Let?s get this party started. That is the sentiment that Brenda Frese shared with the crowd, as the head coach and her Terps women?s basketball team were introduced at Maryland Madness Friday night.
It was a near-capacity crowd at theComcast Center for the annual celebration and introduction of both the Maryland?s men?s and women?s teams Friday night.
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“This is a little more than a celebration of basketball,” junior forward James Gist said at the men?s media day before Maryland Madness. “We have Maryland printed on our chests. We represent the state of Maryland, we represent the University of Maryland.”
“To have about 18,000 fans in here to support you and this upcoming season, that is a great feeling. We owe a lot to them this year,” Gist said, without alluding to what surprise the men?s team had in store for the crowd. That surprise ended up being a brief dance medley on the court at Comcast.
Terps fans turned out for both the men and the women, and Frese was quick to show her appreciation.
“We are truly honored and humbled to have your support here tonight,” Frese said to the crowd. The Maryland women are the reigning national champions and enter the season with a No. 1 preseason ranking. They are returning 98 percent of their offense, 95 percent of their defense and all five starters.
Frese said she accomplished the goal she set four years ago when she took over at Maryland by bringing the school its first-ever women?s NCAA national title.
“I have one more goal, and I need your help,” Frese told the fans. “We finished No. 2 in the ACC in attendance behind Duke. I want to beat Duke on the court, and I want to beat them in the stands with your help.”
“It?s more exciting because of the women and the national championship they won,” said Mike Patterson, 34, of Baltimore. Patterson, a long-time Terps fan was at is third Maryland Madness.
“I am excited to see how Gary comes out,” Patterson said, referring to previous entrances by men?s head coach Gary Williams. The 18-year head coach of the Terps did not disappoint, appearing at midcourt out of a puff of smoke like David Copperfield.
The head coach reiterated to the crowd one of the goals he has for the team off the court was for his players to become excellent student-athletes and good citizens on campus.
“I want you to get to know our players, and I want our players to get to know you,” Williams said.
Before the men started their 10-minute intra-squad scrimmage to conclude the night, Williams made one guarantee to the thousands of Maryland fans in the Comcast Center.
“I guarantee this year that these guys right here are going to go far, and we are going to have a good basketball team,” Williams said.
