Maryland (0-0)Â vs. Boston University (0-0)
February 6, 2026
UCF Softball Complex
9:00 p.m.
Maryland (0-0)Â vs. Buffalo (0-0)
February 6, 2026
UCF Softball Complex
11:30 a.m.
Maryland (0-0)Â vs. CSU Bakersfield (0-0)
February 7, 2026
UCF Softball Complex
2:00Â p.m.
Maryland (0-0) vs. UCF (0-0)
February 7, 2026
UCF Softball Complex
7:00Â p.m.
Maryland (0-0) vs. UCF (0-0)
February 8, 2026
UCF Softball Complex
1:00 p.m.
COLLEGE PARK, MD - The University of Maryland softball team will head to Orlando, Florida for the Black & Gold Classic hosted by the University of Central Florida. The Terps will face off against four different opponents over three days of competition. The action kicks off Feb. 6 when the Terps open the weekend with a doubleheader against Boston University at 9:00 a.m. and Bufffalo at 11:30 a.m. Â
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matchup preview
- Maryland kicks off the 2026 season in Orlando, Florida, for the Black & Gold Classic. The Terps open the season Friday February 6 with a doubleheader against Boston University at 9am and then Buffalo at 11:30am. Bot will be streamed on ESPN+
- In head coach Lauren Karn's first two years leading the Terps, she compiled a 42-61 overall record while coaching two All-Big Ten selections and earning three victories over Top-25 opponents.
- Key returners for the Terps: Junior infielder Bailey Murphy who led the Terps with a .326 average with 30 hits. Sammi Woods returns to College Park for her senior year after playing and starting in all 48 games last season. Third baseman Matti Benson finished the 2025 season with a .203 average with six doubles, one triple, and two home runs.
- Maryland will host the 2026 Big Ten Softball Tournament at the Maryland Softball Stadium, May 6-9. This will be the first year College Park will host the Big Ten Softball Tournament. Maryland's last win in the Tournament was in 2024, where the No. 10 ranked Terrapins upset No. 7 Penn State, 3-1 in nine innings.Â
- Boston University finished last season with a 39-19 overall record and a 14-4 mark in Patriot League play. The Terriers won the Patriot League Tournament but ultimately fell in the NCAA Tournament to Omaha 3-1.
- Buffalo welcomes first-year head coach Chelsea Plimpton who served as the pitching coach for the Bulls in the 2025 season. Plimpton came to Buffalo after serving as an assistant coach at Villanova from 2019-23. While at Villanova, the Wildcats went 120-74 (.619). They won back-to-back BIG EAST Tournament titles in 2021 and 2022. In league play, the Wildcats were 49-15 (.766) and went 9-3 in the BIG EAST Tournament in three seasons.
- CSU finished the 2025 season 16-34 and 7-20 in Big West conference play. Senior Hannah Garcia returns for the roadrunners. She was third on the team in hits with a .308 average with seven doubles and a triple driving in 11 runs.
- Maryland is 2-1 all-time against UCF. Two time All-American Isabella Vega returns for the Knights as a right-handed pitcher. Head coach Cindy Ball-Malone enters her eighth season with the Knights. Under her the UCF softball team is in the midst of the most successful period in the program's 24-year history.
Maryland Softball opens the 2026 season in Orlando, Florida.
B1G Players to watch
- Kiera Bucher, Sammi Woods, and Bailey Murphy were named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List for 2026.
- Bucher returns to College Park for her senior season in the circle. Last season, she made 19 appearances pitching 63.2 innings recording 33 strikeouts. She holds the all-time Maryland softball record of saves (12).
- Murphy led the Terps last season with a .326 average with two doubles, one triple, and eight RBI. She had the fifth most hits on the team (30).
- Woods returns at shortstop for the Terps. She finished with a team fourth best .294 average, hitting nine doubles and three homeruns. She picked up her 100th career hit against Nebraska (5/4).
Softball america freshman to watch
- Zayda Rocke and Elisea Wiegand were named to the Softball America Freshman to Watch List January 12.
- Rocke joins the Terps as a catcher/infielder from North East, Maryland. She was a five-year varsity letterwinner from Caravel Academy and helped lead her team to five consecutive state championships. Rocke earned five First Team All-State honors, was named to the NFCA Second Team All-Region, and was selected as the 2025 MaxPreps Delaware Softball Player of the Year.
- Wiegand, a native of Redding, California, enters her freshman season as a pitcher for the Terps. Prior to Maryland, she was a four-year varsity letterwinner and a three-time First Team All-League selection at Foothill High School. Wiegand chose Maryland for its beautiful campus, outstanding coaching staff, and welcoming team culture.
newcomers
- The Terps welcome five freshmen to College Park: Zayda Rocke, Bailey Ullman, Kate Stephens, Elisea Wiegand, and Sage Rodmyre.
- Stephens enters Maryland with an impressive list of accolades: 4x First Team All-League, 4x First Team All-District, 4x All-Region, and she set the single season record for home runs at Stoney Creek in 2025.
- Rodmyre was dominant at Fort Myers High School, earning Offensive Player of the Year honors (2022), Defensive Player of the Year honors (2023), and All-State and First Team All-Area recognition (2024).
- The Terps welcome seven transfers this season. Caroline Fox, Biz Baglieri, Jaylee Williams, Anna McGowan, Lauren Caye, Logan Turner, and Caitlin Olensky.
- Words from head coach Lauren Karn, " About half of our players are new, and the energy that they've brought in has been really fun. I think it's elevated the play of our returners, which is exactly what we wanted when putting this group together. I'm excited to see them go out and compete as freely as possible against some really tough competition."
The Terps welcome 12 newcomers for the 2026 season
