BALTIMORE, MD – Eight lacrosse greats, including Maryland legends Christie Jenkins Kemezis and Kristin Sommar Jenney, were formally inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame on Saturday evening during the annual induction ceremony in downtown Baltimore. The newest members were welcomed by an overflow crowd of nearly 350 celebrants, including almost two dozen current Hall of Fame members, as they took their place among the game's all-time best.

Jenkins and Sommar were both part of the Maryland women's dynasty in the late 1990's and early 2000's that won seven straight NCAA titles. The teammates both graduated in 2000 with four straight titles.

Sommar, a midfielder, was naturally one of the keys. A true two-way middie, Sommar played into Timchal's style – fast and smart. She finished her career with 104 goals and 72 assists but did her best work on the defensive side and in transition.

"I played with a lot of phenomenal people, so I understood that I wasn't, and I didn't want to be, the one to score all the goals," Sommar said. "I always say, 'Everyone has a role, and as soon as you figure out what your role is, everything falls into place.'"

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think that winning four would be possible," Sommar said, "but the mentality there was that was the expectation. We didn't want to be the team that broke the streak. We had confidence and it just carried over from year to year."

Sommar also had a message for her two teenage children in attendance. "I read an article recently that said athletic abilities for kids come from their mom, so you're both very welcome."

Jenkins also set herself apart, helping the Terps break ground and win their first ACC crown in 1997 (a title they'd hold three times during her tenure). She was a three-time All-American, a two-time captain, the 1999 ACC Player of the Year and selected to the ACC's 50th-anniversary team in 2002. 

Jenkins credited two Hall of Famers, Terps' head coach Cindy Timchal and assistant coach Gary Gait, for much of Maryland's success during that era.

"Every single girl on our team was such a phenomenal player, but I think what got our teams to that level were Coach Cindy and Coach Gary," she said. "They were an amazing duo. Cindy was our motivator and led the charge with her vision and her excitement, and then we had Gary, the greatest lacrosse player ever, teaching us our stick skills and X's and O's."

Jenkins and Sommar also played on the gold medal winning 2001 U.S. Women's World Cup Team, and were joined on that squad by a third member of this year's induction class in Crista Samaras.