Watch Maryland basketball place Andrew Terrell on scholarship

Maryland men’s basketball entered feel-good territory Friday by placing senior walk-on Andrew Terrell on a full athletic scholarship. That means his last semester of college will be fully paid for as a reward for his dedication to the team the last four years.

In a team meeting, head coach Mark Turgeon called Terrell up to read what was supposed to be an excerpt from his blog, TiltedBench.com. Instead, the Indianapolis, Indiana, native read the first line of his scholarship before getting mobbed by his teammates.

Once the mob cleared, Terrell called his parents to tell them the good news. He becomes just the second scholarship senior for the Terps, joining Ivan Bender. But stories like this are always more about the hard work the player has put in and what they mean to the team, rather than what they can add on the court. Terrell’s dad, Mick, may have put it best.

“Just think about everything you’ve done,” the elder Terrell told his son. “Everything, being a good teammate, doing everything in practice. And then, just all the stuff you’ve done to bring attention, just positive stuff to the team.”

Terrell has been a consistent presence for the Terps since he joined in 2015, although he missed last season’s final 18 games after tearing ligaments in his left ankle. He’s returned and appeared in four games this season. The 5’10 guard has made 23 appearances over his career, posting five points, four assists and two boards in that time. Most recently, he’s started his blog, chronicling his time in college while taking on that senior leader role for this young team.

A handful of players get honored like this each year, and it’s a heartwarming experience. Turgeon adding Terrell to that list is a class act, rewarding a player that’s earned it with his enthusiasm and willingness to do whatever the team needs.