Celebrating 20 Years Of Brenda Frese At Maryland

Few coaches across any sport can claim the level of consistency and standard of excellence as Brenda Frese can in her 20 years at Maryland. Two-time National Coach of the Year, Frese's high work rate and positive attitude has resulted in 16 top-15 recruiting classes, three Final Fours, 14 conference titles and a National Championship in 2006. 

Frese has balanced that strong work ethic with a fun and family-friendly environment, also becoming a wife and a mother of twin boys, giving birth to them in the midst of one of the most successful seasons in the program's history. With the birth of her twins in February of 2008, she becomes one of only seven coaches to win a national championship and be a parent.

Damon Evans, Barry P. Gossett Director of Athletics, has announced an agreement with Frese that extends her contract through the 2028-29 season. 

Since her first season at the helm when the team won just 10 games, Frese has guided Maryland to a National Championship in 2006, 19 winning seasons, 18-straight 20-win seasons, seven 30-win campaigns and 18 bids to the NCAA Tournament.

At the end of the 2020-21 season, Frese was named National Coach of the Year by ESPN, the Associated Press and The Athletic. She is one of just three coaches to be named AP Coach of the Year more than once, joining Geno Auriemma (Connecticut), Kim Mulkey (LSU) and Muffet McGraw (former Notre Dame head coach).

Frese's teams have earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament in 18 of her 20 seasons at Maryland, advancing to three Final Fours, six Elite Eights and 10 Sweet Sixteens. She brought home the 2006 NCAA Championship in her fourth season. Frese's team's also own a 100 percent graduation rate in her 20 years in College Park and 16 of her Terrapins have been drafted into the WNBA.

Under Frese, Maryland has won 14 conference championships, including regular season and tournament titles. Her Terrapins have won six of eight Big Ten championships since joining the league in 2014.

In February 2021, Frese won her 500th game at Maryland, making her the winningest coach in program history. She currently owns a record of 535-140 (.793) at Maryland and 592-170 (.777) in her 23 years as a head coach, which includes stops at Minnesota and Ball State. Frese's current career winning percentage is .777, which is the highest career percentage of all Big Ten head men's and women's basketball head coaches.

Frese has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year honor four times (2002, 2015, 2019, 2021). She was also named ACC Coach of the Year in 2013 and MAC Coach of the Year in 2000.

Brenda Frese By The Numbers

ESPN National Coach of the Year (2021)
Associated Press National Coach of the Year (2002, 2021)
Nell and John Wooden Excellence in Coaching Award (2021)

WBCA Regional Coach of the Year (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021)
NCAA Champions (2006)

7-time Conference Coach of the Year 
14 Conference Titles
Three Final Fours (2006, 2014, 2015)

Brenda Frese celebrates winning the NCAA Regional to head to the 2015 Final Four.

Six NCAA Elite Eights (2006, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015)
10 Sweet Sixteens (2006, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2021, 2022)
18 NCAA Tournament Appearances  (’02, ’04, ‘05, ‘06, ‘07, ‘08, ‘09, ‘11, ‘12, ‘13, ‘14, ‘15, '16, '17, '18, '19, '21, ‘22)

11 WBCA All-American Selections
14 WNBA Draft Picks

Reached 500 wins at Maryland on Feb. 14, 2021, making her the winningest coach in Maryland basketball history