Welcome to The Diamondback Sports Digest: your weekly all-access pass to everything Maryland sports.

Basketball is back in College Park.

The women’s team seems primed to be one of the top teams in the country. Coach Brenda Frese added a pair of strong transfers and returned leading scorer Kaylene Smikle. The Terps are loaded, as their No. 10 preseason ranking suggests.

Meanwhile, the men’s team is filled with new faces. The entire roster departed after coach Kevin Willard left for Villanova in the offseason. Several players missed the exhibition game against UMBC due to injuries, too.

Keep reading for a deeper look into the basketball programs.

Men’s basketball’s Diggy Coit, offensive rebounding

Head coach Buzz Williams and the Maryland men’s basketball team poses for a picture at the basketball media day on Oct. 23, 2025. (Ryan Bowie/The Diamondback)

Pharrel Payne led the way to an 82-21 win against UMBC on Monday, but with a few players out with injury, we couldn’t see the full extent of Williams’ rotation.

Our men’s basketball reporters anticipate this team will have a myriad of scoring options, despite currently not having a go-to scorer. That’s a key stat to follow this season, along with the Terps’ offensive rebounding, Rice’s finishing and Williams’ coaching decisions.

One of the players who did play Monday was Diggy Coit. Read more of deputy sports editor Ben Geffner’s story about Coit and his road to College Park.

Oluchi Okananwa at Maryland women’s basketball’s media day in Xfinity Center on Oct. 23, 2025. (Faith Bissen/The Diamondback)

Women’s basketball’s early rotation tells, Oluchi Okananwa’s fashion brand

The Terps lost against the NC State in their exhibition game, but the early signs are encouraging.

Oluchi Okananwa, who transferred from Duke this offseason, led the team in preseason scoring. Women’s basketball reporter dove into Okananwa’s fashion channel, a larger part of her brand and a Name, Image and Likeness opportunity.

Maryland depends on her, particularly early in the season, because injuries persist. Multiple players missed exhibition games, including Smikle, and guard Bri McDaniel is not expected to return for the season-opener.

The Terps will officially start their season on Nov. 3 against Loyola at Xfinity Center.

Nick Blake poses for a picture with head coach Buzz Williams at the men’s basketball media day in Xfinity Center on Oct. 23, 2025. (Ryan Bowie/The Diamondback)

The Highlight Reel

  • Remember Steve Blake? Well, the former men’s basketball star point guard has a son who is a freshman for the Terps. Recruiting reporter Trevor Gomes profiled Nick and his decision to play at Maryland.
  • The men’s soccer team earned its most impressive win of the season, defeating Indiana 3-2, to set up a massive home contest against Washington, likely for a Big Ten championship.
  • The women’s soccer season ended with just two Big Ten wins, but goalkeeper Faith Luckey’s season — and story — was encouraging amid a disappointing year.
  • Wrestling is almost back. Former NC State standout Chase Horne is expected to make a large impact with Maryland.
  • Football fans are growing restless with coach Michael Locksley amid a three-game losing skid.

  • Coach Buzz Williams stands next to Diggy Coit at the Men’s Basketball media day in Xfinity Center on Oct. 23, 2025. (Ryan Bowie/The Diamondback)

📢 Quote of the week: 

“Nothing in my life was given to me,” Coit said. “I was just trying to master every single day.”

Up next: 

🏈 Football will host the Hoosiers on Nov. 1 for homecoming weekend.

⚽️ The men’s soccer team has a massive matchup against No. 14 Washington that will likely decide the Big Ten.

🏑 After a loss to No. 4 Virginia, Maryland field hockey will cap its season with a game against Northeastern.

🏀 The men’s team will tip off against Coppin State in Baltimore on Nov. 3, while the women’s team will take on Loyola at home the same day.