The Maryland women?s basketball team could easily rest on its laurels following a 34-4 record and first-ever NCAA championship last season.
Instead, the Terps are eagerly anticipating their title defense and will set out on a very difficult schedule for the 2006-2007 season that includes games against 18 teams that qualified for the postseason last year, including 15 that qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
Maryland fifth-year coach Brenda Frese said the difficult schedule was necessary to keep her team focused and sharp as it attempts a title repeat with a roster that includes its top seven scorers and 98 percent of its offense from a year ago. Leading that group is junior forward Crystal Langhorne, who averaged 17.2 points and 8.6 rebounds last season.
“I definitely want to keep our team motivated,” Frese said following the team?s first day of practice Friday. “We have to keep finding ways to get them to perform at a high level and continue to get better.”
Frese said it was important for Maryland?s non-conference schedule to be difficult in order to best prepare the Terps for play in the Atlantic Coast Conference, including games against Final Four participants North Carolina and Duke. The Blue Devils lost to Maryland in last year?s title game.
Along with hosting Big 10 power Michigan State and playing at Temple, Maryland has not shied away from traveling to smaller schools and playing in front of intimate but hostile crowds. Maryland?s opens the season on Nov. 10 at Middle Tennessee State and plays locally at Loyola on Dec. 21.
“I wanted to challenge our teams in many types of environments,” Frese said. “Playing at Loyola is also a great way for Baltimore fans to see us play and is a great rivalry game for thearea.”
Maryland?s game at Loyola is a great chance for Baltimore fans to watch the Terps play. Tickets for the Terps? home games at Comcast Center have become a hot item. Since the end of last season, season ticket sales have gone from 2,488 to 5,758, according to Natalie Ciccone, who works in the school?s media relations department. Overall average attendance at Maryland women?s basketball games have gone from 1,286 in the 2000-01 season to 4,813 last season.
“It?s definitely a special time to be a fan of Maryland basketball,” Frese said. “I hope the fans appreciate this time as we are attracting student-athletes who feel Maryland is a unique place to go to school with great things to offer. It?s exciting to think that we have a chance to build the next long-term dynasty here.”
Making a run at a repeat
» Freshman forward Emery Wallace?s status for this season is still unclear. She recently underwent her second knee operation. Coach Brenda Frese said Wallace is at least three months away from returning to the court, and no decision has been made about whether to redshirt her.
» Sophomore guard Christie Marrone will have three years of eligibility remaining after sitting out last year following a transfer from Virginia Tech. She averaged 4.3 points and 1.5 assists a game for the Hokies in 2004-05 season.
» Junior guard Sa?de Wiley-Gatewood, who transferred from Tennessee last year, will have a year and a half of eligibility left when she is available to play in January. She averaged eight points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists in nine games for the Lady Volunteers last year.
