Oct. 22, 2008

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Already one of the most decorated players in Maryland history, senior guard Kristi Toliver can add another line to her resume as she was named the Atlantic Coast Conference's Preseason Player of the Year Wednesday.

Toliver, an All-American and the Nancy Lieberman Award winner last season, highlights a group of eight All-ACC honorees around the conference. After breaking the 30-year-old ACC single-season assists record (275) in 2007-08, Toliver needs just three assists to break the Maryland career mark, which has stood since 1983. She enters the 2008-09 campaign having handed out 581 for her career.

"It's a great honor," said Toliver. "For now, though, I'm really just focused on this team and the season that we have ahead of us."

Led by Toliver and fellow senior Marissa Coleman, who was also named to the Preseason All-ACC Team, the Terrapins were tabbed to finish second in the league by a Blue Ribbon Panel consisting of national and local media members and school representatives. Maryland received 11 first place votes and placed behind only North Carolina in the league's preseason rankings.

Toliver and Coleman are not the only Terps to be recognized for league honors. Freshman Lynetta Kizer was named the conference's Preseason Rookie of the Year. The McDonald's, Parade Magazine and Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) High School All-American headlines the 2008 Terps recruiting class. A 6-3 center and four-year letterwinner at Potomac High School, she is expected to make an immediate impact with a young and talented Maryland front court.

"We are extremely proud to have the Preseason Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in the most competitive conference in the nation," said head coach Brenda Frese. "It speaks volumes for our program."

Maryland kicks off its season with exhibition contests against DT III on Nov. 2 and Team Evolution on Nov. 7 before getting things going for real with a trip to TCU to play the Horned Frogs on Nov. 14.

PROJECTED ACC STANDINGS

1. North Carolina (15)
2. Maryland (11)
3. Duke (14)
4. Virginia (2)
5. Florida State
6. Georgia Tech
7. Boston College
8. NC State
9. Clemson
10. Virginia Tech
11. Miami
12. Wake Forest

PRESEASON ALL-ACC TEAM

Chante Black, Duke
Marissa Coleman, Maryland
Rashanda McCants, North Carolina
Kristi Toliver, Maryland
Monica Wright, Virginia

PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Kristi Toliver, Maryland

PRESEASON ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Lynetta Kizer, Maryland

-TERPS-