No. 4 Maryland field hockey returns to the Field Hockey and Women’s Lacrosse Complex for the first time since clinching its 20th Final Four appearance last season.
The Terps, then fell to Liberty 3-2 in double overtime in the Semifinals, coming up just short of earning the team’s first National Championship appearance since 2011.
“Our goals are going to be very concentrated every day that we’re together,” head coach Missy Meharg said. “So every session, every match, every trip, every meeting that we’re just super concentrated on being as good as we can possibly be.”
This year, the Terps return a stacked team featuring midfielder Bibi Donraadt and defender Riley Donnelly, who use their extra year of eligibility to come back to College Park. Midfielder Emma DeBerdine and reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year forward Hope Rose also are featured as some key players for Maryland this season.
Donraadt led the Terps with 13 goals last season while DeBerdine led the team with assists with 9. Rose was also a scoring machine, scoring 10 goals. All three were named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List on Thursday.
The Terps have seven incoming freshmen joining the team and two grad transfers in forward/midfielder Leah Crouse from Duke and midfielder Danielle van Rootselaar from Brown.
“I think the team dynamic is incredible,” DeBerdine said. “Everyone no matter what age you are is hanging out and getting along so well and having a great time together.”
The Terps will open the season taking on Drexel on Friday, with a familiar face on the visitor’s bench, as former Terps midfielder/defender Taylor Mason transferred to Drexel for grad school. Mason’s Dragon debut will come on her former pitch.
“Definitely bittersweet,” Donnelly said. “We’re sad not to have her like on our team but it will be exciting to see her shine.”
Maryland looks to remain undefeated against Drexel as they hold a perfect 9-0 record all time against them.
Some underrated players to watch this season are senior midfielder Belle Bressler and sophomore midfielder Kylee Niswonger.
Bressler had a goal and assist in the exhibition game to go along with scoring her first two collegiate goals last season while Niswonger was a reliable player off the bench. Niswonger appeared in 19 games last season.
Also, a new starting goalie for the Terps for the first time since 2019 stands in front of the cage as Noelle Frost graduated last winter and is now the Volunteer Assistant Coach.
Senior Christina Calandra and sophomore Paige Kieft are the two goalies on the roster, but there is no definitive starter in goal announced to start this season.
“We have two great goalkeepers who have been training really hard and we’ll see how we go,” assistant coach Scott Tupper said. “We’re still looking forward to both our goalkeepers competing and hopefully they push each other.”
Maryland will take on 12 ranked opponents this season including No. 1 Northwestern, No. 3 Michigan, No. 7 Harvard, and No. 12 Virginia.
Maryland will be tested this season as the Big Ten is the best field hockey conference in the country with seven of nine teams ranked.
