Twice honored for leadership, Maryland field hockey’s Logan Anderson puts her team first

Maryland field hockey’s leadership starts at the very top.

Head coach Missy Meharg has become an icon in her 36 years leading the Terps (16-5), winning seven national titles and nine coach of the year awards. Her two captains this year, backers Rayne Wright and Maura Verleg, each earned All-Big Ten honors after starting every game this season.

But while most Maryland fans recognize Meharg, Wright and Verleg, one lesser-known Terp was recently awarded for her leadership. Last week, senior forward Logan Anderson was named by Maryland’s coaching staff as the team’s honoree for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.

The award recognizes a student-athlete at each Big Ten school who “distinguishes themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior.” Anderson, who was also nominated as a sophomore in 2021, became the first Terp to earn the award multiple times since Maryland joined the Big Ten in 2014.

“She’s so selfless and incredibly hard working. Every step she takes is for everyone around her,” Meharg said of Anderson. “She’s quite a leader … and leaders lead. She has a great responsibility and wants to be followed.”

Anderson has shown selflessness for the Terps throughout her career, contributing in ways beyond the box score. The senior appeared in only seven games over her first three years and made her lone collegiate start this year in Maryland’s season opener at Stanford.

“Missy emphasizes knowing your role on the team, because we’re all important,” Anderson explained. “Maryland field hockey has always been about not only giving everything you have at practice, but to everybody on the team. We emphasize our team culture and … doing what the team needs by putting everybody first.”

Anderson also serves as the president of Maryland’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), an organization she’s been affiliated with since she was a freshman. As she has with the field hockey team, Anderson has taken command while serving as the appointed voice for Maryland student-athletes.

“It’s given me such leadership roles,” Anderson said of the SAAC. “I’ve had to take on more responsibility than I’m sometimes used to, and that’s transferred over into how I approach my role on the team.”

Anderson and her teammates will now rely on their team-first mentality with the NCAA Tournament on the horizon.