#2 Maryland Set for Top-Five Matchup at #4 Florida

THE MATCHUP
Thursday, February 14 -- at #4 Florida, 7:00 p.m.
SEC Network Plus | Live Stats | Tickets

Social Media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The second-ranked Maryland women's lacrosse team will travel down to Gainesville for the Terps first big test of 2019, a top-five matchup against No. 4 Florida.

OPENING DRAW
• No. 2 Maryland will face their first of six opponents that are currently ranked in the Inside Lacrosse top-10 on Thursday night, taking on No. 4 Florida. The Terps and Gators will play at 7:00 p.m., the game will air on SEC Network Plus.
• In the Terps first game of the season, Maryland defeated George Mason, 16-5, behind a career-high five goals from senior Jen Giles. Senior Caroline Steele and junior Kali Hartshorn each had a hat-trick as well to pace the Maryland offense. In her first ever game with the Terps after transferring from Canisius, graduate student Erica Evans contributed with two goals and two assists. Senior Megan Taylor stopped half of the George Mason shots on goal, including four of five in the second half.
• The next win for head coach Cathy Reese will be her 250th at Maryland. Reese currently stands at 249-21 as the leader of the Terrapins with four National Championships.
• Maryland was picked to win the Big Ten for the fifth straight season. The Terps have never lost a Big Ten regular season game and have won the past three Big Ten Tournaments.

MEET THE TEAM
• The Terps are led by the midfield corps of senior Jen Giles and transfer Erica Evans. Both are returning All-Americans who have combined for 306 goals, 126 assists, 216 groundballs, 117 caused turnovers and 224 draw controls. Sophomore Grace Griffin, the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year will be the
• Maryland is again be backlined by junior goalie Megan Taylor, who was named the 2017 IWLCA National Goalie of the Year and is a two-time IWLCA All-American and a three-time Big Ten Goaltender of the Year.
• The attack is spearheaded by senior Caroline Steele and junior Kali Hartshorn. The duo have combined for 248 goals and last year stood second and fourth respectively in that category. Hartshorn will also lead in the draw circle. Last season, Hartshorn posted the third-most draws in a single season in program history with 139.
• Senior Julia Braig and junior Lizzie Colson guide the Maryland defense. Both Braig and Colson received IWLCA All-American honors in 2018.

2018 RECAP
• The Terps went 20-2 in 2018, en route to the program's 10th straight Final Four and sixth straight 20 win season.
• Maryland won both the Big Ten Regular Season and Tournament titles, went undefeated in the Big Ten regular season for the fourth straight season and were 11-0 at home.
• Six Terps were named IWLCA All-Americans and the Terps had the Big Ten Attacker (Megan Whittle), Defender (Julia Braig), Goaltender (Megan Taylor), Freshman (Grace Griffin) and Coach (Cathy Reese) of the Year.

NATION BEST NINE TERPS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
• A nation-best nine members of the Maryland women's lacrosse team were selected to Inside Lacrosse's preseason All-Americans lists.
• Graduate midfielder Erica Evans, senior defender Julia Braig and senior midfielder Jen Giles were all named to the first team, senior attacker Caroline Steele, junior defender Lizzie Colson and junior attacker Kali Hartshorn were named to the second team, senior goalkeeper Megan Taylor was placed on the third team, while redshirt junior defender Meghan Doherty and sophomore midfielder Grace Griffin were selected as honorable mentions selection.

TERPS ADD TRANSFER ERICA EVANS
• Maryland added former Tewaaraton Semifinalist and three-time MAAC Midfielder of the Year, Erica Evans, who transferred from Canisius this offseason. Evans will have one year of eligibility to play in College Park.
• Evans holds the Canisius all-time scoring record with 186 goals and was named the MAAC Midfielder of the Year in all three seasons as a Golden Griffin, while also being the school's first ever Tewaaraton Semifinalist as well as a two-time IWLCA All-American and three-time IWLCA All-Region performer.
• The Canada native has represented her home country in the FIL World Cup and World Games, leading the Canadians to two silver medal finishes and earning All-World honors at the FIL games after posting a team-best 19 goals.

MARYLAND WELCOMES NINE IN FRESHMAN CLASS
• Maryland's 2019 rookie class includes attackers Julia Hoffman and Madison Rielly, midfielders Sarah Ayer, Sydney Bender, Hannah Glaros, Kennedy Lynch, Maddie Sanchez and Darby Welsh and goalkeeper Maddie McSally.
• Seven Terps were ranked on the Inside Lacrosse's Power 100 Incoming Freshman list. Hoffman, Lynch, Rielly and Walsh, Maryland's top-50 recruits, competed in the Under Armour All-American game this past summer.

TERPS SELECT 2019 TEAM CAPTAINS
• Maryland has selected seniors Julia Braig, Jen Giles and Megan Taylor as team captains for the upcoming season. All three have played in every game of their Maryland career and are All-Americans. This is the second straight year Braig and Giles will serve as the team's captains and the first time for Taylor.
• Braig is the reigning Big Ten Defender of the Year and a First Team All-American. Giles was also a First Team All-American last season and recently played with Team USA at the Spring Premiere in California. Taylor has backlined for the Terps since the day she stepped foot and is the three-time reigning Big Ten Goaltender of the year. She was the 2017 IWLCA National Goaltender of the Year.

SCOUTING THE GATORS
• No. 4 Florida is also 1-0, coming off a 16-9 win at No. 17 Colorado last weekend.
• Last season, Florida went 17-4 and made it to the NCAA Quarterfinals before falling to eventual National Champions James Madison.
• Maryland is 4-0 all-time against the Gators, last year winning in Gainesville, 16-14 behind a combined nine goals from Megan Whittle and Jen Giles. Megan Taylor had 11 saves in the contest and in the past two meetings against Florida has notched 31 saves.