Dougherty, entering her seventh season as the Terps’ head coach, boasts the most successful four-year span in program history with 66 match victories. Dougherty also holds the program record for the most wins in a two-year stretch, combining for 35 in 2022 and 2023.

[Maryland women’s soccer wins season opener 3-0 over Lehigh]

Maryland has a 77-59 record in the last six years under Dougherty. The Terps own a 41.9 conference win percentage over that span at 26-36.

Dougherty has coached six All-Big Ten athletes during her tenure, as well as Maryland’s first Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Ayana Akli, who qualified for the 2021 NCAA Singles Tournament.

In the 2025 season, Dougherty’s team secured its highest-ranked win since 2013 over then-No. 28 Iowa. Maryland went 15-12 and 7-6 in conference play.

With the year wrapping up, The Diamondback sports desk reflected on some of our best stories from the past 12 months. Follow us @DBKSports on X and subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay up to date with our coverage of Maryland’s sports teams.

FOOTBALL

Tai Felton joins Maryland football’s greatest receivers atop the record books
By Brandon Schwartzberg

‘He’s real, you can just sense it’: The untold stories of Michael Locksley
By Sam Jane

Inside Maryland football’s analytically-driven strength and conditioning program
By Brandon Schwartzberg

I faced a Maryland football player in EA Sports College Football 25
By Sam Jane

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Derik Queen sacrificed family for basketball. Maryland gives him both.
By Harrison Rich

Selton Miguel’s lengthy journey, career ascent brought him to Maryland men’s basketball
By Eli Cohen

For Kevin Willard, wearing suits is more than a fashion statement
By Harrison Rich

Maryland men’s basketball’s tumultuous year tarnished Jahmir Young’s historic season
By Eli Cohen

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Maryland women’s basketball’s scout team is the unsung group behind the Terps’ success
By Ben Geffner

A summer trip to Croatia helped a new Maryland women’s basketball roster gel
By Matthew Neus

Maryland women’s basketball embraced first sellout since 2016 against Iowa, Caitlin Clark
By Olivia Janik

Maryland, Duke women’s basketball to reignite ACC rivalry
By Ben Geffner

RECRUITING

5-star Zion Elee chooses playing at home over powerhouse programs, large NIL offers
By Sam Jane

Meet Malik Washington, the driving force behind Maryland football’s recruiting resurgence
By Harrison Rich

Cayden Reese grew up with Maryland women’s lacrosse. Now she’ll join it.
By Michael Howes

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

Maryland women’s lacrosse’s inefficient attack prevented a deep run, ended an era
By Matthew Neus

The Q-Collar gives two Maryland women’s lacrosse players an extra layer of protection
By Matthew Neus

Sophie Halus’ quickness spearheads Maryland women’s lacrosse’s push attack
By Matthew Neus

MEN’S LACROSSE

A grueling injury recovery set up Eric Malever’s success at Maryland men’s lacrosse
By Brandon Schwartzberg

Notre Dame throttles Maryland men’s lacrosse in NCAA championship, 15-5
By Brandon Schwartzberg

A trio of Vermont transfers have fit right in with Maryland men’s lacrosse
By Brandon Schwartzberg

BASEBALL

Meet Evan Johnson, Maryland baseball’s No. 1 fan
By Michael Howes

‘He’s a psycho’: Chris Hacopian’s drive has him ready to be the face of Maryland baseball
By Michael Howes

Matt Swope could coach anywhere. But he’s never wanted to leave Maryland baseball.
By Taylor Lyons

MEN’S SOCCER

Albi Ndrenika almost had to give up soccer. He’s thriving for Maryland.
By Matthew Neus

Sasho Cirovski has transformed Maryland men’s soccer’s international recruitment efforts
By Matthew Neus

From NAIA to NCAA, Sadam Masereka has found his stride with Maryland men’s soccer
By Matthew Neus

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Maryland women’s soccer’s disastrous season leaves more questions than answers
By Holliday Woodard

Interim coach Michael Marchiano brings Maryland women’s soccer together
By Holliday Woodard

Maryland women’s soccer tops Nebraska, 2-0, for first Big Ten win in two years
By Holliday Woodard

FIELD HOCKEY

Maryland assistant coach Jenny Rizzo’s field hockey journey spans 5 continents
By Aidan Currie

Freshmen Annemijn Klijnhout, Ella Gaitan play pivotal roles for Maryland field hockey
By Aidan Currie

Maryland field hockey suffered from a lack of shootout film on Michigan’s goalkeeper
By Aidan Currie

VOLLEYBALL

Maryland volleyball’s Duru Gökçen found a sense of family more than 5,000 miles from home
By Jacob Kauderer

Maryland volleyball’s ‘red zone’ struggles have exacerbated in Big Ten play
By Jacob Kauderer

Maryland volleyball’s Katie Scherer has become an impact player in her freshman season
By Jacob Kauderer

SOFTBALL

Maryland softball’s Keira Bucher embraced her heritage — and found herself
By Holliday Woodard

Courtney Wyche could’ve left Maryland softball. She left her mark in College Park instead.
By Holliday Woodard

Maryland softball tops Penn State in first round of Big Ten tourney, 3-1
By Holliday Woodard

GYMNASTICS

A midseason resurgence gave Maryland gymnastics a historic year
By Lea Glaser

Maryland gymnastics fills its practices with energy, detailed feedback
By Lea Glaser

RuPaul’s Drag Race among inspirations for Maryland gymnastics’ floor routines
By Lea Glaser

WRESTLING

After competing against Maryland wrestling, Cole Matthews landed on its coaching staff
By Michael Stamatos

Seth Nevills considered quitting wrestling. Maryland helped him revive his career.
By Michael Stamatos

Maryland wrestling’s John Martin Best, Chase Mielnik have been successful in earned roles
By Michael Stamatos

BEST OF THE REST

Originally self-trained, Rose Coats has found a team with Maryland cross country
By Faith Harris

Maryland women’s golf’s international roster bonds through cultural differences
By Faith Harris

Maryland icon Johnny Holliday has cemented his legacy beyond the booth
By Sam Jane

PHOTOS: The Mighty Sound of Maryland marches through game week preparations
By Sam Cohen

It’s a little moment that makes her feel better, something she recalled starting during a rough freshman season when Maryland women’s tennis had just one conference win.

The next year, the team upped its conference win total to six while breaking the program’s single-season win record with 18. Miranda has been an integral part of the program’s rise.

Entering College Park as a freshman, the Georgia native and two-time International Tennis Federation doubles title holder had a hard pill to swallow. She was not coming into a program that was winning games — she was brought in to change its direction.

“[Coach Katie Dougherty] said she wanted people that were going to build the program and kind of turn it around,” Miranda said. “She’s always had that vision for what the team can be and what we can achieve.”

Miranda’s transition to Maryland was turbulent. She went from a winning program in high school to a team that struggled mightily in her first season.

[After a long climb, a former Maryland track star became her nation’s first world champion]

The Terps’ only conference win in the 2020-21 season came over the Indiana Hoosiers on the road in a 4-3 victory. The constant defeat became frustrating, but Miranda said the support from her parents helped her to keep working. Miranda also knew her strong work ethic would eventually pay off.

Miranda’s first season soon came to a close, but her journey at Maryland was just beginning. The next year saw lots of change.

One of the new faces included current assistant coach Marta Perez Mur. Perez Mur played her first four years at the University of Texas, a nationally ranked program. Like Miranda, Perez Mur also had to buy into Maryland, and found satisfaction in being able to turn the program around.

Gaining confidence in the off-season with non-conference matches helped the team gain comfortability.

“It wasn’t until we started getting those Big Ten wins. And we’re like, ‘Oh wow, we can actually do this,” Miranda said. “We want more of this. “

And then, the Terps made program history. On April 28, 2022, Maryland once again beat Indiana, but this time in the first round of the Big Ten tournament. It was the Terps’ 18th win of the season, breaking the program record.

[Jayla Bynum overcame tragedy, setbacks to finally star for Maryland track and field]

Miranda and Perez Mur won their doubles match that day, 6-2. Miranda won her singles matches as well, 6-0 and 6-4.

“I think we were more focused on the process of it rather than the actual goal,” Miranda said.

Last season, Maryland went 17-9 and had five wins in conference play, and also made it to the second round of the Big Ten tournament. This season, the Terps have 16 total wins and six conference victories.

Miranda has seen the program’s growth coincide with her own. Miranda was the number three player in the team’s lineup last season against Indiana, while this year she was the second singles player and first doubles player.

“[She’s] playing ridiculously good tennis,” Perez Mur said. “I don’t know, it just brings me a lot of joy.”

As Miranda finishes out her senior season, it’s the lessons she has learned through her college career that made her the team leader she is now.

“What I’m really telling [freshmen] is you can achieve more than you think,” Miranda said. “I want to offer that support that I kind of wish I heard my freshman year.”

Selma Cadar, the “Rocket”, uses her quickness to flit around while Mary Brumfield, the “Power”, wallops the ball with extraordinary strength. The doubles duo are playing their third straight year together — a rare feat in college tennis, coach Katie Dougherty said. The two have become great friends on and off the court, the coach added.

They hope to build off a strong Atlantic Regionals run in the National Championships, which begin on Nov. 1 and run through Nov. 5.

Cadar will compete in singles and partner with Brumfield in doubles.

Cadar tore through her competition at regionals, emerging victorious in six straight matchups — the last over Virginia’s Hibah Shaikh to claim the title and a spot in the National Championships.

[Selma Cadar stars for Maryland tennis. Her first love was poetry.]

The graduate student accomplished that feat despite quad and wrist injuries, according to Brumfield.

“Mentally she was just a lock every single day,” Dougherty said. “I don’t even think she played her best tennis in any of the matches, but there were spurts where she had to and she was able to.”

Cadar and Brumfield formed a dynamic duet that made it to the regional finals, where they were swept by Shaikh and Natasha Subhash. Nonetheless, the two earned a spot in the upcoming National Championships.

Although this year’s championship will be Cadar’s first time competing in the singles tournament, she’s been to the competition before.

She and Brumfield competed last year in the doubles championship but fell in the quarterfinals to Virginia’s Subhash and Elaine Chervinsky. The familiarity from the losses to the Cavaliers has added “tension” to the matchup, Brumfield said.

[Maryland women’s basketball’s added depth presents new challenges for Brenda Frese]

Both players are extra motivated after last years’ loss in the quarterfinals, they said. The defeat taught them lessons — Brumfield learned the dangers of passive play.

“I want to be the one that’s the more [of a] aggressor, stepping on the gas pedal, just going for my shots and trusting myself and trusting Selma,” Brumfield said.

The two are going through light practices with only two weeks between regionals and the National Championships, Cadar said.Dougherty wants to get her star pairing “back in the swing of things” and work on specific areas of improvement ahead of the competition.

“They’re playing the best they have all fall, we’re peaking at the right time and I think they’re just gonna go out there and do what they do well,” Dougherty said. “When they stick to the basics that’s when we’re fired up.”

Cadar, a graduate student from Romania, completed her undergraduate English literature and language program at Maryland this past spring. Cadar is one of the Terps’ top players — ranked No. 38 in NCAA doubles — but her first passion was poetry and literature.

“I’ve been passionate about literature ever since I was small,” Cadar said. “I enjoyed … trying to say [something] beyond the words. Words have so many meanings and they can shift, so I think I wanted to continue that passion here.”

Cadar’s love for literature began as a child when her mother would read her fairy tales before bed. She’d stay up late into the night reading after her mother left the room. Literature was Cadar’s favorite subject in school, she said, as she particularly enjoyed critically thinking about and analyzing texts.

She used to take a notebook to tennis tournaments, listening to classical music while jotting down her thoughts and writing poetry between matches.

She’s competed in and won national poetry competitions in addition to tennis ones, but that appreciation for poetry didn’t always reach Cadar’s parents, who were confused when she read them her poems, she said.

[Olympian, Maryland track coach Andrew Valmon hopes his runners reach same heights he did]

Still, Cadar continued to write. At one point, she won a competition where participants wrote poems based on themes in a Romanian poet’s work.

Cadar, who began her tennis career at Miami before transferring to Maryland in 2021, chose English literature and language as her major while with the Hurricanes. For her, studying the subject hasn’t seemed like “work” as she enjoys what she does.

“I’ve read a lot of Selma’s poetry and it’s quite powerful, and she’s really bright,” Terps coach Katie Dougherty said. “I was an English major too … She’s a much better writer than I was. It’s great to see that side of her too, that you’re not just this athlete, that she has this wildly creative side.”

In her poem “Love Story of,” Cadar tells a story from the fictional queen Scheherazade’s point of view. In One Thousand and One Nights, an Arabian king vows to have a new wife every night but falls in love with Scheherazade after she tells him countless stories across 1,001 nights.

She uses rich imagery in her writing, describing the two lovers as “drunk with the sea breeze,” and attributing human emotions to the sea as it shakes its ridges.

[With injuries behind her, Maryland track’s Anna Coffin is focused on championships]

Cadar’s doubles partner Mary Brumfield said teammates will often read Cadar’s work, and in turn, she’ll ask them for feedback.

“She’s very poetic,” Brumfield said. “I think it goes on to the court as well. Just the way she plays is very poetic and the way she uses her words as well.”

Cadar hopes to play tennis professionally, she said. She participated in professional tournaments this past summer, and earned her first professional ranking. But once her athletic career ends, she has a passion to fall back on that’s brewed in her since childhood.

“In the long term after I finish my tennis career, I would like to be somewhat in the literature field,” Cadar said. “Maybe be a critic and continue writing, reading and analyzing texts.”

Our writers work tirelessly to provide the best coverage of the University of Maryland’s sports teams, follow us @DBKSports on Twitter if you’d like to see more!

FOOTBALL

Loss shaped Jacob Copeland. The lessons he learned from it drive him forward.
By Varun Shankar 

‘It was an ass-whoopin’: 2002 Maryland football team reflects on Peach Bowl win
By Noah Ferguson

‘Where are we?’: Maryland football held a heartfelt meeting after Penn State loss
By Noah Ferguson

How Taulia Tagovailoa and Maryland football mitigate defensive pressure
By Varun Shankar

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Diamond Miller stayed with Maryland women’s basketball. Now it’s her turn to lead it.
By Ian Decker

Abby Meyers, Marge Donovan bring relationship home to different sports at Maryland
By Olivia Janik

Maryland women’s basketball’s Brenda Frese, Katie Benzan open up on transfers, team discord
By Varun Shankar

Maryland women’s basketball found ‘natural-born leaders’ in Abby Meyers, Brinae Alexander
By Ian Decker

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Jahari Long had picked a new school. Then Kevin Willard called to bring him to Maryland.
By Nicky Wolcott

Donta Scott met coach Kevin Willard’s first challenge by improving diet, reshaping body
By Ross O’Keefe

Kevin Willard has a plan to meet Maryland men’s basketball’s high expectations
By Nicky Wolcott

Handshakes and Gatorade: Brett Karkus’ impact on Maryland men’s basketball
By Jacob Richman

RECRUITING

Jamie Kaiser opens up on commitment to Maryland men’s basketball
By Josh Banner

Ezekiel Avit wanted to be a basketball player. A Maryland football offer changed his mind.
By Josh Banner

Like father, like son: Maryland men’s lacrosse commit shares name, play style with father
By Josh Banner

MEN’S LACROSSE

Perfection: Maryland men’s lacrosse defeats Cornell, 9-7, clinches fourth NCAA championship
By Nicky Wolcott

‘A cheat code’: Luke Wierman’s success extends past faceoffs for Maryland men’s lacrosse
By Nicky Wolcott

Maryland men’s lacrosse transfer Owen Murphy shined in drubbing of his former team
By Nicky Wolcott

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

‘Everything starts with her’: Cathy Reese wins game No. 300 for Maryland women’s lacrosse
By Olivia Janik

Maryland women’s lacrosse advances to Big Ten final after beating Johns Hopkins, 14-6
By Olivia Janik

Libby May’s career day for Maryland women’s lacrosse came against an aggressive defense
By Olivia Janik

FIELD HOCKEY

GPS trackers have reshaped how Maryland field hockey plays, practices and trains
By Taylor Lyons

Scott Tupper’s fiery coaching style helped steady Maryland field hockey’s defense
By Taylor Lyons

Maryland field hockey advances to Final Four with 3-2 shootout victory over Syracuse
By Taylor Lyons

MEN’S SOCCER

Luca Costabile nearly didn’t join Maryland men’s soccer. He’s now one of its key cogs.
By Nicky Wolcott

Stefan Copetti celebrated his first goal for Maryland men’s soccer alongside his family
By Nicky Wolcott

Max Riley’s first goal lifts No. 9 Maryland men’s soccer over No. 13 Ohio State, 1-0
By Nicky Wolcott

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Playing with Maryland women’s soccer gave Amanda Schafer a chance to continue her career
By Yonathan Shimelis

Maryland women’s soccer shaped Meghan Ryan Nemzer. Now she runs it.
By Nicky Wolcott

Maryland women’s soccer snaps conference losing skid with 1-0 win over Michigan
By Yonathan Shimelis

VOLLEYBALL

Maryland volleyball stuns No. 5 Ohio State, 3-1
By Tanner Malinowski

Alleged racist incident at BYU vs. Duke match cut deep for Maryland volleyball
By Tanner Malinowski

From Jones to Ivey: Maryland volleyball is growing from focused DMV recruiting
By Noah Ferguson

SOFTBALL

Maryland softball’s Courtney Wyche pays homage to Jackie Robinson by wearing 42
By Brandon Schwartzberg

Offense goes quiet as Maryland softball loses to Michigan State, 2-1
By Katie Manganelli

Inconsistency tempered Maryland softball’s best season since 2013
By Brandon Schwartzberg

BASEBALL

Maryland baseball coach Rob Vaughn rebukes recent midweek cancellations in college baseball
By Ross O’Keefe

A perfect game and a long embrace: Maryland baseball’s Ryan Ramsey reflects on perfection
By Ross O’Keefe

Regional loss dims but doesn’t diminish Maryland baseball’s 2022 accomplishments
By Ross O’Keefe

IDENTITY 

TRAILBLAZERS — A part of the UNEQUAL project
By Yonathan Shimelis & Clara Longo de Freitas

Black Maryland athletes, coaches reflect on what it means to be underrepresented in sports
By Yonathan Shimelis

Column: Dismissal of badminton is emblematic of American exceptionalism
By Malcolm Ferguson

GYMNASTICS

Program changer: Audrey Barber vaults her way to Maryland gymnastics’ all-time scorer
By Eli Cohen

‘Family-run, blue-collar program’: Maryland gymnastics’ culture led to season of success
By Eli Cohen

From walk-on to leader, Emma Silberman defied odds to stand atop Maryland gymnastics
By Eli Cohen

WRESTLING

Dominic Solis chose wrestling over football. Now, he’s Maryland’s leader.
By Matthew Neus

Playing handball helps stoke Maryland wrestling’s competitive fire
By Ashkan Motamedi

Maryland wrestling’s Ethen and Kal Miller competed on home soil at Missouri invite
By Matthew Neus 

TRACK AND FIELD

Track and football went hand-in-hand at Maryland for Nick Cross
By Taylor Lyons

From Texas to Maryland, the Ealy-Pulido sisters continue to compete together
By Taylor Lyons

Crofton to Olympic trials: Maryland track and field’s Caleb Dean proved recruiters wrong
By Taylor Lyons