Five Minutes with a Hardshell: Buggs Combs ('01)

Buggs Combs ('01) is the Maryland men's lacrosse featured Hardshell for the month of July. Combs, who played for the Terps from 1997-01, remains one of two Maryland players (Mark Douglas - 1991) in the history of the program to score 50 goals in a season. He was also part the last class of captains for head coach Dick Edell, who retired after the 2001 season. Check out the Q&A with Buggs below!

What is your favorite memory from your time in College Park?
"I think the thing I talk about the most was the comradery between all the sports. One of my best friends (Matt Hahn) was a basketball player. Guilian Gary was a football and lacrosse player. I was able to build relationships throughout the athletic department and it was a really unique time at Maryland when both the football, basketball and lacrosse teams all hung out together and supported each other."

Any specific moments on the lacrosse field?
"I think one of the really cool experiences we had was my senior year when we got to play the ACC Tournament down in Orlando at Disney's Wide World of Sports and then we also got to go out to the Pioneer Faceoff Classic in Denver. Being able to take two trips like that my senior year with my teammates was a lot of fun. I think it helped continue to build and strengthen the alumni base."

What is so special about the Maryland lacrosse alumni base?
"One of the things we get comments on a lot is just how strong the alumni base is. Whether you played with a guy or not, we are Terps and we are brothers. There is no difference between a guy who played before you or played after you. I recently ran into some Terps who were 10 years younger than me and you would have never known that we didn't playe together because the comradery is so strong. I really think Big Man played a huge part in that with his team-first philosophy. I think a lot of times he purposely pinned us against him just to make us closer."

What was it like playing for Dick Edell?
"One of the top-five things I'm most proud of from playing lacrosse was being a part of Big Man's last captain group. That's something I think is extremely special to be a part of to say you were in that last group of captains for him. Everything Big Man instilled in us was important – it was hard work, it was work ethic – and there's no way I would be where I am in my life without the things that Big Man did for me or the things that Big Man taught me. It wasn't always easy with Big Man, but when you get older and 10-15 years down the road, you realize why he did certain things."

How did playing at Maryland help set you up for life after college?
"I was set up for life on a couple different levels. The connections are number one. I'm still extremely close with basketball, football and lacrosse players that went to Maryland and this is 15-20 years ago. The opportunities that are presented to you are amazing and there are just really good people. I really think the Maryland alumni base supports each other and it's a lot of fun to see because you don't see it at a lot of other schools. It's something that's unique to Maryland. It's more unique to Maryland lacrosse, but I think it's filtered into the other sports as well. One of my best friends in my life is Matt Hahn who played basketball and so I'm extremely close with Billy Hahn. One of the coolest things I did was my senior year when I went with the basketball team to the Maui Invitational and I got to eat Thanksgiving Dinner with Gary Williams and the team."

What have you been up to professionally since leaving Maryland?
"I was very fortunate when I graduated from Maryland to get a job with Rubbermaid. I worked in the New York City area selling blinds and shades. And then when I got promoted and moved back to Baltimore, the opportunity arose to be a volunteer lacrosse coach at Towson. I then worked at Towson for three years as the offensive coordinator, before I got out of coaching and worked for Warrior Lacrosse for eight years. Warrior is owned by New Balance and within the last two years I moved over to New Balance in the lifestyle division where I handle inner city accounts for Baltimore, Philly and DC. I love what I do and it's a great job. And then on the side I run a club team called the API Diamondbacks and we just had our first freshman class play in college with nine guys at the Division I level and six were able to contribute. I'm also doing some color commentary for college and professional games."

Do you keep up with the current team?
"I absolutely follow the team – it's part of being an alumni. It can be tough to get to some games, but I try to watch any games on TV or listen on the radio. I think it's ingrained in you as being part of the program. I think all of us were just so excited when they were able to win the National Championship last year and accomplish something that a lot of us weren't able to accomplish in a long time."

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