"He Is My Why"

Growing up in Middletown, Md., Saylor Poffenbarger was just 7 years old when it all unfolded. The date was March 21, 2010 — a day she will never forget. 

The Poffenbargers were living the American dream. They owned 20 acres of land and spent most of their time together immersed in sports. It made sense. Poffenbarger’s mother was a former standout guard at Missouri from 1990-94. Known at the time as Amy Fordham, she was the program’s record holder in single-season assists, dishing out 177 dimes during her junior season. Her record stood for a decade until it was surpassed last season.  

Poffenbarger’s siblings are also athletes. Her older brother, Reese, plays quarterback at Miami, and her two younger brothers are aspiring collegiate student-athletes. Growing up in a house with a gym and a full-sized basketball court also influenced their love for sports.    

However, their family’s storybook life quickly turned into a nightmare that Sunday evening.

Serving as simple family bonding, the Poffenbargers rode all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) on their property. The previous winter, a plethora of snow washed out a nearby creek and its embankment. 

Poffenbarger’s 4-year-old brother Fordham, named after his mother’s maiden name, was sitting on an ATV overlooking the creek from the bank. He wasn’t riding the four-wheeler, but the ground underneath him suddenly caved in. Fordham fell off the ATV and into the creek. The ATV then came crashing down on top of him. He ended up drowning. 

Poffenbarger and her father witnessed the entire account. 

“I didn't really understand,” Poffenbarger said of her thought process at the time. “I definitely dealt with the grief process at a later point in my life. … We rallied as a family, but I didn't understand why or what was going on. I knew he wasn't coming back, but it wasn't like the full process.”

Poffenbarger admits she was too young at the time to understand the implications of losing someone, let alone a close family member. But as she grew older, Fordham became her purpose in life and the driving force behind her actions. 

Now a Maryland women's basketball star guard, Fordham led Poffenbarger to where she is today. She’s even honoring her late brother by wearing the number six on the front and back of her uniform’s threads. The number represents Fordham’s birth month, which is June. 

Maryland is the 6-foot-2 student-athlete’s third stop in her collegiate basketball career, featuring previous destinations at UConn and Arkansas. In Maryland, she’s back where her journey started. A redshirt junior studying sociology, Poffenbarger is finally where she belongs.  

“I think just having [Fordham] in the back of my mind keeps me going and keeps me motivated,” Poffenbarger said. “I'm very lucky to be able to play for him here and represent him. … It's definitely a very big part of my why. He is my why.”

Poffenbarger wore the number four at UConn and Arkansas, representing Fordham’s age when he passed. The Terps retired the number four, leading her to choose six. She’s rocking a new number and has new beginnings, but her purpose has remained unchanged. 

Poffenbarger grew up an enthusiastic fan of the Terps. As a preteen, she recalls frequently visiting College Park for basketball camps. The Terps were also the first program to offer her a scholarship. She nearly committed to Maryland after one of the camps.   

“My team came to all the camps,” Poffenbarger said. “My mom actually convinced me not to commit in seventh grade because leaving here, I was like, ‘I'm coming to Maryland.’ I was like 12 years old.”

Poffenbarger’s mother believed she was too young to make such a career-altering decision and encouraged her to wait several years before making one. Terps head coach Brenda Frese became more familiar with the young star and her family as time passed. They quickly formed a relationship. 

“I remember giving her that offer in my office at a really young age,” Frese said. “Her family is one that we know well. They grew up coming to camps and Saylor’s games. She lived close to the school and has a close family.”

By the time she began attending Middletown High School, Poffenbarger had developed into a highly touted prospect. It was also around the time she began grieving the loss of her brother.  

“When I was in high school, I started to really have a hard time with it,” Poffenbarger said. “I didn't understand, and I kind of struggled with that. But I'm really big in my faith for that reason. I trust God's plan, and I might not understand why, but I think it's shaped me into who I am today.” 

Poffenbarger kept pushing forward. She appeared in the top half of ESPNW’s HoopGurlz Super 60 and won a gold medal as part of Team USA at the 2019 FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Chile. The guard’s recruitment continued to grow, and being surrounded by other of the nation’s top athletes influenced her to commit to UConn over Maryland, Oregon and Missouri in high school. 

But her time as a Husky was short-lived. After appearing in just 12 games while averaging 2.7 minutes per game during the 2020-21 season, Poffenbarger redshirted and entered the transfer portal. She transferred to Arkansas and spent her redshirt freshman and sophomore seasons with the Razorbacks.

Poffenbarger became a 2023 All-SEC Freshman Team selection while setting Arkansas’ single-season record for defensive rebounds (225) and games started (37). The following season, she appeared in 30 games, averaging 10.2 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. She shattered her previous rebound mark by collecting 283 defensive boards. 

The double-double machine entered the transfer portal a second time. But she didn’t need to search for a home for long. She wanted to be where her 12-year-old self wanted to be. 

“Coming back has been a full circle moment,” Poffenbarger said. “I could say I wish I came here from the beginning, but I think everything happens for a reason. I was supposed to experience certain things, and I think that that's made me into a better player. Being able to finish out here is going to be super exciting in front of my family and all the people from my community.” 

One significant reason Poffenbarger wanted to play for Frese was their shared belief in the importance of family.  

“Family is important to her,” Poffenbarger said. “You can tell within her teams it's a point of emphasis. That's what attracted me the first time and also what ultimately brought me back here.”

The two-time national coach of the year has made family a significant part of Maryland women’s basketball. She says it’s very easy to see the exact values within Poffenbarger’s family. The familiarity and common ground made Poffenbarger a great fit. 

“Through their tragedy and just how close-knit their family is, family is a core fabric of who they are,” Frese said. “The Poffenbargers are a tight unit, and she's so close to her siblings and parents. It was the ultimate fit when we were able to have her sign and come back. That’s also who we are as a program. That extension of family and the family feel is exactly who we are. To get a person who values those same characteristics and has that in your program for the next two years is invaluable.”

The Terps basketball star grew closer to her family after losing her brother. Now, her family is finally watching her play for her dream school. Poffenbarger fits right in with the culture created by Frese and brings her purpose everywhere she goes.  

 “Being able to have Fordham as a part of my uniform feels like I'm representing him,” Poffenbarger said. “When you lose someone as close to you as that, it gives you perspective. I think that's my biggest thing. I always remember on days I don't want to do stuff, I have to do it for him because he can't.”