By Christian Andriolas

Maryland volleyball is on the rise, as seen in on-court play and statistical improvements throughout the past two seasons. The Terps finished last year’s campaign with a final record of 17-15 overall (7-13 in conference play) – a one win improvement from 2022.

But with four new teams joining the Big Ten to begin 2024 play, the landscape of Terps’ conference play now looks drastically different. Head coach Adam Hughes noted this as a challenge, as all four new teams – UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington – have national championship pedigree spread throughout its top sports.

Last season, the Big Ten had two 11 win teams (in conference games) – Illinois and Indiana, both with over-.500 records overall – that didn’t make the national NCAA tournament. The addition of the four former Pac-12 schools makes the previously stacked conference even more of an uphill battle this season. 

The Terps are returning plenty of experience as well, with 8 combined seniors and fifth year players on their roster. The addition of several talented underclassmen gives Maryland reason to be optimistic this year. 

As a member of the 1,000-kill-club, fifth year senior Sam Csire brings an unmatched level of experience and offensive firepower that should make her a leader on and off the court. 

Alongside Csire, Samantha Schnitta also looks to play a big role in the offense following her 200-kill 2023 campaign. Fellow graduate student Anastasia Russ, proved to be one of the most efficient middle blockers in the country last season, and hopes to keep that momentum rolling this time around.  

Coach Hughes also mentioned a multitude of freshmen that have impressed so far. Lily Wagner, Katherine Scherer, and Duru Gökçen all join loaded position groups, yet all three can expect meaningful minutes this season. 

Maryland’s mix of decorated veterans and exciting underclassmen can be labeled as a good problem to have. 

The layout of the schedule appears favorable for the Terps. Maryland’s campaign is front loaded, with 11 matches in their first four weeks (against all non-conference opponents) – allowing the Terps more time to figure out and tool with various lineups. 

Following those four weeks are 10 weeks of conference play. Unlike many other conferences, the Big Ten uses all 20 of their potential conference matches, compared to the normal 18.

The 2024 campaign officially starts on Friday for Maryland. The Terps travel south to Baton Rouge for the LSU Tournament, where they’ll face Troy, LSU, and New Hampshire.