SUNNYVALE, Calif. - The Terrapin field hockey team has arrived in Northern California! The journey began at 4:45 a.m. outside the Varsity Team House on campus, and one extremely long day later, it is almost bedtime in Sunnyvale, a beautiful community just south of Stanford University.

Everything is going smoothly so far. The flight wasn't too bad, and the team even got to spend a little bonding time while waiting for the rental transportation.

The team took in a practice and conditioning session on Stanford's campus in the early afternoon. The Terrapins went over some strategy and drills on the Cardinal's turf before going through Strength and Conditioning Coach Barry Kagan's "circuit" on the outskirts of Stanford's football stadium.

After heading back to the hotel and cleaning up, the Terps went out and got some dinner before getting ready for some much needed rest after the day's travels. We're writing at 10 p.m. California time, but most of us have been awake for close to 21 hours now so it feels a bit later.

Each evening in California, individual Terps will take a timeout to send a message to their families and friends back in Maryland and all over the world. Also be sure to check out our daily photo gallery!

Senior Autumn Welsh (Macungie, Pa.): Hello all. My fellow Terps and I are absolutely loving the California weather, and we wish you all were here with us. Just so you all know, the team is going platinum when we get home, Lucy has taught us all a great song that could surely make the Top Ten countdown. We'll have to share it with you back home. Thanks, Terpmom, for the posters!!! It wouldn't be right to have an away trip without them. One question though, are you responsible for the turtle we found at the fifty yard line on the field? No one knows where it came from, guess your Terp spirit follows us all over. Any way, we miss every one back home-especially our fellow teammates. Till later Terp fans...

Junior Kateri Simon (Fallston, Md.): Hey there everyone! From what we've seen so far, California is definitely all it's cracked up to be. It's only 10 p.m. here now, but it's been a long day, up at 4 a.m., five hour flight, practice and an additional workout, then dinner, and now a bit of relaxation. It has been great getting to know and experience the personalities of everyone on the team outside of the College Park, Md., world -- I now know at least one thing -- it's going to be a fun season for sure! So although the day has been long, and not exactly the most exciting, everyone's been having a great time and been extremely positive. We miss you all and can't wait to see what the next days in California will bring.

Freshman Kristin Harris (Lititz, Pa.): Hello to everyone back home, whether it be PA or Maryland. Today has been quite exhausting even though there wasn't much planned on the schedule. The main parts that I remember from today are first, my alarm going off at 4:00 in the morning (mom, you should know all too well how that probably went), second, how tired I seemed at 7:00 p.m. California time, and lastly, the amazing landscape that surrounds us here on the West Coast. I am so excited to see more of California and its beautiful sights and to give everyone at home a glimpse of what we are experiencing here. I'm also looking forward to getting to know my teammates more as people as well as players. We miss you and we can't wait to share more stories, experiences and memories with you all face-to-face soon.

Freshman Colleen Barbieri (Centereach, N.Y.): Hello to everyone who isn't here enjoying sunny California with us. Our day has been long and exhausting but at the same time fun. We got to sit in the airport for an hour waiting for the vans to pick us up, while doing so we enjoyed listening to Lucy play her guitar. It gave us time to talk and get to know more about each other as people and not just athletes. With a 40-minute drive to the fields, a nice jog and workout after practice the day seemed forever (and it's only 10 pm here). We haven't seen much yet but what we have seen has been beautiful. I already know this season is going to be great not only because we are going to win the NCAA but because we are going to have a lot fun doing it. Everyone back home I miss you and will see you soon.