Maryland Athletics Has Banner Year in 2008-09
6/12/2009 8:00:00 AM | Terrapin Athletics
June 12, 2009
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The past year of Maryland athletics will go into the record books as one of the most successful campaigns in the Terrapins' storied history, with five teams claiming Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championships and four winning their respective regular-season crowns.
Men's soccer, women's basketball, field hockey, women's lacrosse and wrestling all brought home ACC Tournament championships this year, marking the first time since 1964-65 that five Terps teams won ACC titles in the same season. It was only the third year in Maryland history that five or more teams won the ACC.
Women's basketball, field hockey, women's lacrosse and men's lacrosse finished first in their ACC regular-season standings, giving Maryland four regular-season champs for the first time since 1996-97.
All five of Maryland's ACC Tournament champs saw continued success in the NCAA Tournament, especially men's soccer and field hockey, both of which claimed national championships in the fall. Women's lacrosse made it to the national semifinal round, women's basketball played in its second consecutive regional championship game and wrestling tied for its best national finish ever, placing 10th at the NCAA Championships.
Head coach Sasho Cirovski and the men's soccer team put up a dominant defensive effort in the postseason, allowing only one goal in eight postseason matches. The Terps won three straight matches in the ACC Tournament in Cary, N.C., en route to the title, defeating North Carolina, Boston College and Virginia all by 1-0 scores. The Virginia victory in the conference title match clinched Maryland's third third-ever conference tournament title.
In the NCAA Tournament, the Terps knocked off George Mason, California and Creighton at home to advance to the College Cup in Frisco, Texas. An overtime victory over St. John's catapulted the Terps into the national championship game, where the Terps defeated conference-rival North Carolina a third straight time, 1-0, to win their second title in five years.
Missy Meharg's field hockey team won the regular season in the ACC and took a pair of thrillers in the conference tournament to win its seventh ACC title. The Terps won an overtime contest against Virginia, 3-2, in the semifinals before knocking off Wake Forest in the championship game, 4-3.
After an opening-round NCAA Tournament win against Albany, Maryland avenged an earlier-season loss to Duke, defeating the Blue Devils, 8-5, in College Park to advance to the Final Four in Louisville, Ky.
The top-seeded Terps got a scare from Iowa in the national semifinals before prevailing, 2-1, in double overtime. Maryland clinched the national title, its third in four years, by defeating Wake Forest for the third time of the season, 4-2.
Cathy Reese's women's lacrosse team went into the ACC Tournament in Blacksburg, Va., with a perfect 16-0 record. The Terps rolled to a 15-7 win against Virginia in the semifinals to advance to the championship game against Duke. After jumping out to a big lead against the Blue Devils, Duke fought back to take the lead. However, the Terps rallied in the second half and held on for a 12-11 victory to earn the program's sixth ACC championship.
Brenda Frese and the women's basketball team entered the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, N.C., on a roll. The Terps won their final nine regular-season games and eight straight ACC contests to claim the regular-season crown and enter the tournament as the top seed.
However, Maryland's run to the conference title was nearly derailed in the first round against Wake Forest. The Terps trailed the Demon Deacons nearly the entire game and were down 12 at one point in the second half before the defense clamped down, holding Wake without a field goal for nine minutes, allowing Maryland to fight back for a 72-70 win.
After the nail-biter against Wake Forest, the Terps downed North Carolina in the semifinals, knocking off the Tar Heels for the second time of the season, 95-84. The win against the Tar Heels set up a rubber game against rival Duke after the two teams split the regular-season series.
The conference title game resulted in one of the most memorable ACC Tournament games of all-time. The lead constantly seesawed and Duke rallied from eight points down late in the second half to force overtime. The Terps would not be denied, though, emerging with a 92-89 victory for the program's first ACC Tournament crown since 1988-1989. It was the Terps' ninth ACC Tournament title, the most in conference history.
In his first year as Maryland's wrestling coach, Kerry McCoy took his Terrapins to the ACC Championship in Blacksburg, Va., looking to defend their conference title. However, the host Hokies posed a major road block. Virginia Tech entered the event ranked 15th in the nation and sat in first place entering the championship round with five competitors still in the title hunt.
Undaunted, Brendan Byrne began the championship round with an upset of Virginia Tech's Jarrod Garnett, the 12th-ranked wrestler in the country at 125 pounds, by a final score of 7-6. Steven Bell followed suit with a championship victory at 133 pounds and Alex Krom finished first at 141 pounds, giving the Terps a sweep of the first three weight classes, putting them well on their way to a conference championship.
Hudson Taylor added a second-place finish at 197 pounds and Maryland outlasted Virginia, 70-68, to defend their conference title. It was the Terps' 22nd conference championship, the most by any ACC institution.
Bell, Krom and Taylor each earned all-American status at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis to propel Maryland to a 10th-place national finish.
Maryland's four regular-season ACC champions marked the 14th time in school history four teams won their respective ACC tournaments.
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