University of Maryland Athletics

On Beard: Solid attackman with good quickness ... knows how to score ... is willing to work to get his teammates better scoring looks ... "once he gets comfortable at this level he will have a big upside," says Dave Cottle ... competing for time on the man-up unit to start the season.

Before Maryland: Two-time NJCAA All-American ... led CCBC Essex to the 2005 NJCAA championship game ... named to the NJCAA all-tournament team ... voted the NJCAA Offensive Player of the Year after scoring 18 goals and adding 14 assists in just seven games ... first team all-Region and all-Maryland JUCO ... 2003 Washington Post honorable mention all-Met ... 2003 all-Anne Arundel Co. selection by public school coaches ... 2003 Baltimore Sun second team all-county.

Personal: Son of Howard and Gaylene Beard ... younger brother of Jess, who played women's lacrosse at James Madison ... counsin, Ryan Beard, was a four-year lacrosse letterwinner at North Carolina from 1996-99 ... majoring in economics.