Terps Taking On The World

The Spring 2023 issue of ONE MARYLAND Magazine will soon arrive in the mailboxes of Terrapin Club members. ONE MARYLAND features stories of strength and perseverance, of determination and spirit. These stories define our athletics program, and this new magazine will allow us to share these stories with you. Over the next few weeks, we will be rolling out these stories on umterps.com as a preview of what you will find in ONE MARYLAND. To receive future issues of the magazine when they debut, please join the Terrapin Club. We hope you enjoy.

This year as a been one of worldwide travel for multiple Terrapin teams. 

Softball went to Mexico at the start of its season, men’s soccer traveled to Portugal in March, volleyball ventured to Europe in May, and men's basketball will embark on a summer trip to Italy. 

For the teams that have had the opportunity to travel internationally together, it has proved to be an invaluable experience both in terms of team bonding as well as in terms of experiencing new cultures that most would probably not experience otherwise.

“Traveling through the U.S. is exciting and fun, but traveling outside the country is a whole different thing,” softball senior outfielder Campbell Kline said. “It’s not something that a lot of people get to experience, especially doing it with the sport that they love. It was a really unique experience for us.”

While softball used their trip to Mexico as a way to kick its season off, most teams do their travel in the offseason, setting aside extended time for the student-athletes to fully immerse themselves in different cultures. 

Such was the case with men’s soccer, which spent 10 days in Portugal, making stops in both Porto and Lisbon. The team played three exhibition games against talented Portuguese squads and also spent days walking around the different towns and taking in the cultures. A highlight for all the guys was watching two professional soccer games, especially the Euro 2024 qualifying match between Portugal and Liechtenstein in which Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals. 

“The further away we get from the trip, the more often we speak about it, and how amazing it was and all the memories we created,” senior defender Alex Nitzl said of the team’s trip. “There’s so many small moments you don’t fully appreciate while you’re there, but once you come back it’s like ‘Oh my God, we did this cool thing and this other cool thing.’”

Apart from the priceless new experiences the student-athletes had, one of the most significant benefits of these types of trips is the increased camaraderie between everyone in the program.

“It’s not that we weren’t connected before, we all live on campus together, but spending 10 days completely out of everyone’s comfort zone, competing against European teams, you get to know each other on such a different level,” Nitzl said. “Our culture changed so much. We all got so much closer. People who didn’t talk to each other before started talking a ton.”

Nitzl recalls a day towards the end of the team’s time overseas when he and a few seniors were heading into Lisbon to take in some sights. As they were leaving, a freshman on the team came up and said he wanted to come too, attributing his confidence to join them to the week they had spent getting to know each other better.

That type of increased trust and relationship-building translates to better play on the field, according to those within the program.

“I think the understanding we now have of how each other functions, the trust we gained in each other, that all translated to the field. We came back and the first game we played we won 4-0. We were the most connected we’ve ever been. We always do team bonding and everything, but a trip like this is just so much bigger. It’s going to be huge for us going into the fall.”

"The relationships our guys form with each other as a result of these trips are special,” head coach Sasho Cirovski added. “Part of the reason our 2018 team won a national title was because of what they experienced together in England during the spring prior to that season. These trips truly are a perfect example of the best of the student-athlete experience. I can't wait to see how our current team continues to benefit from the trip both on and off the field."

Kline saw that same effect within the softball program. The team went 4-1 on the week with two ranked wins, including a Top-3 victory over Oklahoma State. When they weren’t on the diamond, the team was exploring Mexico, whether it was through excursions like ATV riding or spending time at local elementary schools interacting with the local children.

Upon returning to the States, the program went onto its best season in nearly a decade. For Kline, the early trip was an essential part of that success.

“We all got so close, so fast when we were there. And off-the-field bonding helps the chemistry on the field. We’ve definitely been a better team since that tournament.”

Maryland's volleyball team ventured to Italy, Slovenia and Croatia in May, while men's basketball will travel to Italy later this summer.

“We're thrilled to take our first-ever foreign tour this summer in Europe,” head coach Adam Hughes said. “A lot of work went into making this trip possible, including the support of our administration and those who helped donate to make this trip come to life. The foreign tour was a fantastic opportunity for our student-athletes to see volleyball across the globe while also taking in such a powerful cultural experience. I can speak on behalf of our entire program that we're grateful for all those who helped make this trip possible, allowing us to take full advantage of such a wonderful opportunity.”

Men’s basketball will embark on a 10-day training tour in Italy from July 31-August 10. The trip will span four cities (Rome, Florence, Venice and Lake Como) and will feature three exhibition games for the Terps.

"These trips provide a tremendous opportunity for our student-athletes," said head coach Kevin Willard. "To be able to see firsthand some of the most historical landmarks in the world and areas steeped in such history is a wonderful experience for them. From a basketball perspective, these trips allow us to play against other competition which will help us as we prepare for the upcoming season."

For the student-athletes, being at a place like Maryland that places so much value on team international travel is incredibly meaningful.

“I had never gotten to travel internationally for sports before and I think it’s really an amazing thing,” Kline said. “To play in new places and experience new cultures is awesome. I’m very thankful to Maryland softball for making it happen.”

 It’s important to note, however, that these trips aren’t possible without massive amounts of help from many people behind-the-scenes. The impact from the generosity of donors who help fund the travel cannot be overstated. Neither can the work of the support staff and travel agents involved with planning and executing every portion of the trip. 

"I also want to express my special gratitude to our Starting XI donor group and our friends at Worldstrides Sports for their continued support and providing our players the opportunity to enjoy this amazing experience," Cirovski said. 

On men’s soccer’s trip, Kerry Dziczkaniec, the program’s director of operations, was the unsung hero as the trip would not have been possible without her work to make the whole operation run. 

“I don’t think this is something you can ever take for granted,” Nitzl said of the work that everyone put in to make the trip a reality. “It’s not just the financial commitment, but also the commitment everyone makes to give us the chance to experience something like this. I know it’s something we all value. Not every school takes the time and commitment to do something like this for their teams. It makes me very proud to be a Terrapin.”