COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The University of Maryland athletics department has seen a sharp increase in attendance during the 2014-15 winter season, including significant gains on the hardcourt and gymnastics and wrestling mats.
Additionally, XFINITY Center is currently the proud leader of the BTN Home Court Challenge, which ranks Big Ten schools based upon opponents' free throw percentage. Opponents are shooting a paltry 50.85 percent from the charity strip at the XFINITY Center, nearly three percent better than Wisconsin (53.33 percent).
Men's Basketball
- Student tickets sold out/at capacity for 4-of-6 Big Ten Conference games to date. (Sold out games include Michigan State, Northwestern, Penn State and Indiana – Minnesota and Rutgers fell during winter break).
- Student section leading the BTN Home Court Challenge standings. – As of Feb. 9, 2015.
Women's Basketball
- First ever “Field Trip” day was deemed a success, with over 2,000 local elementary school children spending the day cheering on the Terps. Classrooms received an educational activities booklet in advance and other teachers coordinated lesson plans around the game including topics such as geometry, math and history.
- Over 100 girls participated (K-8) in our National Girls & Women In Sports Day pre-game clinic, hosted prior to the Iowa game on Super Bowl Sunday with help from student-athletes from field hockey, volleyball, softball, women's lacrosse, women's soccer and women's golf.
Gymnastics
- Broke Maryland's single-meet attendance record twice with 2,091 fans on Jan. 9, 2015 and then again with 2,207 fans on Feb. 7, 2015 (Previous record was 1,366).
- Average meet attendance has increased 61.8% to 1,605 from 992 last year. – As of Feb. 9, 2015.
Wrestling
- Executed the inaugural Beauty and the Beast match with gymnastic, generating an attendance of 2,091 with many fans calling it “the best Maryland event” they have ever attended.
- Recorded a season-high 2,779 fans at the Penn State match on Dec. 11, 2014.
- Increased average attendance nearly 150% from the 2013-14 season (from 513 to 1,267 fans per match). Based on last year's final national numbers, this average would have placed Maryland 13th nationally (last year Maryland was not ranked in top-30).
