The Maryland women?s basketball team cut down the nets, visited the White House and received accolades from across the country in the seven months since defeating Duke for the program?s first national title.
Now, the players and coaches know all the celebrating is behind them as they prepare for the upcoming 2006-07 season with hopes of playing deep into March again.
Winning one national championship is difficult enough, but Terps coach Brenda Frese knows that winning a second one is even tougher for a team like Maryland, which plays in the ultra-tough Atlantic Coast Conference, a league where three of last year?s Final Four teams reside.
At the same time, the Terps have the rare advantage of returning their entire starting lineup, 98 percent of their defense and 95 percent of their rebounding from last season. That, combined with the addition of two transfers and a freshman, give Maryland as good a chance as any team in ending the season No. 1 again.
“As we look forward and prepare for the 2006-2007 season, we?re excited and we welcome the new challenge to this new year,” Frese said Tuesday during the team?s annual media day event at Comcast Center. “Obviously, you have a lot of question marks when you come in at this point in time, in terms of how your team can handle new expectations with a new target on their backs, how we?re going to handle getting everyone?s best game for next 35-plus games, what our chemistry is going to be like, and obviously, how healthy we?re going to be.”
On the surface, there doesn?t appear to be too many goals left unattained following last year?s 34-4 record. But Frese said that is far from the truth. Maryland finished third in the ACC regular season and lost in the conference tournament final. Also, while Maryland was second in the ACC in scoring (83.3 points per game) last year, it was ninth out of 12 teams in scoring defense (65) and 10th in turnover margin (-2).
“It?s time to get back to business,” junior center Laura Harper said. “We?ve had the red carpet laid out for us and people have recognized and congratulated us all over College Park. But now, we have to humble ourselves, move forward and work hard to win another national championship.”
History repeating?
» The Terps play their lone exhibition game Thursday at 7 p.m. when they host the LTL All-Stars at the Comcast Center. The regular season begins Nov. 10 when Maryland plays at Middle Tennessee State, with the home opener set for Nov. 12 against George Mason.
» Maryland received 25 of 38 first-place votes en route to being selected as the preseason favorite to win the ACC. The selection is the second time in school history and the first since 1991.
