There was little doubt that many of the Terrapin women’s basketball team’s lofty goals went unfulfilled after a second-round NCAA Tournament loss to Georgetown on March 22.
The good news for the Terps, coach Brenda Frese explained afterward, was that the team would be bringing back its entire roster the following season.
At least, that was the plan. A team spokeswoman confirmed yesterday that next year’s Terp team will be without two of its main contributors in forward Diandra Tchatchouang and guard Dara Taylor.
Tchatchouang has opted to return to her native France after this semester to rehabilitate from an ACL injury she suffered in the loss to Georgetown. The sophomore, who started all 32 games for the Terps this season and averaged 8.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, will not return to the team next season, citing homesickness.
Taylor, meanwhile, will transfer to Penn State. The sophomore had seen her playing time drop considerably this season with the emergence of Anjale Barrett as the team’s top point guard.
A McDonald’s All-American at Caravel Academy in Wilmington, Del., Taylor was never able to translate her athleticism and speed into consistency for the Terps. She started just once this season, averaging 2.2 assists and 1.7 points in about 13 minutes per game, and her ballhandling struggles and poor shooting ultimately kept her on the bench for much of the year.
With the return of Barrett and talented freshman point guard Natasha Cloud, in addition to the arrival of highly recruited guard Brene Moseley, Taylor would have faced even greater competition at the position next season.
Frese did not return calls seeking comment last night.
cwalsh@umdbk.com
