Maryland women’s basketball head coach Brenda Frese has skillfully adapted to the evolving basketball landscape, adding to the roster to drive the team’s continued improvement.
The Terps finished the 2023-24 season with a 19-14 record, losing in the Big Ten tournament to Nebraska and in the NCAA Tournament to Iowa State. Frese is back for her 23rd season with the team and is more confident than ever for this upcoming season.
“I think our roster is intentionally built where one night it might be with the ball going inside and the next night being able to shoot from distance from the 3-point line,” Frese said on Glenn Clark Radio Nov. 5. “We have so many capable scorers, we’re really deep, we’re really talented. As long as we can continue to stay unselfish, great things will be in store for this team.”
Frese and the Terps have embraced opportunities to build a stronger, more experienced roster. They have improved their areas of weakness and positioned themselves for a more competitive season this year.
Maryland added forwards Christina Dalce, Amari DeBerry, Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu and guards Mir McLean, Saylor Poffenbarger, Kaylene Smikle and Sarah Te-Biasu through the transfer portal this offseason.
“We’ve had to adapt. Times have changed,” Frese said. “You’re able to get more experience now out of the transfer portal. The portal has been very, very good to us, even in the past. We were really able to address a lot of the needs that we felt some areas of weakness [in] last year.”
Committing to Maryland’s high-level basketball program requires relentless drive and resilience. McLean pushed through obstacles and setbacks through dedication and perseverance throughout her college career before eventually wearing a Maryland jersey.
McLean missed all of last season at Virginia due to a knee injury but has two years of eligibility remaining.
“Her journey has been anything but easy,” Frese said. “I love the fact that it’s kind of been a full-circle moment from way back when to now having that moment to be able to put on that Maryland jersey. She’s had a lot of injuries in her career. She’s battled. I love Mir. She’s so competitive, so intelligent and now is finally healthy.”
The Terps are lucky to have excellent leaders like Shyanne Sellers on their team. The senior guard led the team in scoring (15.6 points per game) and assists (5.5) a year ago.
“I can’t say enough about Shyanne, someone who has stayed loyal, has been here all four years,” Frese said. “She was really instrumental in helping us attract a lot of these players that we were able to secure on our roster out of the portal. She’s continued to lead every single day. I’m really proud of the fact that she just continued to grow and mature and get better.”
College rivalries like Maryland-Duke create iconic moments. As the Terps prepare to face the Blue Devils on Nov. 10, the program embraces the legacy of the past and the excitement of building a new chapter in this storied matchup. Maryland will play in Durham in 2026-27.
“I know our fans that remember those ACC days are ecstatic and they’re going to be the ones that want to come out and watch this game. For our kids, I’ve got to give them a history lesson,” Frese said. “… We’ll have a home and home with them, and we’re just hoping that lots of fans can come out here early and see a really special team.”
With a new roster, Frese’s team is focused on growth and building chemistry. The nonconference schedule is designed to prepare the team for the competitive demands of the Big Ten, setting the stage for a season of continued growth.
“When you are putting a lot of pieces, almost 10 new pieces together, that’s going to take time,” Frese said. “We don’t have the roster that has put all these games under their belt together, but they’re talented. I wouldn’t sleep on us. I definitely think we built this schedule intentionally. It will just continue to keep preparing us for how hard the Big Ten is going to be. When you look at those teams that are in it, it’s definitely going to prepare us for conference play.”
For more from Frese, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox