Oct. 18, 2002

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland enters the 2002-03 college basketball season minus four starters from its national championship team of 2002, but will be one of very few clubs in the country with as many as four seniors in its starting lineup.

Leading the cast of seniors is fourth-year starter Steve Blake who not only helped guide the Terps to the 2002 NCAA crown, but this year could become only the fourth player in NCAA history to reach 1,000 assists for his career. Already the Maryland season and career leader, Blake is 249 assists from joining Bobby Hurley, Ed Cota and Chris Corchiani as the only players ever to reach the 1,000 plateau.

The Terps' backcourt, anchored by Blake and joined in the starting lineup this season by senior veteran Drew Nicholas, should be one of the most experienced and most potent tandems in the country. Similarly, the Maryland frontcourt was also ranked among the nation's best, led by returning seniors Tahj Holden and Ryan Randle, and junior college transfer Jamar Smith. The frontcourt and backcourt both were ranked among the country's Top 20 by The Sporting News.

Also ranked highly during preseason previews was the Maryland recruiting class, ranked fourth by Lindy's and eighth by Athlon Sports. Athlon and Street & Smith's both placed all four Terrapin freshmen among the nation's Top 100 College Freshmen.

Maryland in national preseason polls through mid-October: FOXSports.com (12), The Sporting News (14), Lindy's (15), Street & Smith's (15), Blue Ribbon Yearbook (16), CBSSportsline.com (16), Basketball News (17), CollegeInsider.com (18), SLAM Magazine (18), ACC Basketball Handbook (20), ESPN.com (22).

A look at some individual player rankings in various preseason publications:

Steve Blake, Sr., G
Wooden Award Player of the Year Nomination
No. 8 point guard in nation, FOXSports.com
No. 9 floor leader in nation, Athlon Sports
No. 9 point guard in nation, The Sporting News
No. 15 point guard in nation, Lindy's
ACC's Best Penetrator, Street & Smith's
ACC's Best Playmaker, The Sporting News
ACC's Best Under Pressure, Street & Smith's
First Team All-ACC, ACC Basketball Handbook
First Team All-ACC, Athlon Sports
First Team All-ACC, Lindy's
First Team All-ACC, Street & Smith's
First Team All-ACC, The Sporting News
Second Team All-ACC, Basketball News
 
Nik Caner-Medley, Fr., F
No. 77 college freshman in nation, Athlon Sports
Top 100 College Freshmen, Street & Smith's
 
Travis Garrison, Fr., F
No. 50 college freshman in nation, Athlon Sports
Top 100 College Freshmen, Street & Smith's
 
John Gilchrist, Fr., G
No. 67 college freshman in nation, Athlon Sports
Top 100 College Freshmen, Street & Smith's
 
Tahj Holden, Sr., F
No. 25 power forward in nation, FOXSports.com
Second Team All-ACC, ACC Basketball Handbook
Second Team All-ACC, Athlon Sports
Second Team All-ACC, Basketball News
 
Chris McCray, Fr., G
No. 44 college freshman in nation, Athlon Sports
Top 100 College Freshmen, Street & Smith's
 
Drew Nicholas, Sr., G
No. 13 shooting guard in nation, FOXSports.com
Third Team All-ACC, ACC Basketball Handbook
Third Team All-ACC, Athlon Sports
Third Team All-ACC, Lindy's
 
Ryan Randle, Sr., F
Honorable Mention All-ACC, ACC Basketball Handbook
 
Jamar Smith, Jr., F
Best JC transfer rebounder in nation, The Sporting News
No. 3 impact JC transfer in nation, Lindy's
No. 3 JC transfer center in nation, Lindy's
No. 3 JC transfer power forward in nation, The Sporting News