Former Terps catching their way to NFL stardom

By Anirudh Sridhar

Former Maryland standout Stefon Diggs in action for the Minnesota Vikings (Photo courtesy of Stefon Diggs, via Instagram)

Since the 2006 NFL Draft, the Maryland Terrapins have produced numerous NFL players, especially players with tremendous catching abilities at the wide receiver and tight end positions. The list includes Vernon Davis, Torrey Smith, and most recently, Stefon Diggs.

The trend began in the first round of the 2006 draft when the San Francisco 49ers selected Vernon Davis with the sixth overall pick. Davis was named to the Pro Bowl in 2009 and 2013 and was a part of the 49ers’ Super Bowl run in 2012. He was traded at the tail end of the 2015 season to the Denver Broncos and won a ring with the team in Super Bowl 50.

Luus and Balsdon tandem lifts Maryland field hockey

by Alex Flum

The grit and grind had paid off. After a hard fought battle with the then No. 1 ranked Connecticut, the University of Maryland Field Hockey came out on top with a 2-1 victory. The win was powered by two goal scorers: graduate students forward Welma Luus and defender Grace Balsdon.

It’s their first year together, but the duo has clicked immediately for the No. 3 Terrapins.

“Since the moment she came in, we were just good friends off the field,” Luus said. “And on the field we connect very well.”

If words aren’t enough, 25 goals back up the pair’s connection. Luus has netted 13 scores, while Balsdon has added 12.

Maryland field hockey forward Welma Luus in action (Photo courtesy of UMterps.com)

Though Luus and Balsdon seem like a fixture in the lineup, it wouldn’t have been expected last year; Luus’ eligibility was a question, while Balsdon was playing 3,709 miles away in Canterbury, England.

Under Armour: More than a Brand?

by Joy Henry

Maryland Under Armour® gear for sale at the University of Maryland College Park Official Bookstore. (Photo by Joy Henry)

“We Must Protect this House!”

With an incredibly intense commercial, Under Armour chose those five words as the way to introduce themselves to world. When former football player Eric Ogbogu shouted that tagline—we had no idea who or what Under Armour was, but we all took notice.

Back in 2006, Under Armour was the newest company jumping into the billion-dollar performance sport apparel business.

Now Under Armour is a prominent brand in football and other performance sports. With their focus on cutting-edge technology and creative marketing campaigns, they have leapfrogged established brands such as Reebok and Adidas.

A Friday Night Has Meaning Across America

By Jojo Dominick

Members of George Solomon’s sports reporting class pose for a picture while covering the DeMatha-Good Counsel football game on Friday, Nov. 4 (Photo courtesy of Glen Charlton)

A night that people look forward to all across the nation, cities shut down as everyone gathers together at local high school football games.

Aspiring journalists in George Solomon’s sports reporting class got the chance to catch a big game in ESPN’s high school football showcase schedule earlier this month – a schedule not only comprised of the best teams in the nation, but great in-state match ups, like the one the students had the pleasure of covering when Maryland powerhouse DeMatha took on conference rival Good Counsel.