One week after giving birth to twin boys, Maryland women’s coach Brenda Frese was courtside.
Frese came for the pregame ceremony on Sunday to honor five seniors. It was important to be there for the final home game of a class that turned around a program. Still, it wasn’t easy leaving Markus and Tyler behind with their grandparents. Nor was it easy to control her emotions. Combining coaching and parenthood in one week was a little overwhelming as the Terrapins coach stopped in midsentence.
“You’re going purely on adrenalin,” Frese said. “You find a way to block out any pain you’re feeling. I’m sure I’ll be suffering this week, paying for it, but it’s definitely worth it. It took me a lot to get here today, but I’m glad to have the support from so many great people to be here. Just like having a team, I have … an army at my house.”
It was a pure adrenalin for more than two hours in College Park. Saying goodbye to a quartet of players who committed to Maryland when the Terps were 10-18 in Frese’s first season only to win 112 games and a national championship with another title run still possible for No. 4 Maryland (28-2) was nearly as hard for Frese as saying “see ya soon” to the twins.
Forward Laura Harper admitted the emotional day contributed to the team’s slow start that finally slipped to an eight-point deficit in the final minutes.
“As much as we didn’t want it to, the emotions did play some part,” she said. “This day meant so much to this program. Sometimes it’s hard to shake those off.”
After resting in the lockerroom though halftime, Frese returned to her easy chair aside the bench for the second half with Maryland nursing a 32-31 lead. She started quiet, trying not to step on assistant Daron Park who has taken over during Frese’s absence. But motherhood hasn’t softened Frese, who followed on a controversial call with a few words her mother wouldn’t haven approved of.
The game became crazy, the crowd of 16,135 was insane and the energy flowed as Maryland forced overtime. Soon, five different players scored on the decisive run as Maryland ended with points on 15 straight possessions to beat Florida State 92-84. A knockout ending to the team’s fifth perfect season at home, including 19-0 this year.
But there was one last tear remaining as senior Crystal Langhorne’s jersey was unveiled next to the 2006 national banner. The Terps will play the NCAA’s first weekend at Comcast Center so it’s not the end just yet for this crew, but it was the final time with a partisan crowd.
Frese hugged Langhorne one more time, suddenly knowing that coaching and parenthood really are similar. You raise them to move on, but it’s never easy saying goodbye.
“The twins are great — I can’t wait to get back and see them,” Frese said. “Someone asked me what it’s like to have twins. I’ll tell you what it’s like — winning the national championship and winning one every day of the week.”
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
