Jan. 15, 2007

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland Terrapins field hockey and women's cross country teams were recognized by the Atlantic Coast Conference today with team sportsmanship awards, as determined by the league's players and coaches. Maryland is one of five schools which earned accolades for sportsmanship during the fall season, and one of two with two different sports named to the list.

In November, Maryland earned a 1-0 victory over Wake Forest in the NCAA Field Hockey National Championship game, clinching its second straight national title. It was the fifth NCAA title and the first time in school history that the feat was accomplished in consecutive seasons.

Maryland's women's cross country team also closed its season strong, placing ninth at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic regional and fifth in the season-ending ECAC Championships. Within the conference, the Terps finished tenth at the ACC Championships hosted by the University of Virginia in late October.

The conference presents sportsmanship awards for each of its 25 sponsored sports. The concept of these awards was created by the ACC Student Athlete Advisory Committee in an effort to recognize teams, which earned the utmost regard from their peers during competition. As stated in the conference's Mission Statement, "It [the ACC] strongly adheres to the principles of integrity and sportsmanship, and supports the total development of the student-athlete and each member institution's athletics department staff, with the intent of producing enlightened leadership for tomorrow."