Maryland at UCF Black and Gold Invitational
March 15-16, 2024
Orlando, FL
11:00 AM (15th), 10:00 AM (16th)
COLLEGE PARK, MD - The Maryland track and field team will open up the outdoor season in Orlando, Florida this weekend at the UCF Black and Gold Invitational.
Last Outdoor Season
- The Terps sent four student-athletes to NCAA Regionals, including three Terps who are back this year in seniors Kayla Thorpe and Jeff Kline, along with graduate student Jayla Bynum
- Kline made it to NCAA Outdoor National Championships in Austin, Texas, where he earned Honorable Mention All-American honors
The newcomers and the veterans
- The Terps return several stellar student-athletes from last year's team, including senior Jeff Kline. Kline, a Blandon, PA native, not only competed at NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships last season, but also competed at USATF Indoor Championships last February, going up against some of the best shot-putters in the country.
- Sophomores Tolu Akinduro and Rhys Allen are also back for their second season as Terps following a summer in which they both competed in domestic championships. Akinduro competed for Canada at the U20 Pan-American games in the triple jump, while Allen competed for Great Britain at the U20 European Championships in the discus.
- The Terps also welcome a strong freshman class, highlighted by high-jumper Jennessa Wolfe. The Nova Scotia native competed alongside Akinduro at the U20 Pan-American games in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, where she won the gold medal in the women's high jump with a jump that cleared 1.71m, which also would have placed her in the top-10 of last year's Big Ten Outdoor Championships. Read more about Wolfe's journey to College Park here.
Last time at the UCF Black and Gold Invitational
Current terps in the Outdoor Maryland All-Time Top Ten
The Terps have ten current student-athletes who hold spots in the school's all-time outdoor top ten.
Meet the coaches
- Head Coach Andrew Valmon is in his 21st season with the Terps track and field team. Valmon brings an abundance of experience, having been the head coach of U.S.A. Track and Field for 2012 Olympic Games, a 2-time Olympic Gold medalist, being part of the U.S.A's 4x400 team in both 1988 and 1992.
- Associate Head Coach Danielle Siebert is entering her 15th season as a coach with Maryland, and boasts an impressive resume as a member of the U.S.A Track and Field, serving on multiple International team staffs. Siebert also competed for the Terps from 2002-2006.
