COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Mael Corboz was a New Jersey native playing the game he loves in his home state. He was captain of his Rutgers squad – as a sophomore no less – earning First Team All-American Athletic Conference honors by the end of last year. But something was missing and the midfielder found it…in College Park.

A key fixture on the Scarlet Knights with seven goals and a team-leading six assists, Corboz began to look at other options as the fall season winded down. Despite being treated well and enjoying his time at Rutgers, he wanted to take his game to a new level. 

“It's always tough to leave a place like that where the coaches were really good to you but I knew that if I wanted to get better and hopefully make the next step into the pros, I would have to test myself,” said Corboz. “[Maryland] is the perfect place for that. There's competition every day in practice for every position so I knew I had to make the move here and so far it's worked out.”

But Maryland was not in his sights from the early going. The Terps showed no interest in Corboz during the recruiting process and he didn't inquire about going there. It wasn't until Maryland's senior captain Dan Metzger reached out to him at the end of Corboz' sophomore season that the school came to mind.

Having played together back in their early teens – winning a national championship on a U-14 club – Metzger knew what Corboz was capable of and felt he would be a good fit for the Terps squad. Once the Rutgers captain expressed serious interest, Metzger went to head coach Sasho Cirovski and made a case for the cerebral talent. Then came the transfer letter.  

“When we got the letter, it was something that certainly peaked our curiosity,” said Cirovski. “We don't typically take a lot of transfers but [Mael] was a very talented player and also good friends with Danny Metzger, and Danny really endorsed him heavily.”

After a January visit to Maryland, Corboz joined the team and having gone mostly through Metzger, didn't exactly know what to expect from the legendary coach he was now under.

“What he's done in 22 years is remarkable so I think for me the main thing was just, especially at the beginning kind of take everything in, learn a lot…and eventually just kind of find my way, show my identity while still learning from [him],” said Corboz.

Cirovski noticed the Corboz's technical skills early on but said he had to teach him the higher tempo proudly touted by the Terps. Being with the team throughout the Spring, Corboz was able to build a rapport with his coach and teammates, and the player who brought him here said the transition was smooth.

“When he first got here, he was able to adapt to all the guys,” said Metzger. “He's a very nice kid, very outgoing so he fit right in with us, and we have a good group of guys here so we all made it easier for him as well.”

The Terps' trip to England in March was especially helpful in furthering relationships, and not just for new guys like Corboz.

“By then I was already kind of integrated with the team so it was a lot easier but I think that was a great experience for everyone,” said the Terps transfer. “We came together as a team and I think that's showing in some tough times we've had this season.”

Having scored a team-leading five goals thus far, Corboz has a cemented his role on a Terps squad that is turning their season around. The playmaker scored two goals in a 4-0 win against No. 3 Penn State and is the designated penalty kicker. He has connected on all four PK attempts this season.

The Terps finish their Big Ten schedule with his former team, in New Jersey and, who knows, the game could help propel the Terps to a regular season conference title. Despite Rutgers' mediocre track record, Corboz doesn't take the game lightly.

“I remember when I was there, every time we had a big game we were always up for it,” he said. “We never got blown out or anything so it's going to be a tough game regardless and it's huge for us.”

Thriving in a competitive atmosphere, Corboz is where he wants to be, even in the classroom as an engineering student. On a team who lost a lot of upper-classmen due to graduation and early departures, the midfielder has emerged as a clear leader.

“I don't know if it was destiny or whatever,” said Corboz, “but a lot of things fell into place for the transfer."

Ben Strack, a senior journalism major at the University of Maryland, is a contributing writer to umterps.com