COLLEGE PARK, MD. - The No. 8 Maryland (0-0) men's lacrosse team opens its 2012 season with its first-ever meeting with Hartford. The Terps and the Hawks are slated for a 1 p.m. start at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 18.

· This marks the first time since 2002-03 that the Terps have opened two consecutive seasons at home.

· Maryland is coming off of a 2011 season that saw the Terps win their first ACC crown since 2005 and make their first run to the NCAA tournament championship game since 1998. This season the Terrapins return five starters, but Coach John Tillman's squad will feature an entirely new close defense because the 2011 trio all graduated. The attack will feature two new starters as well with junior Owen Blye the only returning starter. Five of the Terps' top six midfielders from last year return. Sophomore Niko Amato returns as the starter in cage, while sophomore All-America face-off man Curtis Holmes is also back.

· Hartford returns nearly all of its offensive production from its 2011 squad that captured the program's first-ever America East title and its first-ever bid into the NCAA tournament. The Hawks are led by attackmen Carter Bender (35-18=53), Ryan Compitello (22-27=49) and Aidan Genik (23-10-33). Senior Scott Bement, a two-time all-league goalie, anchors the Hawks' defense after posting a 9.38 goals-against average and a .536 save percentage last season.

Event Information
Ticket Information:
Tickets are available for the game. Fans may call 1-800-IM-A-TERP from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays or online by clicking here. Tickets will also be available at the south end of Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium beginning 90 minutes prior to game time. Mezzanine seats are available for $20, while general admission seating is $10. Youth and senior general admission seats are $5. University of Maryland students are admitted free with a valid student ID. Gates will open 60 minutes prior to face-off and fans may enter Captial One Field at Byrd Stadium via Gates H, I (main south gate) and J.

Group Opportunities:
Groups of 25 or more can save BIG with $4 tickets for 2012 Maryland men's lacrosse games. For just an additional $4 per person you can upgradeto the FANTASY PACKAGE for groups of 40 or more in which each group will receive the following:
· Official Maryland Lacrosse T-shirt
· Invitation-only autograph session
· In-game video board recognition

For more group opportunities, including birthday party options, e-mail Katie Thompson.

Event Media:
In addition to being streamed live on TerpsTV Premium, the game can also be heard on WMUCsports.com. Gametracker will also be available for the game and can be accessed by clicking here.

Parking:
General Information: After 4 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends, there is no charge for parking in Lots Z1 or 1b or in Regents Drive Garage. Lots R2 and R3 are limited to vehicles displaying current valid permits for the respective lots at all times. Weekdays Before 4 p.m.: Fans arriving on campus before 4 p.m. on weekdays should park in Union Lane Garage (located between Cole Field House and Stamp Student Union). Rates are $2.00 per hour ($10.00 per day maximum). The garage may only be accessed via Campus Drive and Union Lane, at the top level of the garage. The exit lanes are located at the bottom level of the garage. If the Union Lane Garage is unavailable, fans should park in the Stadium Drive Garage located behind Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium. Regulations at the Stadium Drive Garage are similar to those at Union Lane Garage. Rates at Stadium Drive Garage are $2 per hour ($10 per day maximum). Stadium Drive Garage is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to midnight. The Stadium Drive Garage is closed on weekends.

Weekdays After 4 p.m. - Fans arriving on campus after 4 p.m. on weekdays can park free in Lot Z1 or Lot 1b, both of which are located between Cole Field House and Ludwig Field, or in Regents Drive Garage, which is located on Regents Drive between Stadium Drive and Field House Drive. However, due to the construction of the new Biosciences Research Building on Field House Drive between Stamp Student Union and the Bio-Psych Building, fans should note that the walk from Regents to Shipley will be longer than usual because of limited or no pedestrian access in certain construction areas on Field House Drive. Directional signs will be posted.

Tailgating: The University of Maryland's Department of Public Safety provides detailed "Tailgating Tips." Of note is the University's definition of a tailgate: "A tailgate has a variety of food and beverages, including non-alcoholic beverages, available in sufficient quantities for the number of people attending."

The Count Down
10 ... Since 2002 Maryland has won 82 of the 89 games in which the Terps have scored 10 or more goals for a .921 winning percentage.

9 ... The Terps have the second longest streak of NCAA tournament appearances, making it into the field for nine consecutive seasons.

8 ... Maryland is ranked eighth in the preseason Inside Lacrosse media poll.

7 ... Maryland has not allowed an opponent to score more than seven goals in a season opener in the past 18 seasons.

6 ... Six Terps were preseason All-Americans, according to Inside Lacrosse's Face-Off Yearbook.

5 ... Five returning Terps started at least 12 games last season.

4 ... The Hartford game is the first of four that will be broadcast on TerpsTV Premium this season.

3 ... Maryland returns three of its top five scorers from last season.

2 ... Hartford is one of two first-time opponents on the Terps' 2012 schedule (Marist is the other).

1 ... Mike Chanenchuk is the first non-attackman to wear the No. 1 jersey since 1993.

Coaching Match-Up
· John Tillman enters his fifth season as a head coach, and second with the Terps, with a 33-24 career record for a 57.9 winning percentage. Tillman is 13-5 as Maryland's head coach. He had a 20-19 record in three seasons as the head coach at Harvard.

· Peter Lawrence is in his seventh season as a head coach, all at the helm of the Hawks, and has a 22-66 (.333) record.

2012 Video Preview

Maryland In Season Openers
· Maryland has a 82-3-1 (.959) lifetime record in season openers dating back to the 1924 season. The Terps have won their last 18 openers and 25 of the last 26, with the only loss coming to Duke in 1993, when they fell to Duke 9-5 on March 6.

· After losing their 1925 opener to Yale, 5-3, the Terps went on to win 40 consecutive season openers from 1926 through 1967. The streak was broken when Maryland tied Princeton, 6-6, in the 1968 opener. Following the deadlock, Maryland went on to win its next 14 openers, giving the Terps a 54-0-1 record over a 57-year span (Maryland did not field a team in 1944 and 1945 due to World War II.)

18 Straight in Season Openers
· After beating Detroit Mercy to open the 2011 season the Terps have an 18-game winning streak in season openers. Five of those wins came against Villanova (1994-98) and the last nine over Denver, Mount St. Mary's, Air Force, Hobart, Duke, Georgetown (four times), Bellarmine (twice), Presbyterian and Detroit Mercy. Over the 18-year stretch, Maryland outscored its foes 255-93 (an average score of 14.2-5.2) in those games.

· The Terps have not allowed more than seven goals to any opponent in a season opener over the last 18 years. Maryland has not allowed an opponent to score 10 or more goals in a season opener since Syracuse beat the Terps, 16-13 on March 9, 1983.

Series History vs. Hartford
· This will be the first-ever meeting between the Terps and the Hawks.

The Maryland Men's Lacrosse Blog
· Every Tuesday during the season the Maryland Men's Lacrosse Blog is posted to umterps.com. Catch up with the Terps with his season's editions below:

February 15: 2012 Preview Edition
February 7: O Captain! My Captain!
January 31: The 2012 Season Begins Here

Going Purple
· Once again this season, the Terps will be wearing purple "MY" stickers, to show their support for the fight against pancreatic cancer, which touched everyone in the Maryland lacrosse family last season with the passing of Maria Young on April 17.

· This past fall the Terps, Maryland alums and family and friends came together for the inaugural Forever Young Walk/Run for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness. More on Ms. Young and her amazing story can be found here: Forever Young.

· If you're interested in more information about the Lustgarten Foundation, including how to make a donation, click here to visit the foundation's website. You can also get more information on pancreatic cancer at CurePC.org.

In case you're wondering here are some facts about pancreatic cancer from the American Cancer Society:
· More than 43,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer present each year
· There are more than 36,000 deaths from pancreatic cancer each year
· The lifetime risk of having pancreatic cancer is about 1 in 71.
· The risk is about the same for both men and women.

Going Gray
· Maryland players will also be wearing gray stickers with the number 42 in honor of Zack Wholley's father, John, who passed away from brain cancer on August 28, 2011.

· If you're interested in more information, please visit the National Brain Tumor Society website.

In case you're wondering here are some facts about brain and spinal cord tumors from the American Cancer Society:
· About 22,910 malignant tumors of the brain or spinal cord (12,630 in males and 10,280 in females) will be diagnosed. These numbers would likely be much higher if benign tumors were also included.
· About 13,700 people (7,720 males and 5,980 females) will die from these tumors.
· Overall, the chance that a person will develop a malignant tumor of the brain or spinal cord in his or her lifetime is about one in 150 for a man and one in 185 for a woman.

First-Time Opponents
· Maryland has played 77 different opponents in its 86 seasons. The 2011 season added Detroit Mercy (a 16-4 win on 2/19) and St. Joseph's (an 11-4 win on 3/20) to that list. In the Terps' 77 first-time meetings Maryland is 73-4 (.948) in those games. Adelphi (12-13, 1982), Army (0-3, 1923), Syracuse (3-10, 1927) and Yale (3-5, 1925) are the only schools to beat the Terps the first time the schools met on a lacrosse field.

Get To 10 And Win
· One axiom of lacrosse is that if you score 10 goals or more your chances of winning are pretty good. Well, a look at the results since 2002 shows that when Maryland scores 10 or more goals there's not just a pretty good chance the Terrapins will win; it's an almost certainty. Since 2002 Maryland has won 82 of the 89 games in which the Terps have scored 10 or more goals for a .921 winning percentage.

· The Terps scored 11 vs. Johns Hopkins on April 16, 2011, but the Blue Jays won the game in overtime, 12-11. On April 3 of last season the Terps lost to No. 1 Virginia by a final of 11-10, giving Maryland its only loss when scoring 10 or more goals in 2010. In 2009 the Terps lost to Georgetown, 13-10 on Feb. 21 and lost again when scoring 10 in the ACC Semifinals in a 16-10 defeat at North Carolina. Prior to that, Maryland had not lost when scoring 10 or more goals since dropping an 11-10 decision to Virginia in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament in Durham, N.C. The Terrapins got to 10 goals in the 100th game against Johns Hopkins, but the Blue Jays took the game 14-10. Virginia is the only team to beat the Terps twice when allowing 10 or more goals. The Wahoos did it first in 2002 with another 11-10 decision..

Holding Opponents To Single-Digits
· The Terps have been extremely impressive (winning 92.0 percent of its games since 2002) when it scores 10 or more goals, they have been nearly as impressive when holding opponents to less than 10 goals during that span.

· Since 2002 Maryland is 100-22 in games, for a .820 winning percentage, when it has held opponents under 10 goals. The Terps have played 160 total games since 2002. Maryland has held opponents to nine goals or less 76.3 percent of the time.

Consecutive 10-Win Seasons
· The 11-9 victory over Duke on April 24, 2011 was the 10th of the year for Maryland, giving it nine straight seasons with double-digit wins. (Special thanks to Patrick Stevens of the D1Scourse.com).

· How does that stack up against the rest of the college lacrosse programs? Take a look at programs with at least five-straight 10-win seasons:
Maryland (9): 2011 (13-5), 2010 (12-4), 2009 (10-7), 2008 (10-6), 2007 (10-6), 2006 (12-5), 2005 (11-6), 2004 (13-3), 2003 (12-4)
Cornell (7): 2011 (12-3), 2010 (12-6), 2009 (11-3), 2008 (11-4), 2007 (15-1), 2006 (11-3), 2005 (11-3)
Virginia (7): 2011 (13-5), 2010 (16-2), 2009 (14-2), 2008 (14-4), 2007 (12-4), 2006 (17-0), 2005 (11-4)
Notre Dame (6): 2011 (11-3), 2010 (10-7), 2009 (15-1), 2008 (14-3), 2007 (11-4), 2006 (10-5)
Duke (5): 2011 (14-6), 2010 (16-4), 2009 (15-4), 2008 (18-2), 2007 ( 17-3)
Siena (5): 2011 (13-5), 2010 (12-5), 2009 (12-6), 2008 (10-6), 2007 (10-6)

The 700 Club
· Maryland's 15-6 victory over Penn on April 14, 2009 was the program's 700th victory in 84 seasons of varsity men's lacrosse. The Terps join Johns Hopkins, Syracuse, Navy and Army as the only programs with 700 or more Division I wins.

· Two things that make Maryland's accomplishment all the more impressive is that the Terps reached the 700-win plateau in just their 84th season. Only Syracuse reached win No. 700 in as few seasons, but it took the Orange 53 more games than Maryland. In fact, Maryland needed only 940 games to reach 700 wins and only Johns Hopkins needed fewer games (932) to hit the historic number, but the Blue Jays did so in their 105th season.

Terps' 87th Season Of Lacrosse
· The Terps boast an all-time record of 728-247-4 (.746), dating back to the first varsity team in 1924 (a team was not fielded in 1944 and 1945 due to World War II). Maryland has finished every one of its previous 85 seasons with a .500 or better record, including last season when the Terps went 10-6. The program reached the 700-win milestone with a 15-6 victory over Penn on April 14, 2009 at Ludwig Field.

· During the decade of the 2000s, Maryland went 111-49 for a .694 win percentage, making it the winningest decade in Terrapin lacrosse history. In the decade of the 1990s, Maryland posted a 95-47 record. The .669 winning percentage matched Maryland's win percentage of the 1980s when the Terps went 83-41 and also compiled a .669 win percentage. So far, Maryland is 25-9 in the 2010's for a .735 winning percentage.

A Family Affair
· Many school's refer to their sports programs as families, but the Maryland men's lacrosse program is truely a family affair. Since 2002, the Terps have had 13 sets of brothers, including three on this season's roster, don the red and black together for at least one season.

Harry & Thomas Alford: 2004-05-06-07
Jake & Jesse Bernhardt: 2010-11-12
Justin & Owen Blye: 2009-10-11
Brian & Kevin Cooper: 2011-12
Billy & Bobby Gribbin: 2012
Brendan & Ian Healy: 2003-04-05
Bryn & Curtis Holmes: 2010
Bryn & Travis Holmes: 2007
Dan & Mike LaMonica: 2002
Chris & Willy Passavia: 2002-03
Brian & Michael Phipps: 2007
Max & Xander Ritz: 2005-06
Mark & Michael White: 2008-09-10-11

Three Taken In MLL Draft
· Three University of Maryland men's lacrosse seniors were selected in the 2012 Major League Lacrosse (MLL) Collegiate Draft. Midfielder Jake Bernhardt was the highest pick, being selected with the 12th overall selection by the Hamilton Nationals. Midfielder/attackman Joe Cummings was the next Terp taken, going 17th overall to the Rochester Rattlers. Midfielder Drew Snider went 45th overall by the Chesapeake Bayhawks.

2012 Team Captains
· Five players have been named team captains for the 2012 season. The quintet, which was selected by a combination of team vote and coaches' input, consists of seniors Jake Bernhardt, Joe Cummings and Drew Snider and juniors Jesse Bernhardt and Owen Blye. Blye and Jesse Bernhardt are the first pair of juniors to be named team captains since Bob Ott and Randy Ratliff were among four captains in 1978.