Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame Spotlight: Marissa Coleman
An iconic piece of Maryland women’s basketball’s history will be cemented at the induction ceremony on Oct. 16.
Brady Ruth, Staff Writer
10/9/2026
Maryland women’s basketball’s history is filled with unforgettable moments and icons. A key piece of the Terps’ 2006 national championship team, Marissa Coleman will have her legacy cemented when she is inducted into the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 16.
To be honest, it’s hard to put into words. It’s something that’s extremely humbling, and I don’t think it’s quite set in yet. When I started my career at Maryland, the goal was never to one day be in the Hall of Fame. The goal was to win championships and be the best player I could be. For all of that to have happened, and then to be honored as one of the greats in Maryland Athletics history, is so humbling.Marissa Coleman
One of the most accomplished four-year Terps in Maryland Athletics history, Coleman became a national champion as a freshman and spent each of the next three years elevating her game — and the program around her.
Across her four years, Coleman tallied 2,205 points — the third-most in program history — 1,139 rebounds — fourth-most in program history — 453 assists — eighth-most in program history — and 144 career games, which are the most ever by a Terp.
Her 653 points in 2008-09 were the eighth-most in a single-season in Maryland history and her 42-point performance against Vanderbilt in 2009 is still tied for the top single-game performance in program history.
She was drafted second overall in the 2009 WNBA Draft by the Washington Mystics, propelling her into an outstanding 10-year professional career.
Her legacy is undeniable, but the word has taken new shape for the Maryland great.
I think my definition of the word has changed over the years. I used to look at it strictly through the lens of athletics. As I’ve gotten a little older and experienced life in different ways, I look at legacy more as the lives you impact on a smaller scale. Being an athlete, sometimes you hear ‘legacy’ and ‘impact,’ and you think it has to be on this grand stage with a huge platform. But I think about it now as the number of individual lives you can touch.Marissa Coleman
One of the people Coleman has impacted most is the coach who first saw Hall of Fame potential in her: Brenda Frese, who’s honored to see a player she mentored etched into Terp history.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” Frese said. “I’ve gotten front-row seats to watch these players, how hard they work, and the sacrifices they make in their careers. To be there for them and to be a part of it, even if it was just a small role, is really special to me.”
Her unbreakable bond with Frese will grow even stronger as the two enter Maryland immortality together next week.
I love that we’re going in together. The cool thing about her was her fearlessness as a freshman and the impact she had, etching herself into a first-round draft pick. She elevated our program during her four-year career.Brenda Frese
A life full of memorable moments added another unforgettable chapter during Maryland’s “Another National Championship” event in New York City, where Coleman first learned of her induction from former teammate and longtime friend Crystal Langhorne.
“I had no idea it was coming,” Coleman said. “Everything about the experience, I couldn’t have scripted it any better. Being at the event and having Crystal Langhorne, who is one of my best friends in the whole world, tell me that I was joining her in the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame with Coach B was really special. I’ve known Coach B since she started recruiting me when I was 16. For us to accomplish what we did together, share that journey and go into the Hall of Fame together is pretty special.”
For Coleman, the honor represents more than the numbers, championships and accolades that defined her four years in College Park. The induction will be a celebration of the people who helped shape her journey, on and off the court, and have remained a part of her life long after her playing days ended.
“One of the things, if not the thing, I have the most pride in and value the most about my time at Maryland is the people it put into my life,” Coleman said. “We’re a family, and so many of us are still super close. I’m really excited to come back. I live right down the street and get back to games all the time, but to be on campus to celebrate something so special with so many people who made the journey possible, it’s just going to be a lot of feelings.”
