2006 NCAA Champions 2006-07 Maryland Basketball 27 Sports GREAT TEAMS & MOMENTS Great Teams and Great Moments define Maryland women’s basketball since it earned varsity distinction in the 1970s, rising quickly among the nation’s elite and maintaining excellence nearly 30 years later. The biggest TERRAPIN TRADITION moment in the program’s history is winning the National Championship in 2006. • 1 NATIONAL TITLE Two eras mark the history of Maryland women’s basketball. For 30 years, Chris Weller had been synonymous • 4 FINAL FOUR APPEARANCES with the Terrapins, beginning with her legacy first as a player in the mid-1960s, only to return later as an assistant • 20 NATIONAL TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES coach, and eventually, a head coach until her retirement in 2002. The Weller Era was marked by NCAA Tourna- • 8 ACC CHAMPIONSHIP CROWNS ments, collegiate milestones and perennial national rankings. • 1 30-WIN SEASON; 13 20-WIN SEASONS The Frese Era began in April 2002 and quickly reshaped the Terrapins back into a national powerhouse, claiming • 5 OLYMPIANS the program’s first national title in 2006. Frese has put Maryland back on the map with some of the best talent in • 4 ALL-AMERICANS the nation donning the Terrapin uniform. • 26 ALL-ACC HONOREES Here is a chronological look at highlights – great moments – in Terrapin history. • 1 RHODES SCHOLAR 1972-73 1977-78 1980-81 STATE CHAMPIONS ACC CHAMPIONS ACC CHAMPIONS Maryland wins its first state championship with a 46-43 AIAW FINALS AIAW QUARTERFINALS victory over Morgan State. The Terps register their best season to date, with numerous Maryland continues its prominence in the EAIAW Re- “firsts.” Maryland captures the first of its now unprecedented gional, advancing to the title game for the fourth straight eight ACC championships, earns a second-place finish in the season. A 64-63 win over emerging rival NC State on Feb. 1974-75 EAIAW Tournament and finishes sixth in the final AP poll. The 14 helps the Terps capture the ACC crown for the third time STATE CHAMPIONS Terps beat UCLA and Olympian Ann Myers, 92-88 on Jan. 4 in its first four years of existence, and finish with a No. 8 AIAW REGIONAL in a preview to the eventual national title bout. In the midst of ranking in the Associated Press poll. A trip to the national The Terps wind their way to the second of three state an 11-game win streak to open the season and a 117-47 win tournament in Knoxville, Tenn., results in a win over Kentucky titles, finishing 11-6 in the final season under Dottie McKnight. over Duke, Maryland grabs a still-standing record 29 steals and a loss to the homestanding Volunteers. Perhaps most notable was the first-ever women’s basketball on Jan. 14. Maryland bests No. 2 NC State 89-82 on Feb. game ever to be televised on Jan. 26 from Cole Field House. 11 to win the ACC title, and Tara Heiss establishes what is Maryland lost to defending national champion Immaculata. still the school mark for single game assists with 17 against 1981-82 ACC CHAMPIONS Rutgers on Feb. 28. Weller’s upset magic continues with a NCAA FINAL FOUR win over No. 1 ranked Tennessee on March 17 and a win “Four” becomes a magical number to Chris Weller and her over Southern Connecticut sends the Terps to the first-ever crew as the Terps win 25 times to advance to their second AIAW Final Four. Maryland downs Wayland Baptist on March Final Four – this time it is the first NCAA Final Four just four 23 to win its first game in Final Four history. On March 25 a years after appearing in the national title game in the first- record crowd of 9,351 and national television audience on ever AIAW Final Four. The Terps capture their fourth ACC NBC Sports World watch host UCLA defeat the Terps 90-74 title with a 93-81 win over Clemson on Feb. 28. The Terps at Pauley Pavilion for the national championship. earn the No. 2 seed in the NCAA West Regional and defeat Stanford 82-48 in Cole Field House to mark the campus’ 1978-79 first NCAA Tournament game on March 14. The Terps trek ACC CHAMPIONS west for a win over Missouri on March 19, and Drake two The first-ever televised women’s basketball game. AIAW QUARTERFINALS days later to earn a trip to their second Final Four. Cheyney The Terps capture their second straight ACC title and State upends Maryland 76-66 to end the season on March 1975-76 reach the AIAW National Tournament for the second straight 26, but not without a No. 3 billing in the final AP poll marking EAIAW REGIONAL season. Maryland achieves its highest national ranking on the highest finish in Maryland history. The 1975-76 season is best known as the beginning Nov. 25 with a spot in the No. 2 position. The Terps down of the “Chris Weller Era.” Maryland successfully defends NC State in Raleigh on Feb. 10 to claim their second ACC its state championship and finishes fourth in the EAIAW banner. Maryland finishes 22-7 and ends the campaign with 1982-83 ACC CHAMPIONS Regionals in Pittsburgh, Pa. The Terps go 20-4 in Weller’s a No. 8 national ranking. NCAA SWEET SIXTEEN first season with an 18-2 regular season marred only by a Maryland tops Rutgers 83-66 on Jan. 26 to run its school pair of one-point losses. 1979-80 record win streak to 16 games to open the season. NC State AIAW QUARTERFINALS knocks the Terps from the ranks of unbeaten on Jan. 29, 1976-77 Kris Kirchner logs her name in the Terp record book with though only five weeks later the Terrapins earn revenge by EAIAW REGIONAL a modest 15-point effort against Seton Hall on Feb. 29. Its downing the Wolfpack 84-81 for their fifth ACC crown on Maryland receives its first national ranking on Nov. 25 significance is her contribution to 1,351 points to establish March 6. Maryland earns the No. 3 seed in the East Region with a No. 15 billing by the Associated Press. The Terps a Maryland career record. Maryland captures its first EAIAW and defeats Central Michigan on March 19 in an opening- would finish in the No. 16 spot at season’s end, but not Regional Tournament title with a 79-70 win over Rutgers on round game. Maryland eventually falls to Old Dominion in after a 17-6 final record and fourth-place finish in the EAIAW March 8. Jane Zivalich is named a Rhodes Scholar finalist the regional semifinal and ends the year with a No. 7 national Regionals. Maryland downs Virginia 79-67 on Feb. 11 to and the Terps advance to the AIAW quarterfinals. Maryland mark the beginning of the Terrapins’ second-longest series finishes with a No. 6 national ranking and a 21-9 record for in history. Jane Zivalich becomes the first Terp chosen for its third straight 20-win season. Tara Heiss is named to the the U.S. Select Team. 1980 U.S. Olympic squad. 168 • All-Time Honors 2006-07 Maryland Basketball 1 Team ranking. The Terps conclude the season as the NCAA lead- Maryland finishes eighth in the final poll released by USA To- ers in field goal percentage statistics, behind the strength day, and ninth by AP. Junior Vicky Bullett breaks Maryland’s 1991-92 of Kodak All-American Jasmina Perazic – Maryland’s first all-time scoring and rebounding marks with still a year to play, NCAA ELITE EIGHT One of the Terps’ most exciting seasons saw Maryland to be so honored. and stars for the U.S. Olympic team during August 1988. She finish 25-6 in 1991-92, including the first No. 1 ranking in wins a gold medal in the Summer Games while averaging school history and a Cole Field House sellout crowd of 4.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in five games. 14,500 to watch No. 1 Maryland and No. 2 Virginia. Prior 1983-84 NCAA FIRST ROUND to that historic, No. 3 Maryland downs top-ranked Virginia The Terps fail to win 20 games for the first time in three 1988-89 67-65 in Charlottesville on Jan. 15 to mark the second time seasons, but record at least 19 for the seventh straight year. ACC CHAMPIONS in history that the Terps had beaten a No. 1 team. The win Maryland is ranked 17th in the final AP poll and earns a No. NCAA FINAL FOUR catapults the Terps to their first-ever No. 1 ranking on Jan. 6 seed in the NCAA East Region. Maryland’s most successful season? Perhaps. Vicky 21, a post they would hold for four weeks. Maryland wins its Bullett and Deanna Tate both earn Kodak All-America honors first five games to defend the ranking and runs its win streak as the Terps embark on an all-time best 29-3 record. Included to 11 games overall to set up a Virginia rematch on Feb. 11 1984-85 in the mark was another perfect home record, 12-0, which ran at Cole Field House. The Cole sellout still is the largest ACC Maryland enters the 1984-85 season having been ranked Maryland’s Cole Field House win streak to 27. On March 5, crowd in history and one of the largest in collegiate women’s in the AP Top 20 for 128 consecutive weeks — the most by Maryland defeats Virginia 89-66 to win its 17th consecutive history.