June 24, 2005
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Four Maryland Terrapins will be among the best Jewish athletes in the world to compete in the 17th annual World Maccabiah Games, July 11-21, in Israel. Women's basketball's Shay Doron, softball's Natalie Grossman and Whitney Wides, and swimmer Mark Hill are among the 700 athletes participating for the United States. The Games are an Olympic-style competition in the State of Israel, where Jewish athletes of all ages and backgrounds convene to share their culture, history and values in a world-class competition every four years.
Having completed her sophomore season in College Park, Doron (Great Neck, N.Y./Christ the King) is coming off a successful campaign which saw her earn Kodak/WBCA Region II All-American honors. She became the first Terp in 11 years to be selected first team All-ACC, averaging 17.6 points per game, the sixth-highest single-season average in school history. Her 562 points on the season are the fifth-most at Maryland. Doron also broke the single-season free throw record for the second-straight year, making 145 in 2004-05. On Jan. 16, 2005, Doron tied the school's single-game scoring record, netting 39 points at Florida State. In her first-career game as a Terrapin in 2003, she tied the NCAA record for free throws made in a game with 23.
Serving as a student-assistant coach this past season, Hill (Rye Brooke, N.Y./Blind Brook) was the Terps' top sprinter after transferring from Arizona State University before his junior year. He holds Maryland school records in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle, as well as the 200-free relay. He earned All-ACC honors in both of his years at Maryland, including a second-place finish in the 50-free in 2004. He also participated in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials in Long Beach, Calif., and competed in the Pan-American Maccabi Games in Santiago, Chile, in December and January, 2003-04. He set the Chilean national record in the 50-meter freestyle and won five gold medals and one silver medal.
Grossman (Skillman, N.J./Hun School) completed her junior campaign with another strong season as the Terps' starting center fielder. She started 43 games for Maryland and finished with nine RBI, a home run and three stolen bases.
Wides (Gaithersburg, Md./Damascus) saw action in nine games and started one for the Terps. The infielder completed her sophomore season for Maryland, which finished the year with a 28-21 overall record and fourth-place finish at the ACC Tournament.
The Maccabiah Games are among the top international sporting events in the world.
Maccabiah Games alumni include swimmers Mark Spitz and Lenny Krayzelburg, gymnasts Mitch Gaylord and Kerri Strug, National Basketball Association stars Ernie Grunfeld, Dolph Schayes and Danny Schayes, golfer Bruce Fleisher, tennis pros Brad Gilbert and Dick Savitt, World Cup soccer star Jeff Agoos and Olympic triathlete Joanna Zeiger.
The 17th Maccabiah Games will be held in July, 2005. Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel, located in Philadelphia, sponsors U.S. participation in the Maccabiah and anticipates sending a contingent of more than 700 to Israel this summer. U.S. participation will be in 27 different sports, in four age categories: Open, Juniors, Youth and Masters. Some of the other highlights include a Pre-Camp cultural and touring program, the spectacular Opening Ceremonies in Ramat Gan Stadium and world class competition with an estimated 7,000 athletes from more than 60 countries.
