January

The year started with two decisions that felt personal to many on campus: former University of Maryland student Sean Urbanski was sentenced to life in prison for the 2017 murder of 1st Lt. Richard Collins III, and Maryland’s Board of Public Works approved the payment of a $3.5 million settlement from the university to the family of Jordan McNair, a Maryland football player that died of heatstroke after a team workout in 2018. 

Construction continued on new North Campus dorms, one of which would be later dedicated as Pyon-Chen Hall, the first dorm at this university named after people since 1914. 

On Jan. 6, the Capitol riot not only shocked the nation and world, but also the local community. The day after, Maryland and Iowa men’s basketball knelt in protest before tipoff.

February

On Feb. 1, fresh snow blanketed the campus, inviting students with the promise of snowball fights, snowmen and sledding. 

February also saw its fair share of fires, with one HVAC fire destroying the beloved campus staple Today’s Hair and another fire igniting a pile of trash by Fraternity Row.

But, as more students returned to campus in the spring semester, COVID-19 once again reared its ugly head, prompting a sequester in place and the closing of Eppley Recreation Center for a week. Other parts of campus were also impacted by pandemic restrictions, with the 251 North dining hall implementing limited hours.

In the midst of the white snow and a gloomy pandemic, we also saw some color. The Stu, a Greenbelt photo studio, opened its doors Feb. 6, offering five color-coordinated rooms for both selfie-connoisseurs and professional photographers.

March

A year after the start of the coronavirus pandemic, University of Maryland community members were slowly starting to get vaccinated, with mass vaccination sites opening across the state.

On March 8, Colin Byrd, the mayor of Greenbelt and a former University of Maryland student, announced that he will be challenging Sen. Chris Van Hollen for one of Maryland’s seats in the U.S. Senate in 2022.

March also brought the first home track and field meet in two years, with the Terps hosting the Maryland Invitational. 

Of course, March would not be complete without basketball. 

Mid-month, we journeyed to Indianapolis to cover Maryland men’s and women’s basketball competing in the Big Ten tournaments. 

In Indy, former sports editor David Suggs and assistant photo editor Joe Ryan took a deep dive into how Indianapolis’ Black music scene was ramping up for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. 

As the NCAA women’s basketball tournament got underway in San Antonio, Texas, Maryland women’s basketball players took to social media to call out organizers. 

Just a few days prior, photos of less-than-mediocre facilities flooded social media. While the men’s facilities in Indianapolis had full weight rooms, the women got a single rack of dumbbells and some yoga mats. The disparities continued through food, goodie bags and covid testing.

April

When a group of six demonstrators armed with signs that read “Jesus or Hellfire” and “feminists are whores,” set up camp outside of McKeldin Library, students came together in protest. The demonstrators yelled at students, especially those who were women, Muslim, Jewish or part of the LGBTQ+ community. Students ridiculed their rhetoric, with one even throwing a dildo at the demonstrators.

May

On May 31, fans cheered on Maryland’s men’s lacrosse as they took on Virginia in the national championship game in Connecticut. The Terps ended their perfect season with a 17-16 loss.

June

After years of construction, Maryland football debuted the Jones-Hill House on June 4, named after the first Black football and men’s basketball athletes to attend the University of Maryland. The facility features three practice fields, specialized team rooms, three pools, state-of-the-art workout technology, a barbershop and a turtle-shaped pizza oven.

July

The February fire that forced Today’s Hair to close caused approximately $60,000 worth of damages to affected businesses. More than five months later in July, Today’s Hair was still closed, as owners Pola and Sokha Kry worked to get it ready for a reopening by the start of the school year.

August

In August, University of Maryland students finally made their return to campus, bustling from class to class after a year of virtual learning.

September

After years of student activism, the university installed menstrual product dispensers in 25 buildings for the fall semester. 

The Diamondback also took a look back at the lasting damage inflicted by a tornado that tore through campus twenty years ago on Sept. 24. The storm whipped 200 mph winds, destroying apartments and roughly 300 cars, leaving two dead.

September also brought with it a striped saga that would end up lasting months, captivating not only local audiences, but also the nation. Five zebras escaped a private farm in Upper Marlboro and were only caught on Dec. 15. Unfortunately, one of them died. 

Sports also kicked off, with fans filling the stands at Maryland Stadium. Volleyball and field hockey also found explosive starts to what would become successful seasons. 

As the month came to a close, students took to McKeldin Mall for the first in-person First Look Fair since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

October

Following sexual assault allegations against a Pi Kappa Alpha affiliate, the university’s Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life placed a cease and desist on the fraternity, in addition to suspending their recognition on campus.

In late October, Insomnia Cookies reopened in College Park, bringing both the smell of freshly baked cookies and a new menu with it. Unfortunately, Bagel Place, a College Park staple, closed its doors on Oct. 29 due to leasing disputes.

That same week, the university’s theatre, dance and performance studies school put on Little Women: The Broadway Musical in the Kay Theatre, marking a return to in-person theatre.

November

December

December capped off a tumultuous year. 

On Dec. 1, during Maryland men’s basketball's loss to Virginia Tech in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, fans honored a Maryland basketball legend: Len Bias. Bias, who was the second pick of the first round of the 1986 NBA draft, died of an overdose just two days later.

Maryland men’s basketball head coach Mark Turgeon suddenly resigned two days after the game. Two weeks later, winter commencement was canceled and the campus saw record COVID-19 cases.

On Dec. 29, Maryland football took on Virginia Tech in the Pinstripe Bowl, played at Yankee Stadium in New York. In their first bowl appearance since 2016, the Terps bashed the Hokies 50-14, smashing several records along the way.