A chorus of chants broke out during the first timeout of No. 22 Maryland men’s basketball’s game against No. 16 Illinois on Dec. 2. 

The record-setting student section repeated “We want Nyck” in the direction of five-star football athlete Nyckoles Harbor, who was sitting courtside alongside Maryland football coach Mike Locksley, former men’s basketball coach Gary Williams, ESPN anchor Scott Van Pelt and star tennis player Frances Tiafoe.

Beforehand, papers were given out informing the fans that Harbor was in attendance. People were asked to chant after the 16th minute, and the paper told them to feel free to ask for a picture and to suggest to the local recruit that he should “stay home.”

The Terps and their fanbase put forth a heavy push for the player ranked by 247Sports as the 11th best in his class. Maryland also won the basketball game.

[Recruiting roundup: Maryland women’s soccer lands commits in 2023 and 2024]

On3 gives the Terps the fourth highest odds to land the local prospect, behind Michigan, LSU and South Carolina. Harbor is listed at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, while earning praise from On3 as one of the best sprinters in the country. 

If he were to commit to Maryland, he would be the only player above a three-star ranking so far in the 2023 class, per 247Sports. He would also be the only Maryland commit among the top 600 nationally ranked players in the class, greatly helping a Terps commit list which is ranked by 247Sports as the 47th best in the nation — their lowest rank since 2015.

Commits

Men’s Lacrosse

Henry Hasselbeck, 2024, Midfield

Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood, Massachusetts

The son of former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck played multiple sports for his high school, including as the quarterback for his football team. While not completely shutting out football, his father told the Baltimore Sun that the offer would have to be “impressive” for Hasselbeck to decommit.

[Recruiting roundup: Four-star edge rusher with Maryland ties decommits from North Carolina]

Hasselbeck is a 6-foot-3, 185-pound, four-star midfielder. He is already the eighth player who is ranked as a four-star or higher to commit to Maryland men’s lacrosse, per Inside Lacrosse. 

Women’s Soccer

Dani Gichner, 2024, Defender

Eclipse Select in Arlington Heights, Illinois

A week after women’s soccer landed two players, two additional players in the class of 2024 committed this week. Gichner is ranked by Top Drawer Soccer as a three-star defender who, in 2021, earned ECNL all-conference honors in the midwest.

Emily Lenhard, 2024, Midfielder

Brooke Point High School in Stafford, Virginia

Lenhard scored 14 goals and had 13 assists last season while being named all-district per the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star. She also has proven to come up big in clutch situations, scoring four game-winning goals.