Oct. 3, 2012
Nov. 16, 1996
Terps Drop Top-Ranked Virginia, Claim First ACC Tournament Crown
Maryland won its first ever Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Championship as it defeated No. 1 ranked Virginia 2-0 in 1996 at Klockner Stadium. The Terps defeated N.C. State 7-0 and Wake Forest 5-1 to claim the championship, the first for head coach Sasho Cirovski.
Maryland rewrote the ACC Tournament record books during its march to the championship. The Terps still possess tournament records in goals (14), assists (13) and points (41). Shane Dougherty's four goals in the tournament also stands as a record.
Sophomore Pierre Venditti was named the ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player while senior Russell Payne, Dougherty and Beach were named to the All-Tournament team.
Former Terrapin All-American Leo Cullen reflects on Sasho's first ACC title:
"My favorite memory of my time at Maryland has to be our first ACC championship as the new generation with Sasho. It was a huge turning point for the program and validated the hard work that we were doing and that the success we were having wasn't a flash in the pan.
"To ultimately get a group of kids to come together and choose Maryland and choose to fight their way up through the ACC, beating Virginia at Virginia in the ACC championship, it was tremendous. Since then, obviously Maryland has enjoyed a ton of success, winning national championships and ACC championships, and I think Sasho appreciates all of those in a different and unique way. I can't imagine though, even for him, if any were more rewarding than that first one, validating it all, making a statement to the country that Maryland was for real.
"It was one of the most rewarding experiences in my entire career, not just my Maryland career."
To commemorate Sasho Cirovski's 20th season as head coach at Maryland, UMTerps.com is celebrating his decorated career with a series titled "20 Winning Moments". Have a moment you think deserves to be on the list? Tweet us at @MarylandMSoccer with the hashtag #20WinningMoments.
