May 24, 2005

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland head coach Carl Salyer announced four more incoming freshmen will join the Terps to play water polo next season.

Jessica Evans, a native of Blue Bell, Pa., is a member of the Wissahickon High School team and a Philadelphia area club team. She also worked with the Northeast Zone team, which includes the top players in the Northeast.

"Jessica comes to Maryland with a work ethic that will not stop and the willingness to do what is needed to not only make herself better, but also make the team better," Salyer said. "I will look to Jessica to help at the centerback position and as a driver, and I will count on her to play great defense."

Rachel Jordan will come to Maryland from Fallbrook, Calif. Before moving and finishing her high school career at Fallbrook Union, she played at Coronado High School as a teammate of Elizabeth Hopkins, who committed to Maryland in November.

"Rachel will be a huge asset to our team next year, with several years of experience playing at the highest levels of water polo in California," Salyer said. "Rachel will add depth and talent at the centerback position with the ability to post up at the position and help the team with scoring and assists."

Bryndis Klein and Laurel Laidlaw both hail from Newport Beach, Calif., and are teammates at Newport Harbor High School, where their coach led the U.S. Olympic men's water polo team in 1988 and 1992, and has taken over the U.S. women's team for the 2008 Games.

"Laurel and Bryndis come from one of the premier high school programs in California," Salyer said. "They are obviously well-coached, and they know the game of water polo. They will add lots of experience and a high level of skill at both ends of the pool."

The four new signees join the Terps' 2006 recruiting class, which already includes Blaise Stanicic, Christen Vagts and Ashleigh Jobson from Navy Aquatic Club in Annapolis; Liz Eicks from Humble, Texas; and Hopkins. Maryland loses seniors Elyse Corwin, Juli Jordan, Colleen McShane and Sarah Wahba from the 2005 team that finished 12-19 in only the second year of the program's existence.

"I believe that these players complete a very strong recruiting class for next year," Salyer said. "With the huge improvements that the team has shown this year and by adding this strong recruiting class, I believe that we are on the way to building a regionally and nationally competitive program."