Impact Of A Scholarship: Maura Verleg

As a successful high school field hockey player in the Netherlands, Maura Verleg (‘24) was at a crossroads. 

In Verleg’s home country, college athletics are not really “A thing,” Verleg said. For someone with aspirations of playing field hockey and pursuing a college degree, both appeared unattainable. She then began debating whether to give up the sport she’d played her whole life, or give up the opportunity to continue her studies. 

It wasn’t until one of Verleg’s older club field hockey teammates committed to play field hockey for a university in the United States that she was introduced to the NCAA and the world of American college athletics. 

“I remember thinking, ‘Okay, that sounds so cool, I’m gonna do it too.’ But I had no expectations,” Verleg said. “It was perfect, because I could combine both of the things that I wanted to do.”

Verleg did just that, playing four seasons of Division I field hockey in a Power Four conference for the Terps while simultaneously earning degrees in criminology and criminal justice, as well as psychology. At every step of the way, Maryland’s offerings matched Verleg’s ambitions. 

The 2025 M Club Rodman Scholarship awardee is currently pursuing a master’s degree in forensic and legal psychology at Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

Upon graduating from high school, Verleg was interested in pursuing a career in law. But her interest in U.S. college programs conflicted with her eventual plans to work in her home country, since an American pre-law education wouldn’t translate to a career in Dutch law. 

Verleg began college at New Hampshire, but she transferred to Maryland after her freshman year because of the greater opportunities she found in both athletics and academics. 

“I thought a lot about it, and then I found out about Maryland having a criminal justice program, which not a lot of schools actually have,” Verleg said. “So that law-related degree with the great field hockey program worked out perfectly.” 

On the field, Verleg was a defender who played in 83 games and recorded 35 points, helping the team to three NCAA Tournaments, two Final Fours and a Big Ten Championship. A team captain during her final season in 2023, she was named Second Team All-Big Ten as well as a member of the NFHCA National Academic Squad and an Academic All-Big Ten. 

Her favorite Maryland field hockey memory was her first appearance in the Final Four in 2021, despite initially being unfamiliar with the event's pomp and circumstance as an international student. 

“When we won the Elite Eight, everyone was so happy, like, ‘You're gonna go to the Final Four!’ And I was like, ‘I don't know what's going on.’” Verleg remembered. “It was just so big and extra. It was such a cool experience being at The Big House at Michigan. The whole atmosphere is so different compared to a normal game. I wish I could do it all over again.”

Verleg cited her four years with Maryland field hockey as helpful preparation for her professional career, specifically the ability to perform under pressure and effectively manage her time. 

“What I love about Maryland field hockey is that we always try to be the best of the best. That is expected from you, and you have to try hard every day,” Verleg said. “That's something that I still keep with me every day, even in my master’s.”

Verleg took advantage of her additional year of academic eligibility — due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season — by adding a double degree in psychology. This decision followed positive experiences in the psych electives she took as an underclassman. 

This double degree, Verleg said, was a game-changer for applying to graduate school in the Netherlands. Maryland’s academic offerings provided a double degree that isn’t readily available in her home country, which Verleg believes sets her apart from a primarily Dutch-educated applicant pool. 

“Maryland allowed me to do that, which is awesome,” Verleg said. “It was perfect because I wanted to apply to a forensic legal psychology master’s program at home, which is not that easy to get into. That’s really what helped me to get into my master’s program.”

Verleg’s goal to become a licensed psychologist requires additional schooling and financial resources, making the M Club Rodman Scholarship especially helpful for her career aspirations. 

“I have a long way to go, I still have to be in school for at least two more years, which is tuition and books and everything,” Verleg said. “So I'm so grateful, because the M Club Rodman Scholarship will definitely help me in that way.”

Verleg expressed gratitude for the Rodman family and appreciation for the continued support of Maryland’s student-athlete alum organizations, such as Maryland Made and the M Club. 

“Even more so now than when I was a student, I think it’s awesome to see that Maryland still supports student-athletes that are not at Maryland anymore, but are still part of the Terp family,” Verleg said. “The lessons I've learned at Maryland, both in athletics and academics, have shaped who I am today, and I am excited to carry that legacy forward!”

About The M Club

The M Club was founded in 1923 as a letterwinner organization and is one of the oldest athletic letterwinner organizations in the United States. It has been dedicated for more than 100 years to empowering and uplifting University of Maryland student-athletes and letterwinners and continues to foster a growing community of Athletes Helping Athletes through the generosity of its members. Current support for Maryland Athletics includes awarding post-graduate scholarships, funding team reunions, providing letterjackets to graduates and hosting the bi-annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, among other areas.