The Campaign for Maryland Athletics

At the University of Maryland, participation in intercollegiate athletics is a time-honored tradition that promotes leadership and character development in our student athletes, serves as a catalyst for building Terrapin pride and spirit among our alumni and friends, and enhances the quality of life for our students, faculty, staff and the larger community.

During the Great Expectations campaign, Maryland Athletics will seek to raise a total of $133 million to:

Currently, the University of Maryland has more than 700 student athletes competing in Division 1-A sports. Our 27 varsity sports consider themselves as one team, a unified force that advances the proud legacy of Maryland Athletics. This legacy includes 39 national championship teams, 26 individual national champions, nearly 500 All Americans and 25 Olympians.

We expect the highest levels of competitiveness from our student athletes, and strongly support a culture of academic excellence. Our coaches and administrators serve as leaders and mentors, imparting upon our student athletes a sense of pride, good citizenship and academic achievement that promotes an opportunity for success in any endeavor in life they each might choose.

Our athletics program is highly visible and very competitive: during the 2005-2006 season, Maryland earned a record-setting four national championships. And while we're very proud of our legacy, we're far from satisfied. To solidify our position as one of the premier athletics programs in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the nation, we are embarking on a capital campaign that will keep Maryland within the top tier of Division I-A sports programs.

Working together as one team-a team that includes student athletes, coaches, staff, and our great Terrapin Club members and fans-we can overcome any challenges and achieve our goals. We fully realize that the best is yet to come in Terrapin athletics.

Intercollegiate athletics is often one of the most visible units of any large university, as its outcomes are widely covered in the media and are faithfully followed by students, alumni and friends. Varsity sports can also provide a platform for shared collegial spirit, promote interaction among friends and families, and are just plain fun to experience.

At the University of Maryland, Terrapin athletics contributes significantly to the overall image of the university. Our championship teams bring positive national visibility to an already great public research university, and aid in the enrollment of top students from across the country.

For any great athletics program to flourish, there are certain expectations that must be met. At Maryland, we expect our student athletes to give 110 percent on the playing field, while maintaining good sportsmanship and recognizing that they are responsible for upholding the legacy of Terrapin athletics. Off the field, we hold our student athletes to the highest standards, while providing them with guidance, academic support, and a strong sense of civic awareness and good citizenship.

What our student athletes ask of us, are the tools necessary to excel to the very best of their physical and mental abilities.

It is an absolute priority that we raise enough private funds to provide first-class facilities for all our teams, as well as annual and endowed scholarships for all our student athletes.

Our student athletes have proven to us that they have the heart and competitive spirit to succeed. Let us prove to them the level of our commitment toward their success. Our championship-caliber student athletes-27 varsity sports joined as one Terrapin "team"-deserve no less.

This is our uncompromising vision of excellence. These are our Great Expectations.