Feb. 3, 2006

College Park, Md. - Maryland women's soccer head coach Brian Pensky will welcome six high school stars and one transfer to the Terrapin soccer program for the 2006 season as part of National Signing Day.

"We are extremely pleased with our 2006 recruiting class," said Pensky. "We have added players with high level experience who all come to Maryland with the potential to get better and better. We feel that we have improved our overall team speed going into next fall, which certainly will help."

Coming to College Park to don the red and black will be midfielders Sarah Benson (Baton Rouge, La.), Brittany Cummins (Columbus, Ohio), Molly Dreska (Rockville Centre, N.Y.), Maureen Dowling (Massapequa, N.Y.), Melissa Hornfeck (Arundel, Md.) and Emily Maynard (Munster, Ind.); and goalkeeper Mary Casey (Chantilly, Va.).

CLASS OF 2006 PROFILES

Sarah Benson: An outside midfielder at Baton Rouge High School in Baton Rouge, La. ... named the 2005 all-metro Offensive MVP and district MVP ... two-time first team all-state and all-metro ... three time selection to The Advocate's first team all-district squad ... a three time recipient of Bulldog's Golden Boot award ... member of the 2005 Region III ODP Pool ... also played on the Louisiana '88 girls state team from 2000-05 ... led the New Orleans Soccer Academy to the 2003 Louisiana state championship and Region III semifinals ... also played for the Baton Rouge Soccer Club which won the 2004 and 2005 state titles ... a member of the National Honor Society.

Pensky on Benson: "Sarah is going to be a great player at Maryland. The best words to describe Sarah are untapped potential. She is a humble young woman with the speed and athleticism to put her in a position to compete right away."

Mary Casey: A goalkeeper at Chantilly High School in Chantilly, Va. ... helped lead the Chargers to the state tournament in two of her three seasons ... has been selected as the team captain for the 2006 season ... two-time Washington Post honorable mention all-Met ... played keeper and forward on the VHSL Northern Region second team and the All District first team ... also played for the Washington Freedom Player Development & Reserve team from 2003-05 ... was a member of the Virginia State and Region 1 ODP teams ... also competes on the indoor track team and was named team captain for the 2005-06 season ... earned VHSL all-state honors and was named MVP of the sprint team in track ... a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society and Academic Honor Roll.

Pensky on Casey: "We are very happy to have Mary coming to Maryland. She played with a number of our players last summer on the Washington Freedom Reserve Team. Our players are the ones who actually turned us on to Mary. As an athletic goalkeeper, Mary has raw talent that will flourish with Ali's (Wolff-Toole) training."

Brittany Cummins: An NSCAA All-Regional outside midfielder at New Albany High School in Columbus, Ohio ... member of the Ohio ODP state team from 2001-05 and a member of the Region II team from 2002-04 ... holds school records for most goals (28) and assists (25) in a season ... played club ball with the Cincinnati United Premier ... was also all-league and all-district in cross country... was an individual state qualifier and school record holder in the 5K (19:49:81) ... was also all-league and all-district in track ... member of the 4x400 relay team that qualified for regionals ... also ran on the 4x200 relay that placed fifth at the state meet ... received all-Ohio Academic Honors and is a member of the High School Honor Roll.

Pensky on Cummins: "As a wide player, Brittany can get up and down the flank all day long. Her ability to get behind the defense and serve balls in will help our attack immensely. Brittany continues our history of recruiting quality players out of Ohio."

Molly Dreska: A midfielder at South Side High School, where she led the Cyclones to the 2004 and 2005 New York state championships ... South Side was also the state runners-up in 2002 and 2003 ... a four-year starter ... two-time first team all-state, all-Long Island ... three-time all-county selection ... team captain as a senior ... member of the Eastern New York ODP team from 2001-05 ... invited to the 2004 National Super Y League camp ... also invited to the 2003 National ODP camp ... Region 1 team national pool member from 2002-03 ... played in the 2002 ODP Inter-Regional Tournament ... member of the 2001 Region 1 regional pool ... played club ball for the Commack ISA Emeralds from 2001-04 ... member of the Eastern New York State Cup champions from 2003-05 ... also competed in varsity track ... two-time all-county ... qualified for the state meet in the 1500 as a freshman and in the 1000 as a sophomore ... named the 2004 Long Island Friendship Games Outstanding Female Athlete.

Pensky on Dreska: "Molly is extremely versatile. She is intelligent, technical, can run all day, and has a great appetite for the game. We look forward to great things right away from Molly."

Maureen Dowling: A midfielder for St. Anthony's High School on Long Island, N.Y. ... helped lead the varsity team to the 2005 State Championship while going undefeated... named 2005 Offensive Player of the Year 2005 and CHSAA All-league... named team MVP in 2002 and Offensive Player of the Year in 2003... for last three years played club ball for Cold Spring Harbor Lady Riders... played for Long Island Lady Riders Super Y team... helped team reach Nationals in 2004... previously played for Massapequa Fever (1997-2003)... was co-captain and helped team to ENY state championships in 1999, 2000, and 2001 and state finals in 2002 and 2003... participated in LIJSL ODP 2001-2003... academically is on the principal's honor roll at St. Anthony's... also lettered in track and golf.

Pensky on Dowling: "Maureen may be the sleeper of the class. She has the special gift of being a left-sided player; as well as excellent quickness and speed that will make our team better."

Melissa Hornfeck: A midfielder transferring in from Monroe Community College ... the 2004 and 2005 NSCAA/adidas Junior College Division I Player of the Year, becoming the first female ever to win that honor two- consecutive years ... led Monroe to two NJCAA National Championships ... scored 14 goals and added eight assists in 2005 despite missing much of the season with an injury ... two-time MVP of the NJCAA national tournament ... two-time NSCAA/adidas JUCO All-American ... two-time Region 3 Player of the Year and all-region selection ... was a two-time Washington Post all-Met selection at Arundel High School ... also named to the Baltimore Sun all-Metro team in 2003 ... two-time Anne Arundel County Player of the Year ... scored 12 goals and added eight assists as a senior ... totaled 128 points in her high school career on 49 goals and 30 assists ... earned Soccer America's Player of the Month honor in August 2003 ... four-time first team all-county ... member of the 2005 U-20 National Pool ... invited to the 2003 ESP camp ... member of the Region 1 pool from 2001-03 ... member of the 2000 regional team and was a member of the U-14 National Pool.

Pensky on Hornfeck: "I first saw Melissa play when she was an 8th grader. She's a special player. Melissa has the luxury of two years of junior college under her belt; that maturity will help her come in and make an immediate impact. It's also nice for Melissa to be reunited with some of her old club teammates."

Emily Maynard: A midfielder from Munster, Ind. ... 2005 all-state selection ... 2004 and 2005 Independent Schools Player of the Year ... helped lead the Romans to three Independent School League titles and three regional championships ... set the school record with 66 career assists ... scored the third fastest goal in Illinois history (12 seconds from kickoff) ... spent four years on the Illinois State ODP 88's after spending one year with 87's ... member of the Region II ODP team for five years ... traveled to Germany, France and the Netherlands for the European tournament with Region II in 2004 and 2005 ... member of Adidas Cup Region II 87 team ... traveled to Costa Rica with Region II 88 in 2006 ... captained the Illinois 88 ODP team to the 2003 and 2005 Regional Championships ... played club ball for Eclipse Select 87-88 ... helped lead Eclipse Select to the 2004 and 2005 U.S. Youth Soccer Association National Championships ... also led Eclipse Select to two straight Fall Midwest Regional championships in 2004-05 and a Disney Showcase title in 2005.

Pensky on Maynard: "Emily is a soccer junkie - she simply lives for this sport. And that passion certainly shines through when she plays. A technical player with a sharp soccer brain, Emily is a terrific addition to this class."