Welcome to The Diamondback Sports Digest. Every week, we send you a rundown of the latest Maryland athletics news.
The vibes around Maryland football are not immaculate. The Terps faced their first loss this season in an ugly defeat to Michigan State.
In this week’s newsletter, we’ll detail what went wrong Saturday, field hockey’s early-season success, a strong recruiting week for Maryland lacrosse and more.
Self-inflicted blunders haunt Maryland football
Coach Michael Locksley and his players often quote the mantra “Terps vs. Terps” when asked how the program can take the next step. The phrase indirectly admits Maryland’s frequent carelessness in key moments and tendency to play down to opponents.
All of those rang true in the Terps’ 27-24 loss to the Spartans.
Maryland suffered nine penalties, including a handful in crucial moments. The Terps made questionable play calls on multiple short yardage situations down the stretch.
Their secondary was consistently burned downfield, none more destructive than Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh’s 77-yard touchdown grab in the final five minutes.
Redshirt freshman Aidan Chiles recorded 363 yards and three touchdowns in his second career start. A week prior, he mustered just 114 yards through the air against Florida Atlantic.
“This is one we should’ve won,” Locksley said. “When all three phases had a chance to win the game for us, none of [them] came through. We were 0-for-3. That’s the part we’ve gotta get fixed.”
Maryland lacrosse gets busy on the recruiting trail
The men’s and women’s lacrosse squads landed a combined seven commits in the 2026 recruiting cycle’s first week. One of those players has a familiar last name.
Cayden Reese, coach Cathy Reese’s daughter and the No. 1 player in the 2026 class, committed to Maryland on Sept. 1. The 5-foot-9 attacker is described as a cerebral player who sees the game at a high level — not a surprise for the daughter of two coaches. Her father, Brian Reese, is the girls’ lacrosse coach at Maryvale Prep.
Men’s lacrosse coach John Tillman secured three four-star commits. Drew Demarinis, the 42nd-ranked prospect according to Inside Lacrosse, is the early face of the group. Recruiting reporter Michael Howes has more on the programs’ successful week.
Maryland field hockey splits a pair
The No. 4 Terps marched into Evanston, Illinois, for the Big Ten-ACC Cup over the weekend. They won their first game over No. 17 Boston College but fell to No. 5 Duke on Sunday, 1-0.
Maryland recorded 11 and 10 shots, respectively, in the two contests. Only 40 percent of them were on target against the Blue Devils, a notable drop from the Terps’ 55 percent mark versus the Eagles.
Coach Missy Meharg’s defense has been strong through four matches. Maryland hasn’t allowed more than one goal in a game yet.
But offensive efficiency could be the swing factor that determines whether or not Maryland reaches its first NCAA championship since 2018.
Best bits
- Glen Miller is a key cog in Maryland football’s secondary. He faced a winding path up the depth chart.
- Maryland men’s soccer is above .500 for the first time since 2022 after beating Brown on Friday, 2-1.
- Maryland women’s soccer uses Lil Yachty and dance parties for energy boosts before matches.
- Setters Sydney Dowler and Zoe Huang are veteran leaders for Maryland volleyball both on and off the court.
- Maryland women’s soccer scored four goals against VCU, its highest single-game total since 2019.
Stat of the week:
The last time Maryland football forced three interceptions in a game and lost was Nov. 21, 2009, against Florida State.
Tweet of the week:
For all the talk about Maryland football’s struggles, the future seems to remain bright. Jaylen Gilchrist, Locksley’s highest-ranked 2025 commit, reaffirmed his commitment in interesting fashion:
“I’m loyal , only way I flip is if the university disintegrates. #FreeGrandma”
— Jaylen Gilchrist (@7_5ive), Sept. 8, 2024
