University of Maryland Athletics

Growing up in Maryland, Julia Salandra used to watch her sister, Taylor, play for the Terps and dream about the day that she would get to suit up for her home state lacrosse program. In 2016 that dream came true, and two national championships, five conference championships and countless memories and laughs later, Salandra graduated in 2020 with a degree in marketing.

Jack Wagman has been an exemplary student-athlete as a member of the Maryland football team. Wagman, who grew up a Terps fan before walking-on to the team in 2018, is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. Along with teammate Jake Funk, Wagman serves as co-president of the Maryland chapter of Uplifting Athletes. In that role, he organizes team community service events such as Maryland's Lift for Life and the Best Buddies Friendship Walk. This past winter, Wagman began an internship at Northwestern Mutual that he hopes will set him up with outstanding job opportunities after college.

A team captain and Honorable Mention All-Big Ten offensive lineman who appeared in 43 games during his career as a Terp, Ellis McKennie made the most out of every opportunity that the University of Maryland provides. A public policy major, McKennie was a member of the University Senate at Maryland and a legislative intern on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, setting him up for the next phase of his life, law school at George Washington University.

As the No. 10 all-time 600m dash runner, Brady Snelson has been a driving force on and off the track. For the 2019-2020 season he earned the ICA Academic Achievement award and the Geary F. Eppley award for his outstanding performance in the classroom. His academic achievements have been consistent through the past two seasons, where he earned the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. Snelson will be taking this drive with him as he continues to pursue his career in the technology industry as an embedded systems engineer.

Hailing from New York, Leah Blackall made her mark as a Terp. From being involved with Team IMPACT with her team, to being a sports medicine intern for the women’s basketball team. Blackall earned the 2019 All-Big Ten honors and earned an abundance of points at the Big Ten Championships throughout her undergraduate career.

She will be returning to College Park in the fall to earn her master's degree in public health practice and policy.

Senior Amanda Brashear, a Chino, California native, batted .400 as a senior and was named league player of the year before embarking her journey across the country as a Terp. In her career she started and played in a total of 178 games, with a .278 overall batting average, .332 On-Base Percentage, and a total of 41 RBIs.

Upon graduation, Brashear plans to further her education at the Fashion Institute of Design in Los Angeles to pursue a career in Fashion.

A Maryland guy through and through, Zach Thompson has always given his all to put on for his home state. The West River native led nearby Archbishop Spalding to back-to-back titles, then came to Maryland after a year at St. Mary's College. Thompson has been one of the Terps' most reliable options on the mound over the past two seasons, tossing a career 96.2 innings for a 5.31 ERA. Next season, Thompson will return to the team while working on a graduate degree.

Stephanie Jones was Miss Consistency for the Terrapins, leading them to three Big Ten championships and two Big Ten tournament championships. Jones finished her career with All-Big Ten honors. She scored 1,302 career points and grabbed 693 rebounds. Her career free throw percentage of 59 percent is third in the Maryland record books. Jones will graduate with her degree in kinesiology and plans to play professionally.

Peter Knade has been a competitor for the Terrapins for his entire career. A Maryland native, Peter has represented his home state to the fullest. He’s competed in every event of his career and earned nine top 10 finishes, plus 12 more finishes in the top 20 of events. Knade earned All-Big Ten honors in 2019, competed in the NCAA Regionals as an individual in 2018 and was named Big Ten Golfer of the Week four times. He will continue his career as a Terrapin next season while working on a graduate degree.

After spending five years on the University of Maryland wrestling team, Josh Ugalde has contributed in nearly every way imaginable. He’s earned 38 career victories as a Terp and has seen his fair share of time in the starting lineup throughout the past three seasons. When he’s not on the mat in the wrestling room, Josh is working hard on his American Studies major or participating in the SAMS Club on campus. Following the end of the 2019-20 season, Josh was awarded the Tom Norris Unsung Hero Award for the Maryland wrestler who was always willing to put the team before himself, no matter the situation. Josh will conclude his academic career this spring and go on to be a recruiter in New York City while continuing to train for MMA.

Having started every game of her career on the field and starred in her career in the classroom off the field, Meghan Doherty defines what it means to be Maryland Made. A three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and 2020 team captain, Doherty will graduate from Maryland in 2020 and go to graduate school for occupational therapy next year. The Ellicott City, Md. native leaves College Park with an unbelievable legacy, winning two national championships and seven Big Ten championships.

After helping Maryland to a National Championship and three Big Ten Championships on the lacrosse field, Blake Carrara has his sights set on a different field: mechanical engineering. The Wading River, N.Y. native is set to graduate with a degree in the study this spring, and has accepted a job as a field engineer for Whiting-Turner in their Baltimore headquarters. One of Whiting-Turner’s landmark projects included one of the University’s now-signature facilities: the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Innovation.

Senior Xiaolin Tian has seen the Maryland women’s golf program take the next step and she played a huge role in taking the Terps there. She’s played in nearly every tournament and holds a career scoring average of 74.22, which is third in the Maryland record books. She earned All-Big Ten honors and competed in NCAA Regionals twice.

Tian hopes to work on a graduate degree at Maryland next year and continue competing for the Terrapins.

Senior Emma Johnson set the bar high in her time as a student-athlete at Maryland. Johnson is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten Honoree, a Gossett Fellow, a four-year scholar-athlete and a four-year member of the dean’s list. She is serving on the UMD Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) Board in her second year as Public Relations Director and Executive Board Member. Johnson is also the gymnastics team representative on the StudentAthlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). She plans to pursue a career in public relations upon graduation and will participate in a summer fellowship program with a top Public Relations Agency.

Kelee Lepage took full advantage of her four years at Maryland. She will graduate this fall with her degree in Marketing and Leadership. She did a summer internship with the Maryland marketing department through the InTerpship program and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors three times.

On the pitch, Lepage played in 91 career games, scoring 11 goals with 21 assists. She helped the Terrapins to three Big Ten championships, the 2018 Big Ten Tournament title and two appearances in the NCAA Championship game. She earned NFHCA All-Mid Atlantic Region honors in her senior season and was named to the NFHCA Division I Senior All Star Game. Lepage is currently on the U.S. Women’s National Team.

Noah Barnes was an exemplary student-athlete during his time at the University of Maryland. A three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Barnes was named the 2019 George C. Cook Memorial Award Winner (senior football player with the highest GPA). Also heavily involved in the community, Barnes was recognized with Maryland’s 2019 Public Service Award and was a member of the 2019 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List. Barnes plans to teach science in Thailand next year before continuing his education. His career aspirations include becoming a doctor.

After a long journey that saw him test himself in German professional leagues and overcome a potentially career ending injury, Johannes Bergmann debuted at Maryland in 2017 and quickly established himself as a top center back in the Big Ten. The Erfurt, Germany native started 61-of-63 matches during his time in College Park and impressed with his elite tactical awareness and strong left foot. Bergmann served as a perfect partner for All-American Donovan Pines and the two formed the backbone for Maryland’s national championship winning team that did not concede a goal throughout the entirety of the NCAA Tournament. Named a captain prior to his senior season in 2019, Bergmann was honored as a first-team All-Big Ten selection and led the team to the NCAA Tournament. Now playing professionally in the United States, Bergmann plans to go to grad school and start his own business after his playing days.

As a high jumper, setting the bar high and overcoming the obstacle is what they do. Senior Mikella Lefebvre-Oatis has this mindset engraved in her as she faces the next chapter of her life. The Canadian native will pursue a Master of Arts degree in Sociology, while also training for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics to take the necessary steps towards her academic and athletic goals. Lefebvre-Oatis earned semester academic honors for three-straight semesters and is an honors student in the sociology department. This 2019 High Jump All-American can and will overcome the obstacles she faces, just as she’s been training to do throughout her high jump career.

Travis Valmon was a key reserve on the scout team for the men’s basketball team over the course of four seasons. Coach Turgeon often said Valmon had the ability to play at another school, but Valmon remained committed to the University of Maryland.

Valmon was a key component in helping the Terrapins to two NCAA Tournament appearances and the 2020 Big Ten Championship. He also ran with the Maryland track team, which is coached by his father, Andrew Valmon.

The Rockville, Md., native has always been a star in the classroom, as well, twice earning Academic All-Big Ten honors. He will likely earn the honor for a third time in the very near future. He majored in finance with a minor in leadership studies.

A native of Belarus, Katsiaryna (Kate) Yemelyanenka excelled in her four years at Maryland both on and off the court.

Yemelyanenka was a dominant force throughout her collegiate tennis career, playing at the No. 1 doubles spot for the Terps, and took home several titles in singles and doubles play at notable tournaments including the Navy Blue and Gold Invitational, and ITA Hall of Fame Classic. She was also a two-time recipient of the Big Ten Team Sportsmanship Award (2017, 2019).

In the classroom. Yemelyanenka earned spots on the Dean’s list, Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll list, and received All-Big Ten Academic Honors two years straight (2018, 2019).

Yemelyanenka will earn a double major in Operations Management & Business Analytics and Information Sciences this spring, and will begin full time work in D.C. as a Business Operations Analyst at Fannie Mae this summer.

As a goalkeeper in Division I soccer, it goes without saying that a lot of shots will be coming your way. But for senior goalie Andi Wenck, it was the shots she took from behind the camera that sparked a passion for storytelling. The Waterford, Wisconsin, native, will sharpen her creative talents at the Brandcenter at Virginia Commonwealth University next year. The Brandcenter is a two-year, full-time master’s program, where she will be specializing in Experience Design, a creative practice that encourages storytellers to think creatively, inquisitively and impossibly outside of the box to find new and innovative ways to improve consumer experiences.

Senior Kameron Jones excelled on and off the track throughout his time at Maryland. Jones holds four school records and has placed within the top-five in the Big Ten, USATF and NCAA meets. While working hard on the track, he also strived academically as a three-time Dean’s List student. He is the co-director Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, a Gossett fellow, and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors for two years straight (2018, 2019).

A native of Slovenia, Sara Vujacic came to the United States ready for new and exciting opportunities. After two years at the junior college level, Sara came to college ready for the experience of a lifetime.

Sara achieved what few could do - she moved across the world and started a new life, and learned an entirely new language.

In the classroom, Sara will finish her sociology degree this spring and intends to become a personal trainer and nutritionist. On the court, Sara helped the Terrapins to two Big Ten Championships and the 2020 Big Ten Tournament Championship.

Taylor Smith strives to make an impact in whatever she's doing - on the court with the volleyball team or pursuing her passion in elementary education. The two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree has interned the past two years with local schools where she helps in the growth and development of elementary-aged students and is pursuing further careers in elementary teaching positions. Smith has also been a valuable asset to the volleyball team throughout her four-year career in which she has amassed 1,171 assists, 285 digs, 66 kills, and 45 blocks in 178 career sets played.

Darby Moore was more accustomed to celebrating her team’s achievements as opposed to her own on the soccer field, but one particular preseason practice last August would prove to be unforgettable. After wrapping up a training session at Ludwig Field, Moore went to her phone to find her MCAT scores waiting for her. She had scored in the 92nd percentile, and when her teammates heard the news they showered her with hugs and cheers – a welcome relief after months of hard work. Moore knew then her dream would soon be realized – she was going to medical school. Fast forward seven months and Moore is on the precipice of graduation with a dual degree in Kinesiology and Physiology & Neurobiology and will enroll in the University of Maryland Medical School next fall. After spending four seasons patrolling the midfield for the Terrapins, Moore will now pursue her passion to help patients as she enters the next phase of her academic career.

Senior Anna Kufta showcased her leadership abilities on and off the field. In her career, Kufta sat on Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as the Share the Shell Co-Chair and is an Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society three-time captain. She has been awarded Academic All-Big Ten honors twice. Kufta is also a part of the University Student Judiciary with aspirations of becoming a lawyer, she has been accepted into five law schools.