 yards per rush, which ranks ninth nationally. Maryland held a high-powered West Virginia offense that came in averaging 226 rushing yards per game to just 25 yards on 25 attempts. It’s also been a disruptive defense – Maryland’s 2.5 sacks per game are tied for 39th in the FBS and its 7.5 tackles for loss per game are tied for 22nd. The Terps received a major boost to their linebacking corps with the return of Kenneth Tate in the West Virginia game. Tate, a 2010 consensus first team All-ACC choice, had missed the previous 11 games dating back to the 2011 season due to a knee injury. The fifth-year senior recorded four tackles, one of them for a loss, and a pass breakup against the Mountaineers.

• Of the young players, wide receiver Stefon Diggs and quarterback Perry Hills have made the biggest impact in the first one-third of the regular season. Diggs has been a multi-faceted play-maker in the return game and as a receiver – he ranks second in the ACC and 16th nationally in all-purpose yards (160.5 ypg) and has a team-high 64.8 receiving yards per game which ranks ninth in the conference. Against then-No. 8 West Virginia two weeks ago, Diggs tallied 201 all-purpose yards including a team-high 113 receiving yards on three receptions. He had touchdown catches of 42 and 56 yards and was honored as the ACC Rookie of the Week. That came two weeks after Hills earned the same honor for his play in a 36-27 win at Temple.

• Hills, who is just the third true freshman quarterback to start for Maryland in school history (Randall Jones in 1998; Latrez Harrison in 1999), had his best collegiate game against the Mountaineers. He finished 20 of 29 for 305 yards and three touchdowns, all season highs. Despite his youth, Hills has capably directed the offense and has been at his best in the fourth quarter. He led Maryland on the game-winning touchdown drive in the fourth quarter of the season opener against William & Mary, and on the season is 15 of 23 for 270 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the final stanza.

• The Maryland running game has been a work in progress as four capable backs have all seen time this season. SophomoreJustus Pickett is the most experienced and started against Temple and Connecticut. True freshman Albert Reid started against William & Mary, and redshirt freshman Brandon Ross started against West Virginia after missing the first three games with a hamstring injury. Additionally, true freshman Wes Brown has a team-high 127 rushing yards and is averaging a team-best 5.5 yards per carry. Those four are listed as co-starters heading into the Wake Forest game.

• Maryland’s special teams units have also been relying on young players. Diggs has been handling the return game, true freshman Brad Craddock has been handling kickoffs and place-kicking duties with Nick Ferrara’s injury, and redshirt freshmanNathan Renfro has handled the punting.

Quick Hitters

• A Terrapin has received Rookie of the Week honors twice in a three-week span as quarterback Perry Hills earned the award for his play against Temple and Stefon Diggs received it for the West Virginia game. Hills became the first Maryland true freshman QB to earn the award since Calvin McCall on 9/20/99, while Diggs became the first Maryland freshman receiver to earn it since Darrius Heyward-Bey on 10/30/06.

• Seven players made their first career starts in the season opener against William & Mary: quarterback Perry Hills, running back Albert Reid, safety Sean Davis, defensive back Jeremiah Johnson, linebacker Cole Farrand, nose tackle Darius Kilgoand offensive lineman Nick Klemm. Additionally, wide receiver Stefon Diggs made his first career start against Connecticut, while defensive back Isaac Goins and running back Brandon Ross made their starting debuts at West Virginia.

• Fourteen players saw their first career action for Maryland against William & Mary, and 22 players have seen their first career action for Maryland at some point this season (12 true freshmen, seven redshirt freshmen, two juniors, one senior).

• Diggs, who has 12 catches for 259 yards, is averaging 21.6 yards per catch. That ranks second among ACC receivers with 10 or more catches and ranks fourth among the top-100 receivers nationally.

• After recording just three catches for 33 yards in the first three games, tight end Matt Furstenburg found his form against West Virginia. The preseason All-ACC selection had four catches for 65 yards against the Mountaineers.

• Maryland’s defense allowed just 682 total yards to opponents through its first three games (William & Mary – 229, Temple – 230, Connecticut – 223). That marks its best defensive performance in a three-game span since 2004, when it held The Citadel (137), West Virginia (156) and Eastern Michigan (275) to a total of 568.

• West Virginia came into its game with Maryland averaging 612 yards of total offense and 55.5 points per game. The Terps held the Mountaineers well below those averages, surrendering 363 yards and 31 points, seven of which came on a fumble return for a TD by the WVU defense.

• The Terps have done a good job controlling the clock. In four games, Maryland has had the ball for an average of 30:41 to 29:19 for the opponent. That’s a major upgrade compared to 2011, when Maryland averaged just 25:16 a game to 34:44 for the opponent.

• Maryland has 11 true freshmen listed on its two-deep (excluding return men), which is the sixth most in the FBS (Colorado – 16, Texas – 15, TCU – 15, Navy – 13, Tulane – 13).

• The Terps are holding opponents to 2.3 yards per carry, which ranks fifth nationally. Of the opponents’ 145 rushing attempts this season, 101 (69.7%) have been for three yards or less (28 of 41 vs. William & Mary; 28 of 39 vs. Temple; 25 of 40 vs. Connecticut; 20 of 25 vs. West Virginia).

• Demetrius Hartsfield leads the team with 33 tackles and has had a hand in three turnovers, also a team high (one interception, two fumble recoveries).

• Head coach Randy Edsall hands out game balls for each win. In the win over William & Mary, Marcus Leak got the game ball for offense, Joe Vellano for defense and Nathan Renfro for special teams. In the win over Temple, Sal Conaboy got the game ball for offense, Demetrius Hartsfield for defense and A.J. Francis for special teams.

• Against William & Mary, Perry Hills became the first true freshman starter at quarterback for Maryland since Latrez Harrison in 1999. He also became the first freshman to start a season opener since redshirt freshman Calvin McCall on Sept. 2, 1999, in a 6-0 win over Temple.

• Maryland had 15 seniors on the 2011 roster, but just 12 of those players were listed on the two-deep at some point during the year. There are 17 seniors listed on the 2012 roster, and 13 are on the two-deep.

• Three Terps ended 2011 ranked among the top 12 in the ACC in tackles. Demetrius Hartsfield was second at 12.0 per game and Eric Franklin was sixth at 8.8. Joe Vellano was 12th with 7.8 per contest.

• Nine bowl teams from last year appear on Maryland’s 2012 schedule: Temple (Gildan New Mexico Bowl), West Virginia (Discover Orange Bowl), Wake Forest (Franklin American Mortgage Music City), Virginia (Chick-fil-A Bowl), NC State (Belk Bowl), Georgia Tech (Hyundai Sun Bowl), Clemson (Discover Orange Bowl), Florida State (Champs Sports Bowl) and UNC (AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl).

Maryland-Wake Forest Series History

• Maryland owns a 42-17-1 advantage all-time against Wake Forest. The Terps’ .712 winning percentage against the Demon Deacons is the Terrapins’ best mark against any ACC school.

• In games played in College Park, Maryland holds a 21-8 advantage. The Terps have won the last two meetings at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium (26-0 in 2008, 62-14 in 2010), and five of the past six. Wake Forest’s lone win in College Park in the past 13 years came in 2006.

• The Terps have won nine of the last 13 in the series. They won seven straight from 1999-2005. The Demon Deacons, though, have won four of the past six.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — This one probably wouldn’t have been quite as bad had Maryland never seen the ball again.

If the Connecticut Huskies (2-1) had simply managed to run out the remaining 4:39 on the clock after Perry Hills pulled the Maryland Terrapins (2-1) within 24-21 thanks to a 10 yard TD run, this one might not have been quite as stinging.

Unfortunately for Terps head coach Randy Edsall Saturday, his first meeting with his former school did end with that same 24-21 score, but it didn’t end that way.

Instead UConn gave Maryland the ball right back with plenty of time (3:29 left), two timeouts and good field position (the Maryland 42) needing only a field goal to force overtime.

What happened in those final moments will cause greater consternation for Edsall than even a blowout loss may have.

Instead of marching down to tie things up-or perhaps finish off a victory which would allow Maryland to surpass their win total of a season ago and start thinking about the possibility of bowl eligibility, the Terrapins absolutely imploded.

It started out well enough. Freshman quarterback Perry Hills (who struggled to final numbers of 11-25, 122 yards, 1TD and 1INT) pushed the Terps just outside the edge of field goal range thanks to a 12 yard completion to WR Kerry Boykins. That was followed by a six yard run by freshman RB Wes Brown, leaving the Terps on UConn’s 37 yard line with roughly three minutes to play.

From the 37 yard line with 3:00 to play, the Terps would ultimately end up running 2:35 off the clock running six plays that would gain a total of -3 yards and end with a turnover on downs.

There was one positive mixed in (an 11 yard catch and run from Hills to WR Stefon Diggs good for a first down), but otherwise there were sacks, quarterback scrambles, WR drops and a bizarre 3rd and long call that resulted in a four yard loss after a completed pass.

There were no timeouts called until the Terps stared down the barrel of 4th and 18 with 25 seconds to play. The timeout allowed Maryland to set up a Hail Mary pass that went through the back of the endzone.

Edsall was asked about his decision to not use a timeout after the game.

“I didn’t think about taking a timeout there” the coach said. “That’s something that we haven’t been good at even in practice…that two minute situation. Sometimes guys just try to do too much. That’s where we as coaches just have to continually teach.”

He’s right to point out that Boykins exacerbated their troubles by dropping a ball along the sideline that would have left them with third and manageable instead of 3rd and long, but it doesn’t absolve Edsall (or Offensive Coordinator Mike Locksley) of fault for the final drive.

(More on Page 2…)

COLLEGE PARK, MD. - After a momentum-building win at Temple last weekend, the Maryland football team returns home to face Connecticut in Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium. It will be the first time head coach Randy Edsall coaches against his former school (the Terps will make a return trip to Connecticut in 2013) and just the second time in history the football programs have met, with the only other meeting coming in 1942, a 34-0 Maryland win.

First-and-10

• The youthful Terps showed improvement from week one to week two in dispatching of Temple 36-27. Maryland played 12 true freshmen in the season opener, the most for a Maryland team in at least 15 years, and seven players made their first career starts in the season opener. Quarterback Perry Hills received ACC Rookie of the Week honors for his play against the Owls.

• Defense has set the tone for a young but talented Maryland team in the first two games of the season. The Terps have been very tough against the run with an experienced front seven highlighted by senior defensive linemen Joe Vellano and A.J. Francis, and senior linebacker Demetrius Hartsfield. Those three have played a big role in holding opponents to an average of just 1.95 yards per rush, which ranks 10th nationally. It’s also been a disruptive defense – Maryland’s seven sacks tie for 13th in the FBS and its 17 tackles for loss are tied for 20th. Overall, the Terps are allowing just 229.5 yards per game, which ranks ninth nationally.

• Maryland has also had a knack for forcing timely turnovers in the first two games. In the closing moments of the 7-6 win over William & Mary in week one, cornerback Jeremiah Johnson forced a fumble on a sack that Hartsfield recovered to seal the game. In week two vs. Temple, the defense forced fumbles on the Owls’ first two possessions of the game and Hartsfield again helped seal the win by intercepting a tipped pass with 2:05 remaining to preserve the 36-27 victory.

• The biggest area of improvement for the Terps from week one to week two came with the offense, which is being directed by Hills, a true freshman. Hills, who became the first freshman to start a season opener for Maryland since Calvin McCall in 1999, had an excellent outing against Temple. The Pittsburgh, Pa., native went 11 of 21 for 190 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a touchdown. He also made several momentum-changing plays on third down: he ran for an 11-yard TD on third-and-goal after fumbling the snap; he hit Marcus Leak for a 39-yard gain on third-and-17 in the third quarter; and finally, hooked up with Stefon Diggs down the sideline for 38 yards on a third-and-11 with under 4:00 left and Maryland clinging to a 29-27 lead. Hills was named ACC Rookie of the Week for his play against the Owls.

• Diggs has been Maryland’s most electric player with his contributions on offense and in the return game. The true freshman leads the team with 218 all-purpose yards, with 135 of those coming against Temple last week. He’s done it in a variety of ways, totaling 89 yards on receptions, 84 on punt returns, 25 on kickoff returns and 20 on rushes. Additionally, his 12.82 yards per touch ranks sixth in the nation among freshmen who are averaging at least 108 all-purpose yards per game.

• Justus Pickett has worked his way into the feature role at running back. After scoring what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in week one against William & Mary, Pickett saw his role increase in week two. He carried the ball a career-high 21 times for 69 yards against Temple and seemed to get stronger as the game went on. In the fourth quarter alone, Pickett rushed seven times for 36 yards, including a bulldozing seven-yard touchdown run with 2:51 remaining that put the game out of reach. Beyond Pickett, the Terps have plenty of depth in freshmen Wes Brown and Albert Reid. Redshirt freshman Brandon Ross, who had been named the starter in the preseason, missed the first two games with an injury.

Quick Hitters

• Maryland allowed William & Mary to gain just 229 yards of total offense and held Temple to 230 yards. That marks its best defensive performance in a two-game span since holding Villanova to 187 yards and FIU to 163 yards in the first two games of the 2007 season.

• Maryland won its first two games despite committing more turnovers than its opponent in each contest. All eight of the Terrapins turnovers (three interceptions, five fumbles) have come from freshmen.

• The Terps have done a good job controlling the clock. In two games, Maryland has had the ball for an average of 31:23 to 28:38 for the opponent. That’s a major upgrade compared to 2011, when Maryland averaged just 25:16 a game to 34:44 for the opponent.

• Seven players made their first career starts in the season opener against William & Mary: quarterback Perry Hills, running back Albert Reid, safety Sean Davis, defensive back Jeremiah Johnson, linebacker Cole Farrand, nose tackle Darius Kilgoand offensive lineman Nick Klemm.

• In addition to the seven first-time starters, 14 players saw their first action against William & Mary. And of the 44 players that saw time against the Tribe, 25 of them were underclassmen.

• Maryland has 14 true freshmen listed on its two-deep (excluding return men), which is the third most in the FBS (Colorado – 16, Texas – 15).

• The Terps are holding opponents to 1.95 yards per carry, which ranks 10th nationally. Of the opponents 80 rushing attempts this season, 56 have been for three yards or less (28 of 41 vs. William & Mary; 28 of 39 vs. Temple).

• Demetrius Hartsfield recorded a double-digit tackle game against William & Mary by finishing with 13. Hartsfield had seven double-digit efforts in nine games last season. Hartsfield also had a fumble recovery with 1:11 left that sealed the win.

• Head coach Randy Edsall handed out game balls for the win over Temple. Sal Conaboy got the game ball for offense,Demetrius Hartsfield for defense and A.J. Francis for special teams.

• The five Maryland players who received 2011 postseason recognition returned to the squad this year – DL Keith Bowers(freshman All-ACC), LB Lorne Goree (freshman All-ACC), LB Demetrius Hartsfield (honorable mention All-ACC), DL Andre Monroe (freshman All-American) and DL Joe Vellano (second team All-American; first team All-ACC).

• Maryland was hit hard by injuries in the preseason. Thirteen players missed the season opener due to various injuries and ailments, and 14 were out against Temple. Seven of those were potential starters on offense and defense: defensive linemanAndre Monroe; defensive backs A.J. Hendy and Matt Robinson; linebacker Kenneth Tate; quarterback C.J. Brown; running back Brandon Ross; offensive lineman Josh Cary. Place-kicker Nick Ferrara also missed the first two games. Both Monroe and Brown are out for the season.

• Perry Hills became the first true freshman starter at quarterback for Maryland since Latrez Harrison in 1999. He also became the first freshman to start a season opener since redshirt freshman Calvin McCall on Sept. 2, 1999, in a 6-0 win over Temple.

• Maryland had 15 seniors on the 2011 roster, but just 12 of those players were listed on the two-deep at some point during the year. There are 17 seniors listed on the 2012 roster.

• Eleven of the top 13 tacklers from 2011 are back this season, including Hartsfield, who had a team-high 108 stops, and safety Eric Franklin, who was second with 106.

• Three Terps ended 2011 ranked among the top 12 in the ACC in tackles. Hartsfield was second at 12.0 per game and Franklin was sixth at 8.8. Vellano was 12th with 7.8 per contest.

• There are just two returning starters (Bennett Fulper and Justin Gilbert) on Maryland’s offensive line, but six players entered the season with starting experience. De’Onte Arnett, Josh Cary, Sal Conaboy and Peter White have also started on the o-line.

• Nine bowl teams from last year appear on Maryland’s 2012 schedule: Temple (Gildan New Mexico Bowl), West Virginia (Discover Orange Bowl), Wake Forest (Franklin American Mortgage Music City), Virginia (Chick-fil-A Bowl), NC State (Belk Bowl), Georgia Tech (Hyundai Sun Bowl), Clemson (Discover Orange Bowl), Florida State (Champs Sports Bowl) and UNC (AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl).

Maryland-Connecticut Series History

• Maryland and Connecticut have played just once in school history, a 34-0 Terrapin win in College Park in 1942.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Two weeks from its season opener, the University of Maryland football team provided fans an up-close glimpse of the highly touted freshman class that arrived in College Park earlier this month.

It didn’t disappoint. Stefon Diggs had three first-half touchdowns – a 68-yard punt return, a 98-yard kickoff return and an 11-yard reception – electrifying a crowd of several thousand in Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium Saturday afternoon.

The Terps, who were holding fan appreciation day, scrimmaged for two hours before holding an autograph session on the field.

Diggs and quarterback Perry Hills impressed, as did freshmen running backs Albert Reid and Wes Brown. Hills, running the first-team offense in a game-like situation for the first time, led the Terps on an 18-play, 76-yard touchdown drive to open the scrimmage. The freshman went 5 of 6 for 27 yards on the drive and also rushed for 36 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown run.

Hills, who led Maryland to scores on three of his five drives, showed the ability to make plays with his arm and his legs. On his third drive, he eluded the pass rush and hit Kevin Dorsey in the flat, and Dorsey turned it into a 41-yard play. Five plays later, he hit Diggs over the middle for an 11-yard touchdown.

“I thought Perry [Hills] had a good day,” said head coach Randy Edsall. “I thought he did some good things. Of course there’s going to be plenty of things that he could learn from, and get better, but I think that we didn’t have any issues with delay of game, really didn’t have any false starts. When you talk about the mechanics and the operation of the offense I thought he handled it really well.”

Diggs, meanwhile, didn’t waste any time making a good first impression. With his first touch, a punt return on the second drive of the game, he exploded up a seam and went 68 yards for a touchdown.

And after quarterback Caleb Rowe hit freshman receiver Levern Jacobs for a 69-yard touchdown, Diggs struck again with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

“He’s a dynamic player, he’s got good instincts, got good football knowledge, he has talent and he’s very coachable and very competitive,” said Edsall. “We’ll just keep working with him and I know he’ll keep working, and I think he’ll end up being a real good one.”

Now just two weeks away from the season opener, Edsall was pleased with the team’s effort but said work remains to be done.

“We’ve still got a lot of work to do before that opening game,” said Edsall. “Now we’ll go in and watch the film, evaluate it and narrow it down into a two-deep, and then who are the guys that can compete for us on special teams.”

Tidbits: With Matt Robinson injured, A.J. Hendy took the first-team reps at strong safety before leaving the practice with what Edsall said was an ankle injury. His status wasn’t immediately known … Edsall said he continues to be impressed with the running backs, specifically mentioning Brandon Ross, Albert Reid and Wes Brown … he also said the offensive line, and in particular right tackle Justin Gilbert, continue to get better … Edsall rested place-kicker/punter Nick Ferrara in order to get freshman Brad Craddock and redshirt freshman Nathan Renfro more reps. Craddock, an Australia native, performed well and showed good hang-time on his punts, while also handling kickoff and extra point duties … senior linebacker Darin Drakeford showed the ability to be a disruptive force. He had two sacks on one drive and on another, forced a fumble, picked it up and ran it in 18 yards for a touchdown.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The University of Maryland will hold its fan appreciation day Saturday at 3 p.m. in Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium.

Gates open at 2:00 and athletics department officials will be on hand for select-a-seat and mezzanine upgrade opportunities for the 2012 season.

After the team’s scrimmage at 3:00, head coach Randy Edsall and student-athletes will participate in an autograph session on the field. Fans are welcome to come on the field after the scrimmage and get an up-close look at the new FieldTurf.

Fans and media are advised to park in Lot 1, which is free on the weekends. Byrd can be accessed through Gate I.

After all of the worry about the changes coming to the field at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium, a picture Tweeted this week by the University of Maryland Grounds Crew has certainly eased concern.

That looks like a good looking field to me.

The Terrapins’ football team? They were picked to finish last in the ACC Atlantic Division at the ACC football kickoff event this past weekend in Greensboro, North Carolina.

If I had reason to debate that choice, I’d present it here. At least DL Joe Vellano and TE Matt Furstenburg were named preseason All-ACC, so they have that going for them.

But hey, the field certainly looks good. Maybe that’s enough for Randy Edsall and the Terps to start filling the seats?

Maybe.

-G

Maryland-Temple Game Time Announced

Terps’ first road game of 2012 will start at noon and be shown on ESPNU

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Maryland’s first road game of the 2012 season, a matchup against Temple on Saturday, Sept. 8 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, will kick off at noon EDT and be shown nationally on ESPNU.

ESPN and the Big East Conference office announced a select group of game times and television outlets Thursday afternoon.

Maryland opens the season at home vs. William & Mary on Saturday, Sept. 1. That game will begin at 3 p.m. from Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium and be video streamed on ESPN3.

The Terps’ second home nonconference contest, a tilt vs. UConn on Saturday, Sept. 15, will begin at 12:30 p.m. and be televised regionally on the ACC Network.

Kick times for remaining games will be announced at a later date.

Atlantic Coast Conference game times are generally declared 12 days prior to the contest. The start times for Maryland’s other nonconference road game (at West Virginia, Sept. 22) will be announced by the Big 12 office.

A variety of season-ticket options are available starting as low as $114. There are also family 4-packs available for $420 and season-ticket holders have the ability to spread their cost over six monthly installments.

To view Maryland’s schedule, go to:

http://www.umterps.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/md-m-footbl-sched.html 

Terp Notes:

Edsall to Play in Two Charity Golf Events: Head coach Randy Edsall will participate in a pair of charity golf tournaments this month. He is scheduled to play in Monday’s 25th Annual Safeway Foundation Celebrity Pro-Am in Ellicott City, Md., which benefits Easter Seals in the Washington-Baltimore region. Edsall will also take part in the 16th Annual National Capital Golf Classic on Monday, June 18 at Trump National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Va. That event will benefit the American Cancer Society.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The unseeded Maryland men’s lacrosse team will face No. 3 seed Duke in the semifinals of the 2012 NCAA Tournament at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Faceoff is set for 5 p.m., as the Terps (11-5 overall) battle the Blue Devils (15-4) for the third time this season.

• The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2, as well as streamed on ESPN3.com. Fans can also watch the game on their wireless device with the WatchESPN app. Eamon McEnaney will provide the play-by-play, while the analysis will come from Quint Kessenich. Paul Carcaterra will be the sideline reporter.

•The Westwood One/Dial Global/NCAA Radio Network will also broadcast the game. All games can be heard on Sirius/XM Channel 91, streamed online at dialglobalsports.com and on mobile devices via Slacker radio (download the Dial Global App). Dave Ryan will be on the play-by-play, while Steve Panarelli will provide the analysis.

• The Terps are making their 35th NCAA Tournament appearance, the second most of any school in NCAA history, while Duke is making its 31st appearance in the NCAA tournament.

• The winner of the Maryland/Duke game will advance to the championship game against the winner of the No. 1 seed Loyola (16-1)/No. 4 seed Notre Dame (13-2) game on Monday, May 28. The Greyhounds and Fighting Irish play in the first game on Saturday, which is scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. start.

• Maryland is 11-5 on the season following an 11-5 win over No. 2 seed Johns Hopkins on May 12 in Annapolis, Md.. The Terps are the only unseeded teams to advance to this year’s semifinals. The Terps are led by senior attackman Joe Cummings, who has 30 goals and 15 assists for 45 points. Junior attackman Owen Blye is the team leader with 20 assists on the season. Maryland’s defense is led the co-ACC Defensive Player of the Year Jesse Bernhardt, who is tops on the squad with 56 groundballs and 32 caused turnovers.

• Duke, the 2012 ACC champions, is 15-4 after defeating unseeded Colgate, 17-6, in the quarterfinals on Sunday afternoon at PPL Park in Philadelphia. The Blue Jays are led on offense by sophomore attackman Jordan Wolf, who has 32 goals and 31 assists for 63 points. Junior midfielder Robert Rotanz is the team leader in goals with 38. The Blue Devils’ catalyst is senior Tewaaraton Trophy finalist CJ Costabile, who has 136 groundballs and 19 caused turnover and is 133-of-251 (.530) facing off this season. Senior goalie Dan Wigrizer has an 8.54 goals-against average with a .530 save percentage.

The Count Down
10 … Since 2002 Maryland has won 92 of the 101 games in which the Terps have scored 10 or more goals for a .911 winning percentage.
9 … Maryland is 110-24 in games since 2002 when it allows nine goals or less, for an .821 winning percentage.
8 … Joe Cummings has scored a goal in eight of 11 career NCAA tournament games.
7 … John Haus leads all current Terps with seven career goals vs. the Blue Devils.
6 … Mike Chanenchuk has scored 10 goals during his six-game goal scoring streak.
5 … Niko Amato has a 6.98 goals-against average in five career games vs. the Blue Devils.
4 … Maryland and Duke have played four previous times in the NCAA tournament with each team owning two victories.
3 … Maryland and Duke have played three times in a season on three other occasions (1992, 2005 and 2011).
2 … Drew Snider is the only current Terp with at least two hat tricks in NCAA tournament play.
1 … John Tillman is the first coach in the history of the NCAA tournament to lead an unseeded team to back-to-back Final Four berths.

Coaching Match-Up
• John Tillman is in his fifth season as a head coach, and second with the Terps, with a 44-29 career record for a 60.3 winning percentage. Tillman is 24-10 (.706) 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 30th season as a head coach and holds an all-time record of 314-162 (.660). He is in his sixth season at Duke and has a 95-23 (.805) record with the Blue Devils.

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

Tillman in the NCAA Tournament
• The meeting with Duke will be John Tillman’s seventh NCAA tournament game as a head coach.

• Maryland’s 10-9 victory at No. 7 seed Lehigh on May 13 made Tillman 2-0 in first round games. He improved to 2-0 in quarterfinals as well with an 11-5 win over No. 2 seed Johns Hopkins on May 19. Overall, Tillman is 5-1 in NCAA tournament games.

• The win over Hopkins in the quarters made Tillman the only coach in NCAA history to guide two unseeded teams to back-to-back appearances in the Final Four.

• Maryland’s run to the 2011 NCAA title game gave Tillman his first four NCAA tournament games as a head coach. He had a 3-1 record after the Terps defeated No. 8 seed UNC in the first round on May 15, No. 1 seed Syracuse on May 22 and No. 5 seed Duke on May 28 before losing to No. 7 seed Virginia.

• As an assistant coach, Tillman helped guide Navy to four consecutive NCAA tournaments from 2004-07, including a run to the 2004 championship game.

Maryland’s 35th Time in the NCAA Tournament
All-Time NCAA Tournament Results

• Maryland is making its 35th overall NCAA Tournament appearance in 2012. The Terps have played in the second-most tournaments since the event began in 1971. Only Hopkins has played in more, making its 41st appearance this season. Virginia is also making its 35th NCAA appearance.

• The Terps have captured two NCAA championships, 1973 and 1975.

Maryland’s Record in the NCAA Tournament
• The Terps have won the fourth-most Division I NCAA Tournament games, compiling a 47-32 overall record in 77 games. Only Johns Hopkins (67-32), Syracuse (59-21) and Virginia (48-30) have won more Division I tournament games.

• Maryland is seventh by percentage (.595) among all teams ever to play in the tournament. Only Syracuse (59-21, .738), Princeton (30-14, .682), Johns Hopkins (67-32, .677), Duke (24-14, .632) and Virginia (48-30, .615) are ahead of the Terps.

• The Terps have captured two titles. Only seven other schools have ever won the NCAA Championship: Syracuse (10), Johns Hopkins (9), Princeton (6), North Carolina (4), Virginia (5), Cornell (3) and Duke (1).

Maryland Unseeded in the NCAA Tournament
• This season marks the sixth time that Maryland has been unseeded since the tournament began in 1972. The Terps were previously unseeded in 1993, 1994, 1997, 2009 and 2011. Maryland is 9-5 (.643) all-time as an unseeded team.

• In those first two unseeded-years Maryland lost its first round game to the No. 8-seeded team, which were Army and Duke, respectively.

• The Terrapins were much more successful in 1997, advancing to the NCAA championship game. Maryland defeated No. 7-seed Georgetown in the first round before knocking off No. 2 Virginia in the quarters. In the 1997 Final Four Maryland upset No. 3 Syracuse, but couldn’t topple No. 1-seed Princeton in the finals.

• The 2009 Terps were the lone unseeded team to win a first round game, knocking off previously unbeaten Notre Dame, 7-3. The Terps lost to eventual national champion Syracuse in the quarterfinals.

• Last season saw the Terps head into the tournament unseeded, but Maryland advanced to the NCAA title game, knocking off No. 8 seed North Carolina in the first round, No. 1 seed Syracuse in the quarterfinals and No. 5 seed Duke in the semifinals. The Terrapins’ run ended with a 9-7 loss to No. 7 seed Virginia in the championship game.

• In the first round this season, Maryland knocked off No. 7 seed Lehigh, 10-9, on a goal by Joe Cummings with just six seconds left in the fourth quarter.

The Terps vs. the No. 3 Seed
• This marks just the seventh time that Maryland will face the No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. Maryland is 3-3 all-time when playing the No. 3 seed.

• The Terps previously played the No. 3 seed in 1979, 1983, 1992, 1995, 1997 and 2000. Maryland played No. 3 Navy in the 1979 semifinals and defeated the Midshipmen, 15-10. In 1983 the Terps faced No. 3 seed Virginia in the quarterfinals and defeated the Cavaliers, 13-4. The 1992 quarters was the first time Maryland fell to a No. 3 seed, losing to Princeton, 11-10. Maryland met No. 3 Syracuse for the 1995 NCAA title, but the then Orangemen took home the crown with a 13-9 victory. The Terps got a measure of revenge in the 1997 semifinals, knocking off No. 3 Syracuse, 18-17. Maryland last played a No. 3 seed in 2000, losing to Princeton, 10-7.

• The 1997 semifinal win over Syracuse was the only time Maryland played a No. 3 seed as an unseeded team.

Series History vs. Duke
• Maryland and Duke have played 79 times. The Terps hold a 59-20 edge (.747) in the series that dates back to 1940. Maryland’s 59 wins against the Blue Devils are the most against any opponent.

• 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 McGlone gave 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 four 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 meeting, 9-4, in the 2011 Final Four in Baltimore.

Maryland vs. Duke in the NCAA Tournament
• Maryland and Duke have player 79 times, but have only four of those games have come in NCAA tournament play. The postseason series is split 2-2.

• Maryland and Duke split their first two games in 2011, but the stakes were much higher in the 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.

• In the 2005 NCAA Semifinals, Duke ended Maryland’s season with a 18-9 defeat at Lincoln Financial Field. Bill McGlone gave 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.

• Twice the two teams have met in the semifinals with each team holding a victory over the other.

1992 First Round: #6 Maryland 13, Duke 11
1994 First Round #8 Duke 14, Maryland 9
2005 Semifinals: #2 Duke 18, #3 Maryland 9
2011 Semifinals: Maryland 9, #5 Duke 4

Five Terps Earn All-America Honors
• Junior long pole Jesse Bernhardt was named a second team All-American by the USILA to earn his first All-America honor.

• Four Terps earned honorable mention selections: senior attackman Joe Cummings, junior midfielder John Haus, freshman defender Goran Murray and sophomore goalie Niko Amato.

• Murray becomes the first Maryland freshman to be selected to an All-America team since Joe Walters was an honorable mention honoree in 2003.

Cummings Named Male Athlete of the Year at the Inaugural Terp Awards
• Senior Joe Cummings took home the top honor at the inaugural Terp Awards celebration on Tuesday, May 8, being selected as the 2012 Male Athlete of the Year. The Towson, Md., native was also recognized by the ACC for his community service efforts.

• Junior Owen Blye was the recipient of the men’s lacrosse Academic Achievement Award, which is presented to the junior or senior from each team with the highest cumulative GPA.

• Senior Jake Bernhardt may have been sidelined from the field this season due to injury, but that didn’t stop him from contributing in the community and he was honored with the men’s lacrosse Community Service Award.

Bernhardt, Murray Earn Annual ACC Awards
• Junior long pole Jesse Bernhardt and freshman defender Goran Murray were among the five student-athletes recognized as recipients of the annual ACC men’s lacrosse individual awards, the conference announced Tuesday.

• Bernhardt, a native of Longwood, Fla., shares the inaugural ACC Defensive Player of the Year award with Duke’s CJ Costabile. Bernhardt, who is also a 2012 Tewaaraton Trophy nominee, leads the Terps with 22 caused turnovers and leads the conference with 2.0 caused turnovers per game. He is also averaging 3.3 groundballs per game and is the captain of a Maryland defense that currently ranks seventh in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 7.45 goals per game.

• Murray, a native of Merion Station, Pa., becomes the seventh Terp to be named the ACC Freshman of the Year. He is the first since 2007 when Brian Phipps earned the honor and the first Maryland defender since Michael Howley won the honor. Murray was a long-pole midfielder coming into preseason practice, but was converted to close defense and has become Maryland’s shutdown defender. Murray has started all 11 games for the Terps and became the first freshman close defender to start a season opener since 2008. He currently ranks sixth in the conference with 1.1 caused turnovers per game.

• Virginia senior Steele Stanwick earned ACC Offensive Player of the Year honors, while Duke’s John Danowski was named the ACC Coach of the Year.

League-Best Four Terps Named To All-ACC Team
• Maryland placed a league-high four players on the 2012 All-ACC Men’s Lacrosse Team, which was announced today by the Atlantic Coast Conference. Senior attackman Joe Cummings and sophomore goalie Niko Amato made the team for the second-straight season, while junior long pole Jesse Bernhardt and junior midfielder John Haus are first-time selections.

• All four ACC men’s programs are represented on the annual All-ACC team, which was determined by a vote of the four head coaches. Maryland’s four honorees were the most by any school. Duke and Virginia each had three selections, while North Carolina had one player make the team.

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 family last season with the passing of Maria Young on April 17.

• 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.

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 92 of the 101 games in which the Terps have scored 10 or more goals for a .911 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 91.0 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 110-24 in games, for a .821 winning percentage, when it has held opponents under 10 goals. The Terps have played 175 total games since 2002. Maryland has held opponents to nine goals or less 76.6 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 11-5 on the year and has shot 30% or better in nine of its 11 victories. In four of the Terps’ five losses Maryland failed to shoot 30%.

W- Hartford: 12 goals, 40 shots = 30%
W- at Georgetown: 16 goals, 41 shots = 39.0%
W- Duke: 10 goals, 28 shots = 35.7%
L- at UMBC: 7 goals, 30 shots = 23.3%
W- Marist: 17 goals, 43 shots = 39.5%
W- Villanova: 11 goals, 31 shots = 35.5%
L- at North Carolina: 10 goals, 35 shots = 28.6%
L- Virginia: 8 goals, 32 shots = 25.0%
W- Navy: 13 goals, 52 shots = 25.0%
W- at Johns Hopkins: 9 goals, 28 shots = 32.1%
L- vs. Duke: 5 goals, 31 shots = 16.1%
W- at Mount St. Mary’s: 12 goals, 29 shots = 41.4%
W- Bellarmine: 12 goals, 33 shots = 36.4%
L- at Colgate: 11 goals, 31 shots = 35.5%
W- at Lehigh: 10 goals, 37 shots = 27.0%
W- vs. Johns Hopkins: 11 goals, 28 shots = 39.3%

• Since 2005 the Terps are a remarkable 54-4 (.931) 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%).

Elite Company
• With four points in the Terps’ 12-8 win at Mount St. Mary’s on April 25, senior attackman Joe Cummings became a member of an elite club at Maryland – The 100-Point Club. Cummings became just the 38th player in the program’s 87-year history to reach the 100 point plateau. He tied with Max Ritz (2005-08) for 31st on the all-time points list with 111 after scoring a goal and adding an assist vs. Johns Hopkins in the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament.

• Since men’s lacrosse became a fully-recognized championship sport by the NCAA in 1971 only 25 Maryland players have reached 100 career points. (Players who played their entire careers in the championship era).

• Cummings also joined another elite club with his 11th career hat trick at The Mount, becoming one of just 20 Terrapins players to have scored at least 75 career goals. He is currently tied with Jack Heim (1965-67) for 18th on the career goals list at Maryland with 85.

Tournament Tricks
• Senior midfielder Drew Snider has three career hat tricks in NCAA tournament play with two of those coming this season at Lehigh and vs. Johns Hopkins (the other was at North Carolina in the 2011 first round game).

• Snider’s back-to-back hat tricks in this postseason mark the first time a Terp has logged consecutive hat tricks in the NCAA tournament since Brendan Healy scored three goals vs. Denver and Princeton in 2006.

Consecutive 10-Win Seasons
• Maryland’s 10-9 win over the Mountain Hawks extended the Terps’ streak of double-digit win seasons to 10. (Special thanks to Patrick Stevens of the Washington Times).

• 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 (11-5), 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 (13-2), 2011 (11-3), 2010 (10-7), 2009 (15-1), 2008 (14-3), 2007 (11-4), 2006 (10-5)
Duke (6): 2012 (15-4) 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 this season 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’ 87th Season Of Lacrosse
• The Terps boast an all-time record of 739-252-4 (.745), 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 85 seasons with a .500 or better record, including last season when the Terps went 10-6. 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.

Youth Is Served
• Maryland started two sophomores (Michael Ehrhardt and Brian Cooper) and a freshman (Goran Murray) at close defense in the 2012 season-opening win over Hartford. The last time Maryland’s defense had two sophomore and one freshman starting was 2005 when sophomores Steve Whittenberg and Ray Megill started alongside freshman Joe Cinosky. The first game that group started together was April 23, 2005 at Fairfield (a 9-6 Terrapin win).

• Goran Murray became the first Maryland freshman to start at close defense in a season opener since 2008 when Max Schmidt started in an 11-6 win at Georgetown.

Face-Off Firsts
• Junior Curtis Holmes’ 19-of-20 (.950) performance facing-off vs. Hartford in the 2012 season opener is just the fifth time since 2000 that a Maryland face-off man has won at least 90% of his draws with at least 10 attempts.

• Holmes joins Andy Claxton and Brian Haggerty as the only Terps with multiple games of 19 or more face-off wins. Claxton did it three times (27 at Towson in 1991, 21 vs. Duke in 1991 and 19 at Brown in 1991), while Haggerty did it twice (20 vs. Butler in 1998 and 19 vs. Virginia in 1998). Holmes had 20 wins vs. Georgetown last season to go along with his 19 vs. the Hawks, which makes him the only Terp to win 19 or more face-offs in different seasons.

• The last 90% performance was in 2008 when Bryn Holmes, Curtis’ older brother, won 9-of-10 face-offs at Mount St. Mary’s.

• The last time a Terp faced-off with a winning percentage above 90% was on March 21, 2006 when David Tamberrino won 12-of-13 in a 14-2 win over Dartmouth.

Best Face-Off Performances Since 2000
Curtis Holmes - 19/20 (.950) vs. Hartford 2/18/12
Brian Carroll - 12/13 (.923) at Delaware 3/17/01
Davin Tamberrino – 12/13 (.923) vs. Dartmouth 3/21/06
Jeremy Pastula - 11/12 (.917) at Towson 3/8/03
Bryn Holmes - 9/10 (.900) at Mount St. Mary’s 2/26/08
Bryn Holmes - 12/14 (.857) vs. Presbyterian 2/13/09
Brian Carroll - 11/13 (.846) vs. Mount St. Mary’s 2/26/02
Bryn Holmes - 11/13 (.846) vs. Air Force 2/14/09
Ryan Moran - 10/12 (.833) vs. Bucknell 3/11/03
Will Dalton - 18/22 (.818) vs. Vermont 2/20/07
Curtis Holmes - 17/21 (.810) vs. Detroit Mercy 2/19/11

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
Justin & Owen Blye: 2009-10-11
Brian & Kevin Cooper: 2011-12
Billy & Bobby Gribbin: 2012
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

Three Taken In MLL Draft
• Three University of Maryland men’s lacrosse seniors were selected in the 2012 Major League Lacrosse (MLL) Collegiate Draft. Midfielder Jake Bernhardt was the highest pick, being selected with the 12th overall selection by the Hamilton Nationals. Midfielder/attackman Joe Cummings was the next Terp taken, going 17th overall to the Rochester Rattlers (his rights have since been traded to the Chesapeake Bayhawks). Midfielder Drew Snider went 45th overall by the Bayhawks.

2012 Team Captains
• Five players have been named team captains for the 2012 season. The quintet, which was selected by a combination of team vote and coaches’ input, consists of seniors Jake Bernhardt, Joe Cummings and Drew Snider and juniors Jesse Bernhardt and Owen Blye. Blye and Jesse Bernhardt are the first pair of juniors to be named team captains since Bob Ott and Randy Ratliff were among four captains in 1978.