Welcome back to The Diamondback Sports Digest. Every week, we send you a rundown of the latest Maryland athletics news.
Few conclusions can be drawn from a college football team’s spring game, especially during the transfer portal and Name, Imagine and Likeness era. But Maryland held its annual game on Saturday, giving fans a glimpse into the team’s present and future.
In this week’s newsletter, we’ll recap that event, a Big Ten tournament title game and more.
Maryland football hits the field
The Terps played with a partial roster and modified rules, but the game still offered a glimpse of the group that will compete this fall.
Malik Washington, Justyn Martin and Khristian Martin traded most of the reps at quarterback. Washington threw for 168 yards and two touchdowns, while Martin racked up 269 yards and four touchdowns.
Each quarterback showed promise. Washington brings the most expectations — something Locksley recognizes — but the coach said the freshman is built for the pressure that comes with competing for a starting role.
“Even though he has a lack of experience in our system, he doesn’t have a lack of experience in managing a team, managing offenses,” Locksley said. “Looking forward to seeing his progress over the course of the next two to three months.”
Women’s lacrosse comes up short
Maryland women’s lacrosse faced some offensive struggles leading up to last week’s Big Ten tournament. The Terps scored single-digit goals in three of their last four regular season contests.
They put those concerns to rest in the quarterfinals and semifinals — racking up 17 and 13 goals against Rutgers and Michigan respectively. But the woes returned in the tournament’s championship game with an 8-7 loss to Northwestern — the Terps’ second straight loss to Northwestern in the Big Ten tournament finals.
Midfielder Kori Edmondson missed a free position shot with two seconds left to seal the loss. Coach Cathy Reese said she would “100 percent” put Edmondson out there again despite the miss, calling her the best midfielder in the country.
A program on the rise
Bob Nelligan coached Maryland gymnastics for 31 years, leading a program with limited resources and a lack of exposure. Nearly 16 years after he retired, his son and current Terps coach Brett Nelligan is leading the program to greater heights, doing things Bob Nelligan “always wanted to do,” the former coach said.
Maryland posted its highest NCAA regional score in school history this season. The Terps played twice on ESPN against West Virginia and No. 1 LSU, while the postseason was ESPN’s most-watched women’s gymnastics postseason on record, according to Forbes.
Brett Nelligan said slow but consistent progress — something the Terps continued this season — will help them break into the top half of the Big Ten and gain national relevance.
Best Bits
- Injuries and problems in the frontcourt plagued Maryland women’s basketball in an otherwise successful season.
- Gianna Ruffing broke out late this season for Maryland gymnastics, and the sophomore’s role is only expected to grow.
- Maryland baseball dropped its 10th consecutive series dating back to last season.
- Maryland softball’s bats stumbled on Friday and it got swept by Penn State over the weekend.
- Maryland women’s lacrosse’s captains helped it push through a tough offensive stretch ahead of the Big Ten tournament.
Stat of the week
Maryland women’s lacrosse has made the Big Ten tournament championship every year except 2015 and 2024.
Quote of the week
“There’s not much to say today,” coach Matt Swope said after Maryland baseball’s 21-5 loss to Nebraska on Sunday. “That wasn’t really a baseball game.”
