The best Maryland moments and stories of 2017

It’s the last day of 2017. This is the part where everyone reflects on the year that was. We’re in that group too.

Maryland sports had an up-and-down year. The Terps won national titles in men’s and women’s lacrosse and were one goal shy of completing a surprise run to a field hockey title. Those were awesome. At the same time, many fans will remember the football team losing two quarterbacks to torn ACLs in a six-quarter span, then the basketball team being riddled with injuries of its own.

We wrote about all of these things and so much more. For a group of student journalists, that’s pretty cool. Here are some of our highlights, as well as some of the most memorable Maryland sports stories of the year.

The moments (and the reactions)

Trimble’s buzzer-beater lifts Maryland over Michigan State, 63-60
The Terps’ biggest star in years dropped the mic in his last home game.
Ryan Connors: Melo Trimble’s buzzer-beater saved Maryland, and it’ll be an incredible memory

Maryland women’s lacrosse beats BC for National Championship
Cathy Reese’s team has won titles before. This season, the Terps were perfect.
Daniel Chavkin: How Maryland women’s lacrosse built an undefeated team

Maryland men’s lacrosse beats Ohio State for National Championship
This was a day four decades in the making.
Jared Goldstein: Celebrating Maryland’s first men’s lacrosse championship in 42 years

Maryland football upsets Texas, 51-41, in wild season opener
The Terps were 19-point underdogs to start 2017, but beat their first ranked opponent in seven years instead.
Thomas Kendziora: Maryland football is on the rise, and showed everyone by beating Texas

Maryland field hockey punches ticket to Final Four with 3-2 upset of Duke
And then....
Maryland field hockey routs Michigan, 5-1, to reach national title game
The Terps came up short in the final, but this was an incredible run from a team that wasn’t expected to make one this year.

Our best stories

After a breakout summer, Darryl Morsell is ready to give Maryland another point guard
Justin Fitzgerald started the year with a look at one of the Terps’ two 2017 recruits. So far in his career, Morsell has delivered.

Melo Trimble changed Maryland
On the day he declared for the NBA Draft, Matt Ellentuck examined the impact Trimble left on the whole state.

Caleb Henderson finally has his chance
It didn’t play out this way due to injuries and other reasons, but Thomas Kendziora wrote about watching a high school classmate become a Maryland quarterback.

Maryland tennis was in shambles 4 years ago. Now it’s close to breaking through.
Jared Goldstein looks at a program that’s made a remarkable turnaround.

After 7 brilliant years at Maryland, John Tillman finally has his championship
Alex Littlehales on the head coach that ended the drought.

Maryland football has its new home, and a new era is coming soon
Thomas Kendziora on being in the new Cole Field House, preseason optimism and why Maryland’s future is bright.

Eva Alexandrova could be the star Maryland tennis needs to get to the next level
Jared Goldstein went back to the tennis court and wrote about the top recruit who could become a star in College Park.

From foster care to Maryland, Ieshia Small has come a long way
Thomas Kendziora tells the story of the senior guard who’s overcome personal tragedy and an up-and-down basketball career.

From around the beat

Maryland’s Jaylen Brantley endured a difficult road to becoming a Division I contributor - The Diamondback
Kyle Stackpole on the guard’s turbulent life on and off the court.

Summer is college football season for Maryland’s strength coach - The Washington Post
Roman Stubbs on Rick Court, one of the most energetic coaches you’ll find.

Maryland's Tim Rotanz: The Warrior - Inside Lacrosse
Matt Kinnear profiled the midfielder who netted the dagger in the Terps’ title game victory.

Latest leg of Terps center Sean Obi's lifelong journey leads to Maryland - The Baltimore Sun
Don Markus on the journey of the Nigerian grad transfer from Duke.

A 5-foot-7 Georgetown grad became Maryland football’s most unlikely player - The Washington Post
Dan Steinberg perfectly captured the underdog story of Henry Darmstadter, who took the kicker job midseason and made a 51-yard field goal against Minnesota.

The emotional documentary

Big Ten Network was moved by the story of Melvin Keihn, the defensive end who left his mother in Liberia as a child. This summer, Keihn went back home for the first time in 14 years, and BTN was there to capture it.

The best GIFs, videos and more

Resolutions for 2018

• Score more points, goals and touchdowns
• Injure fewer ACLs
• Keep the juice excessive
• Learn to do that beer can thing
• Keep writing about all of this

Thanks for reading, commenting and following along in 2017. Let’s make this next year even better.