In the past 12 months, Maryland athletics produced some memorable moments, ranging from men’s basketball’s first Sweet 16 appearance since 2003 to men’s soccer’s first undefeated regular season since 1968. In lacrosse, the men’s and women’s teams made runs to the national championship. In football, first-year coach DJ Durkin led the program back to a bowl game.
So with the year coming to an end, The Diamondback sports staff compiled the good (and bad) moments from 2016.
JANUARY 9: Melo Trimble’s sinks Wisconsin with
Guard Melo Trimble has helped revitalize the Maryland men’s basketball program since arriving in 2014, and the cold-blooded shot he hit against the Badgers is one of the moments Terps fans will remember after the shifty guard moves on to the professional ranks. With the game tied at 60 and 22 seconds to play, Trimble slowly dribbled down the floor before stopping just after half court to let the clock tick down. Everyone at the Kohl Center knew he was pulling up from the top of the key. The coaches knew it, and so did the Badgers players, yet they couldn’t stop Trimble from burying the triple with 1.2 seconds to play. The win helped the then-No. 3 Terps avoid an upset early in Big Ten play.
JANUARY 13: Maryland women’s soccer hires
Members of the athletic department asked former Maryland women’s soccer coach Jonathan Morgan to resign in November 2015 after he led the program to a combined 35-36-9 record over four seasons. A few months later, Ray Leone became the Terps’ new coach. Leone came over from Harvard, where he led the women’s soccer team to five NCAA tournament appearances during his nine-year tenure. He couldn’t bring that same type of success to Maryland in his first season, though. The Terps finished 3-15-1 and were shut out the final six games of the year.
JANUARY 16: Maryland men’s basketball scores
triple digits for first time since 2012
After the Maryland men’s basketball team dropped its first Big Ten game in a three-point loss at Michigan, it returned to Xfinity Center and took its frustration out on Ohio State, which allowed the Terps to reach the 100-point mark for the first time since 2012. Maryland led, 19-17, about nine minutes into the game before ending the half on a 29-13 run. Coach Mark Turgeon’s team carried that momentum into the second period, scoring 52 points in the frame to close out the dominating victory.
FEBRUARY 2: Shatori Walker-Kimbrough
scores 41 points against Purdue
Maryland women’s basketball guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough took 21 shots against Purdue and made 17 of them as a part of a unbelievable individual performance. Walker-Kimbrough finished with 41 points, becoming the second player in program history to score at least 40 points in a game. The All-American guard’s previous career high came when she scored 26 points against High Point earlier in the season.
FEBRUARY 21: Maryland softball’s Lindsey Schmeiser sets program’s career home-run record
The Maryland softball team finished 1-4 at the Georgia State Tournament, just its second of the season, in February, but outfielder Lindsey Schmeiser had a memorable moment to take away from the event. In the Terps’ 10-5 loss to Alabama, Schmeiser blasted her 31st career home run. With the long ball, she passed former catcher Shannon Bustillos for the program’s all-time home-run record. Maryland finished the season 12-40, but Schmeiser was one of the team’s bright spots during her final season in College Park.
MARCH 6: Maryland women’s basketball rolls to
The Maryland women basketball team dropped both of its games with Ohio State during the regular season but still won the Big Ten regular season title after the Buckeyes collapsed down the stretch. The Terps then ran through the conference tournament, beating Iowa, Northwestern and Michigan State to take home the title in Indianapolis. It marked the fourth straight conference championship for Maryland since it joined the Big Ten in 2014.
MARCH 21: Washington upsets Maryland women’s basketball
in NCAA tournament’s second round
It wasn’t supposed to end like this for coach Brenda Frese’s squad. The Maryland women’s basketball team had been to back-to-back final fours. And as a No. 2 seed last season, the Terps were primed to make another deep tournament run. Instead, seventh-seeded Washington came into Xfinity Center and upset Maryland in the Round of 32. The Huskies advanced all the way to the national semifinals before falling to Syracuse.
MARCH 24: Kansas bounces Maryland men’s basketball in the Terps’ first Sweet 16 appearance since 2003
With all sorts of NBA-caliber talent on its roster, the Maryland men’s basketball team defeated South Dakota State and Hawaii in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament to advance to the program’s first Sweet 16 in 13 years. But after entering the season as a top-five team, the No. 5 seeded Terps couldn’t hang with the Kansas, the No. 1 overall seed. Guard Melo Trimble shot 5 of 16 from the field, and the Jayhawks picked up a 79-63 win to advance to the South Region final.
APRIL 8: Maryland baseball beats Ohio State in extras
despite being no hit through nine innings
Trailing, 1-0, and without a hit entering the ninth inning, the Maryland baseball team manufactured a run, which started when right fielder Madison Nickens got hit with a pitch. Four batters later, with Nickens on third, the Buckeyes third baseman made an error that allowed Nickens to score the tying run. The Terps had two hits in the 10th frame, the second of which came from Nickens and brought home the game-winning run.
MAY 8: Maryland women’s lacrosse defeats Northwestern
to win Big Ten tournament title
The top-ranked Maryland women’s lacrosse team finished the regular season 17-0, and its success continued into the Big Ten tournament. After a dominating win over Rutgers in the semifinals, the Terps held off Northwestern, 12-9, to win the program’s first Big Ten tournament championship. With the win, coach Cathy Reese’s team entered the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 overall seed.
MAY 25: Mike Shawaryn strikes out 16 in Maryland’s win
over Indiana in the Big Ten tournament
Maryland baseball’s former ace was dominant for much of his three seasons in College Park, but Shawaryn found a new level of mastery against Indiana. The right-hander fanned a career-high 16 batters and went the distance as the Terps held off the Hoosiers, 5-3. In June, the Boston Red Sox drafted him in the fifth round of the MLB Draft.
MAY 25: Melo Trimble returns to Maryland for junior season
By the time guard Melo Trimble made his decision, the Maryland men’s basketball team had already lost four starters. Jake Layman and Rasheed Sulaimon graduated, while Diamond Stone and Robert Carter Jr. entered the NBA draft and hired agents, meaning they couldn’t return to school. Trimble declared for the draft but did not hire an agent, allowing him to take part in the draft process without losing college eligibility. On the last day players could still decide to return to school, Trimble did just that, and he’s been the focal point of Maryland’s 13-1 start in 2016. The junior standout averages a team-high 18.1 points and has made multiple game-winning plays so far this year.
MAY 28: After 1-2 start, Maryland men’s lacrosse
Back-to-back losses to Yale and Notre Dame early in the season dropped the Maryland men’s lacrosse team outside the top 10 in the rankings, but the Terps responded with 16 straight wins. They won the Big Ten tournament championship and secured three victories in the NCAA tournament during that stretch, the last of which came over Brown and sent coach John Tillman’s team to its second straight national championship.
MAY 29: North Carolina spoils Maryland women’s lacrosse’s perfect season in NCAA championship game
The Maryland women’s lacrosse team had a chance to win its third straight national title. The Terps were hoping to complete their first undefeated season since 2001 and earn their 26th straight win overall. But after beating North Carolina in the national championship last season, the Tar Heels got revenge in the form of a 13-7 win this year on the biggest stage in women’s college lacrosse. The Tar Heel also beat the Terps to win the national title in 2013.
MAY 30: Maryland men’s lacrosse’s NCAA title drought continues
after overtime loss to North Carolina
With the Maryland men’s lacrosse team up, 13-11, with about eight minutes to play, it appeared the program was on its way to ending its 41-year national championship drought. But North Carolina tied the game before the end of regulation and scored the game-winning goal in overtime to top the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed. The Terps have appeared in four national title games under coach John Tillman but have yet to claim the ultimate prize.
JUNE 2: Maryland women’s lacrosse midfielder Taylor Cummings wins third straight Tewaaraton Award
Taylor Cummings didn’t win her third national title, but she did earn her third straight Tewaaraton Award, given annually to the nation’s best men’s and women’s lacrosse players. She’s the first player to receive the honor three times. The midfielder from Ellicott City was a four-time IWLCA first-team All-American. She finished her career third on Maryland’s all-time list for goals (229) and second in points (323).
SEPTEMBER 17: Quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome’s game-winning touchdown run pushes Maryland football past UCF in overtime
With starting quarterback Perry Hills on the sideline with a shoulder injury, first-year Maryland football coach DJ Durkin turned to first-year signal caller Tyrrell Pigrome, a dual-threat freshman with limited college experience. But on the first play, Pigrome tucked the ball away and weaved past Knights defenders on his way to the end zone, giving the Terps a 30-24 win.
SEPTEMBER 20: Maryland men’s soccer earns first
After winning its first five games of the year, the Maryland men’s soccer team jumped to the top spot in the rankings. The Terps stayed there the rest of the regular season, and they entered the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 seed before a monumental collapse against Providence ended their 2016 campaign.
OCTOBER 21: Will Likely’s college career ends
Maryland football’s back Will Likely was a standout at defensive back and on special teams during his time in College Park, but an injury cut his senior season short. He suffered a torn ACL against Minnesota on Oct. 15, ending the career of one of the Terps’ best players.
OCTOBER 26: Maryland volleyball upsets No. 19 Ohio State
While the Maryland volleyball team once again showed promise for the future this season, it still struggled against Big Ten foes. The Terps couldn’t close out tight sets, finishing with a 4-16 conference record. Yet against No. 19 Ohio State on Oct. 26, Maryland looked like a resurrected team, upsetting the Buckeyes for the second straight season. Outside hitter Liz Twilley led coach Steve Aird’s squad with 13 kills, while four others notched at least nine kills.
OCTOBER 30: Maryland men’s soccer completes first
undefeated regular season since 1968
Coach Sasho Cirovski said his Maryland men’s soccer team has been the top program of the 21st century, yet the Terps hadn’t gone through a regular season undefeated since 1968. That changed this year. Maryland finished the regular season 15-0-2 while scoring the second most goals in the nation (2.52). The Terps claimed their first No. 1-ranking since 2012, and held that spot for about two months. Forward Gordon Wild, who transferred to Maryland after leading the countries in goals at South Carolina Upstate, paced the Terps with 17 goals. Maryland won nine contests by one goal or more in the regular season, including its final five victories, while the defense struggled down the stretch. The Terps trailed Michigan, 2-0, at halftime of their regular season finale, but rallied for a 3-2 victory.
NOVEMBER 13: Maryland field hockey suffers another
early NCAA tournament exit
Since it last qualified for the Final Four in 2013, the Maryland field hockey team has fallen short in the NCAA tournament each year, even when it enters the postseason with momentum. The Terps have been regular season conference champions the past three years, but they’ve lost in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals or earlier in each of those seasons. That was the case again in 2016. The Terps lost to North Carolina, 3-0, in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals, falling behind early and failing to capitalize on their 11 shots.
NOVEMBER 13: Maryland men’s soccer wins fifth consecutive conference tournament title
Winning conference tournament championships has become a custom for the Maryland men’s soccer team. Maryland claimed its fifth consecutive conference tournament crown with a 2-1 win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament championship. Three of those titles have come in the Big Ten, while two occurred in the ACC. After beating Michigan in overtime in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals, the Terps cruised to a 2-1 win over Michigan State before defeating the Badgers, who Maryland also beat in October to claim the Big Ten regular season crown. Forward DJ Reeves, who came off the bench the entire regular season, scored twice in the tournament. The tournament victory helped Maryland seal the NCAA tournament’s No. 1-overall seed.
NOVEMBER 15: Maryland men’s basketball uses
improbable comeback to beat Georgetown
The Maryland men’s basketball team seemed doomed for its first loss of the season with 18 seconds remaining against Georgetown. But in the final 18 seconds, the Hoyas turned the ball over twice against Maryland’s full-court press. A player traveled after he was caught in a double team, and his teammate stepped out of bounds on Georgetown’s ensuing possession. Maryland took advantage of its chances, converting on all four of its free throws in the waning seconds. Guard Melo Trimble, who has led late comebacks for Maryland throughout his three-year Terps career, finished a layup with 11 seconds remaining before draining the game-winning free throws. While Maryland struggled to regroup on defense, Georgetown guard Jagan Mosely dribbled down the court, but his layup was meant by guard Kevin Huerter’s block, preserving the Terps’ 76-75 thrilling win.
NOVEMBER 16: Two Maryland football freshmen suspended
for involvement in on-campus BB gun incident
Maryland students received an alert of someone driving around shooting BB guns on campus, and 10 days later discovered the criminals were football players. Running back Lorenzo Harrison, who had rushed for a team-high 633 yards, and wide receiver DJ Turner were charged with three counts of second degree assault and reckless endangerment for the BB gun incident, according to the University of Maryland Police Department. Harrison and Turner were indefinitely suspended and didn’t play the remainder of the season. The duo has since been cleared to participate in spring practice.
NOVEMBER 20: No. 1 Maryland men’s soccer suffers monumental collapse vs. Providence in second round of NCAA tournament
The Maryland men’s soccer team appeared on its way to the NCAA tournament Sweet 16 to continue pursuing a national championship with 21 minutes remaining in its second round match against Providence. However, that’s when the Terps undefeated season collapsed. Maryland held a 4-1 lead before allowing two goals in a 36-second span in the 70th minute. The Friars tied the game about five minutes later before taking the lead in the 82nd minute. The Terps had hardly allowed Providence into the attacking third, but Providence found holes in the Terps defense it hadn’t taken advantage of. Maryland struggled to clear the ball, while at least two of Providence’s shots seemed to receive help from the 18 mph wind that twisted its shots. Maryland allowed five goals for the first time since 2008 and the first time at home since 1993.
NOVEMBER 26: Maryland football beats Rutgers to become
bowl eligible in coach DJ Durkin’s first season
After going 3-9 in 2015, the Maryland football team rebuilt its program, hiring a new coaching staff that brought a revived energy. Coach DJ Durkin faced challenges taking over the Terps without recruiting the players on his current roster, yet he led the squad to the Quick Lane Bowl in his first season. Maryland still struggled against the Big Ten’s top teams, losing four straight entering its regular season finale against Rutgers. The Terps defeated the Scarlet Knights, 31-13, to finish the regular season with a 6-6 record and play in a bowl game one year after the program looked like a disaster.
NOVEMBER 29: Maryland volleyball’s Gia Milana
Outside hitter Gia Milana became the first Big Ten All-Freshman nominee in Maryland volleyball history. Milana, who arrived in College Park as the Terps’ highest recruit ever, was also all an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. She started all 32 matches and recorded the most kills per game of Big Ten freshmen. She set a Maryland single-season record with 446 kills, recording double-digit kills in 26 contests. Coach Steve Aird said Milana will by a keystone to the Terps’ improvement.
DECEMBER 26: Boston College holds on for 36-30 win
over Maryland football in Quick Lane Bowl
The Maryland football team had a chance to end coach DJ Durkin’s first season on a high-note in the Quick Lane Bowl. But Maryland gave up four touchdowns, all of which occurred on breakout plays. Running back Ty Johnson helped keep Maryland in striking distance by rushing for 159 yards and two touchdowns. But Maryland’s defensive collapse proved to be the difference in a 36-30 loss, as the Terps look toward qualifying for a higher-profile bowl game next year.
DECEMBER 29: Maryland women’s basketball falls short of snapping UConn’s 86-game winning streak
The Maryland women’s basketball team displayed its not far away from knocking off Connecticut, which has won 87 straight games, when the Terps lost to the Huskies, 87-81, in College Park. Maryland trailed by five at halftime, but Connecticut broke out for a 19-point lead in the second frame. Maryland battled back in a comeback attempt, but couldn’t pull off the victory. The Terps had not been within 10 at the full buzzer in any of the teams’ previous five meetings, giving Maryland hope if the squads meet again the NCAA tournament.
Senior staff writer Kyle Melnick contributed to this report.
