Maryland Men’s Lacrosse Builds Great Players, Better People

The Terps are pushing through the start of their postseason run, helmed by a passionate senior class leaving everything out on the field and taking advantage of every last opportunity to play with “Maryland” across their chests.

“It’s the end of the season,” head coach John Tillman said. “We’ve worked this hard, and now it’s about seeing how much potential we can squeeze out of this group.”

Maryland is fighting through the final stretch of the season as the Terps hunt another Final Four appearance with hopes of adding another chapter to a storied legacy in College Park. Its senior class is a studded one, not yet ready to say goodbye to a program that’s given them so much. 

“It's pretty indescribable,” senior Eric Kolar said. “I have amazing stories I'll be able to tell people for the rest of my life. There are so many people that have molded me. This place has set up my foundation, molded my life into what I want it to be, given me goals and the opportunity to want to achieve as much as possible in my life.”

Maryland has long established itself as a landing spot for top-tier talent. Guys from all over the nation dream of playing in College Park and being a part of the next generation of greatness. This year’s senior class has been built on decades of visualization for the moments they now find themselves in. 

“Being an in-state guy, I told myself in fifth grade I wanted to play lacrosse here at Maryland,” Kolar said. “I wasn't highly recruited, but I always felt like coach took a chance on me. To be named a captain this fall was such an honor, and it’s allowed me to leave everything I have here ahead of my next chapter.”

Kolar’s story is a common one in the Maryland locker room. A true dream destination, guys from all over the country long to play for Tillman and the Terps. Whether they’re local, homegrown heroes or talents from time zones away, guys who play for Maryland share a common vision and aspirations. 

“A lot of guys here have always had the dream of playing here, and when you actually get to be in those shoes as a Maryland lacrosse player, it's everything you've dreamed of,” Spanos said. “We’ve all had that same goal of playing here one day, and so when we get here, we know what we have to do. We know just the work that it takes and the standard that the coaches and previous players have set, so we just try to live up to that. We know what it takes to be the best, so we're just working for that every day.”

“Be the Best” is a mantra that flows through College Park along with a winning culture. It’s more than a motto that everyone embraces; it becomes a tradition and mindset for players to carry with them long after their playing careers are over.

“Being the best applies to everything in your life,” Spanos said. “It's really a lifestyle more than just a saying. We want to be the best in the classroom, we want to be the best roommate, we want to be the best friend. As we're graduating, one day we want to be the best fathers, the best husbands, everything. I've learned to be the best in my time here, and I’ll certainly carry that with me throughout my life. I don't think anyone can really reach their best. In a way, I think it's something that you can always work more to be your best.”

This year’s squad is one that’s been battle-tested and challenged at every turn. Playing one of the hardest schedules in the nation has prepared the Terps for the gauntlet of tournament play and the level of perfection it demands. 

From top to bottom, the program exudes greatness — the extent of which spans far beyond what fans see on the field.

“Our scout guys could be playing anywhere in the country,” Kolar said. “Every day we get challenged. Every day we’re playing a game in a way. Everybody here embodies success and embraces the team, and it creates an unbelievable culture.”

“It’s been pretty incredible, and it’s really hard to explain to people that haven't lived it,” Kolar said. “Iron sharpens iron. When you come here to a place that’s so competitive and fighting to be the top team in the nation. These people, they’re my people. I’ve met some absolute warriors playing here and everyone will do whatever it takes to win.”

Maryland Athletics takes pride in recruiting good players and even better people. On and off the field, Tillman builds leaders. Whether the Terps go on to excel in professional careers — as so many do — or enter the job force, they’re built to thrive in any setting and lift up the people around them. 

“I always tell parents and recruits when they’re here that the people make the place,” senior Braden Erksa said. “Not everywhere do you see 50 guys who are as close as we are. Maryland has great people, and that’s what puts us on a different level.”

Years under Tillman in College Park provided decades of wisdom and a we-before-me mentality. One theme that Erksa will take away was the concept that “the strength of the wolf is the pack, and the strength of the pack is the wolf”. There’s a give and take within every squad, one that shows itself every time the Terps take the field. 

“I learned to believe in myself and my abilities,” Erksa said. “Coming in my freshman year, I never really expected anything. I was just grateful for an opportunity to come here to such a great institution and such a historic program and add value in any way I possibly could. I just kind of put my head down and really worked hard, and I eventually got an opportunity and took advantage of it.”

The Terps look to continue to bulk their resume in the Big Ten Tournament before turning their sights to the NCAA Tournament. Every game the seniors play could very well be their last, but a passionate core — defined and forever shaped by their time in College Park — is still looking to make more impacts on a program that’s made countless impacts on them. 

“This whole experience does go by, it feels like, in a flash,” Tillman said. “Given that it’s playoff time, you’ve got to make sure that you take all the lessons from the year and your careers and try to apply those. I’ve told those guys to make sure they’re the ones leading the charge. I like this group. It’s been a great group of young men both on and off the field.”

“I'm so excited and just willing to do whatever it takes,” Spanos said. “I know that's how everyone's thinking about it. We're all super grateful that we've even had the opportunity to put this jersey on, but we definitely know what we want to do, so we're chasing it for sure.”