Head coach Brenda Frese kicks off year 23 leading the program after Maryland unofficially kicked off the 2024-25 season on Sunday afternoon vs. Seton Hill in an exhibition and 108-37 finish.
Maryland will take on Frostburg State next Wednesday, Oct. 30, before traveling to UMBC for the season opener on Nov. 4 as Frese breaks down her expectations for the season:
Opening statement
“I can't believe I'm starting my 23rd season here at Maryland. It sure has really changed. It's been very different since I first got here in 2002. I can't say enough about the work that our staff put in this past spring through recruiting, as well as the transfer portal. I can say the same with the return of our players, with the time and the effort that they put into building this deep, talented roster to be able to show recruits what we're all about. I also can't thank our administration enough for their continued support of our team and our program.”
On the roster construction
“It's going to be an exciting year – ten of our 15 players are new, so we spent this summer getting really comfortable with one another, both on and off the court. We were able to take an incredible experience to be able to go to Croatia, which was invaluable. Being able to have ten practices, games and a ton of bonding in another country is a chance of a lifetime. We return two of our top three scorers that were both all Big Ten honorees in both Shy [Sellers] and Bri [McDaniel]. To be able to have that core coming back to uphold our standard and uphold our leadership and our values is really, really important. Really excited about Allie Kubek. I think you all remember the game that she had last game in the NCAA tournament, and she's really taken off since that game. Coming out, consistent every single day, confident and going to be invaluable for our team. We also welcome all-Big Ten first team honoree Kaylene Smikle coming from Rutgers, I think you got a little taste yesterday to be able to see she's a big-time scorer that's going to have an immediate impact. She can score it at all three levels. We also bring in Atlantic 10 Player of the Year with Sarah Te-Biasu, who gives us a true ultimate point guard – can score it, can pass it, really high IQ. We also have co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year coming from Villanova with Christina Dalce, who gained invaluable experience this past summer with playing three-on-three internationally. She's a rebounder, a defender, a shot blocker, and going to be really, really impressive in our transition game. Saylor Poffenbarger, we welcome her back home. Long time overdue. Double-double coming out of the SEC. She's our connector. She's the one that kind of puts it all together and we're excited to have her back. We also love the fact that we've been able to bring in 6-foot-6 Amari DeBerry as well as Mir McLean. When you talk about their winning championship mentality, their rebounding and again, to be able to extend that depth for us on the roster. We also added three freshmen, with Kyndal [Walker], [Breanna Williams] and Ava [McKennie]. And what I love about these three is they all come in having won championships. They have a winner’s mentality, not afraid to work, and have really been impressive as a class coming in.”
On the 2024-25 schedule
“Our schedule this year, you're going to see a lot, 12 games against NCAA Tournament teams including Duke and Syracuse in our non-conference play. For those you guys remember, bringing back an ACC opponent with Duke and the rivalries that we had is going to be a lot of fun in that game. We have nine games this year against eight Sweet 16 teams throughout the tournament. That's going to prepare us for conference play. And we're also going to welcome, right here into XFINITY, Duke, UCLA, USC and Ohio State coming to College Park. So it's a great time for all of us. We're looking forward to getting out into real competition when we start.”
On the focus in the transfer portal
“I can't say enough about our staff and our team. It was a lot of hard work when you talk about that time that you have in the transfer portal. But for us, it was being able to go after where we felt we had some deficiencies last year. Yeah, I think you can see that with the size, the rebounding, the depth, the three-point shooting, the scoring ability, having an ultimate true point guard. And I think just the availability in the roster, within the portal, I should say there were a lot more players that we were able to be able to go in and be able to really fit to our program.”
On how Frese is working on roster identity and chemistry
“I've shared with the team what things look like right now on October 21 probably in another 30 days, is going to look a lot different, and even by the time you get to conference play. And I think you could see that even from the summer. We had a lot of players that weren't able to play in Croatia that are now able to get into practice and to be able to play into games. We still have some players that are working themselves back into the fold, coming off of injuries. So just continue to put your head down and going to work. I think for us as a staff, with ten new faces you're really trying to learn who's your best inbounder, who's your best at the top of the press, who's your best rebounder, who's going to be great in late game and those are going to be things that evolve throughout the season.”
On what Frese learned from the 2023-24 season
“I think you saw patience was a big thing. But I'm really proud of our staff. I'm proud of our players. I didn't think we got too high or too low within the season. Extremely difficult when you have the amount of losses that we had last season because we're not used to that, nor do we ever want to be used to that. But I thought through that journey just continuing, the biggest lessons that you learn is to keep putting your head down and being able to work and so to ultimately be able to beat the number one seed in the Big Ten tournament with Ohio State, be able to make the NCAA Tournament, be able to build off of that. I'm proud of our returners for coming back and understanding how competitive it was going to be this season, that they were going to need to be better, and ultimately, putting this roster together with this kind of competition is really, really good for us.”
On how Frese applied those lessons to the offseason
“Well, I think for our staff, we were very intentional and we got to spend a season knowing where our strengths were and where our weaknesses were at. We were really intentional, that we knew what we needed to go get if it was available, and fortunately for us, it was in the transfer portal. And I can't say enough – the pieces that that we were able to get were all the right pieces. And it's going to be fun and exciting to be able to see how that unfolds this season.”
On how Frese gets so many transfer additions on the same page
“I think it's really important through your coaching staff, your bonding experience. And like I said, the fact that we got such a great advantage this past summer, being able to start our practices in June, our team building and bonding. When you get to go away on a trip and spend that amount of time together in your summer, versus waiting until your non-conference play and your travel comes into effect. We are every single day. I mean, these are rosters now that are one-year rosters and so the team building and the bonding piece for us is going to be something that we do all the time. It's always been a part of our culture and our program. We never want to let our standard change here at Maryland so that's always going to be who we are.”
On the challenges in the expanded Big Ten
“The challenges and I've spoken to are the fact of how critical every single game is going to be – you only have one double so every game, when you only get to play once, that's going to impact you in the standings. So depending on, for some, they have a weak double partner – that's going to allow them to have two wins. So for us, we're going to be battle tested. We're going to play Ohio State and those games are going to prepare you for postseason, which I love, but just understanding the value. You can't show up to a conference game and not give it your best because those games are ultimately going to impact you. I've said this before. Every game in conference play is going to feel like the NCAA Tournament, but on the flip side of that, it's going to prepare you for the NCAA Tournament and your seeding in postseason.”
What the new transfers and freshmen add to the program
“I love the freshman class and the transfers. I'll say first of all, the gratitude piece, I think they come in with a work ethic, a place of gratitude. Understanding that the staff just wants to push them to be the very best, and they want to be pushed. I just love the competitiveness. They all bring in a championship pedigree. They've won a lot, and that adds to our culture and our program.”
On the importance of having Shy Sellers for four years in the program
“I always say when you're fortunate enough to have players that have been with you for two, three years, you want them to uphold your values and your standard. They definitely have spent enough time in your program, and that's what you need in your locker room. That's what you need off the court. But that leadership piece, I can't say enough of wanting to have that championship mentality.”
On how to keep freshmen engaged and create roles for them
“I don't think there's any question that it is a lot harder for freshmen. I love the fact that these freshmen have not shied away from anything. I've said they are the most prepared class that we've had in a long time. Speaks volumes. I'm excited for them because I know they're just going to continue to put their head down and work. It is difficult and hard. You're extremely right. When you're going against fifth-year seniors, juniors, seniors. I think just having the perspective within that first year. Nationally, freshmen are fortunate if they play ten minutes a game. So I think that's the biggest thing is I've always said you got to run your own race and only worry about your journey, especially in the first season. And as long as you're continuing to come to practices and working hard. I can't predict. I've said for us, the biggest thing this season for us is staying healthy. We've had already a lot of injuries that haven't held us out for the long-term, just the short-term, but so that depth will help us, but the injury part is going to be the piece for us. If we can stay healthy, you know, it's going to be exciting to see where we'll end up.”