COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Head coach Steve Aird and the Maryland volleyball team welcomes the program's first-ever top-10 signing class this fall as the Terrapins bring in six outstanding student-athletes, comprising the best recruiting class in program history. PrepVolleyball released the top 30 signing classes Thursday with the Terps coming in at No. 10.

"To earn a top-10 class ranking is a great honor for our program," Aird said. "Our staff spent a lot of time and effort building this class, and we're excited about the future of Maryland volleyball. We're looking forward to getting this group to campus, and we can't wait to see what they can achieve for years to come."
 
The Terps add depth to every position with the 2017 freshman class. Maryland brings in three outside hitters, one middle blocker, one setter and one defensive specialist.
 
Also for the first time in program history, the Terrapins' incoming freshman class features four Under Armour All-Americans and three players ranked in PrepVolleyball's top 100 in the nation.
 
Outside/opposite hitter Samantha Drechsel is ranked as the No. 23 player in her class and is just the second Under Armour First Team All-American in program history. Outside hitter Erika Pritchard was ranked No. 29 and was named an Under Armour Second Team All-American.
 
Middle blocker Jada Gardner is the class' third ranked player, coming in at No. 68.
 
Setter Chloe Prejean earned Under Armour Third Team All-America honors while defensive specialist/libero Sam Burgio was named Under Armour Honorable Mention.
 
Burgio and outside hitter Lexi Alden were both selected to PrepVolleyball's '150', which lists the athletes following the ranked 100.
 
"This class brings our program both talent and depth, but more importantly, experience playing at a high level," Aird added. "We bring in players who have played for some of the best club programs in the country, while others have gone on to win multiple state championships with their high school programs. We know they're wired to embrace challenges. We have some lofty goals for this program, and we're looking forward to this class getting to work in College Park."
 
Alden, Burgio and Drechsel enrolled in January and trained with the Terps this spring while Gardner, Prejean and Pritchard will join them in the fall.
 
Last season, the Terps welcomed the first-ever ranked class in program history, which featured Senior Aces Gia Milana and Katie Myers. Maryland also returns Taylor Smith, Nell Drummey and Aylin Saran to the 2017 roster, which will feature 12 underclassmen.