What You Need to Know in Fall 2024: Athletics and Recreation
With New Opponents, Fitness Equipment and Programs, You Can Cheer on the Terps—and Hit the Field or Court Yourself
Terp fans unfurl the giant Maryland flag during the football team’s home opener last year vs. Towson. UMD kicks off its 2024 season vs. UConn at noon Saturday at SECU Stadium, and students, faculty and staff can cheer on Terp teams across sports by claiming tickets or using their university ID.
Photo by Mackenzie Miles/Maryland Athletics
Whether belting out the Victory Song, jumping up and down in the stadium or hoisting the giant Maryland flag as it unfurls down the stands, University of Maryland fans will get a workout this fall.
But beyond taking in the action as several varsity sports kick off their seasons this week, Terps can get active themselves in scores of club and intramural options, fitness classes and other programs.
Here’s how to get in the game and get fit this fall and beyond:
Varsity Athletics
Students, faculty and staff just need their university ID to attend home games free of charge—with the exception of football and men’s basketball events.
The student activity fee can also cover free entry to those games, but students need to claim tickets in advance. (Maryland Athletics also encourages them to claim women’s basketball tickets ahead of time.) Like last year, they can do so by using their university login credentials at umterps.com/student—they no longer have to create an account with a separate personal identification number.
Claim periods for football open at 8 a.m. three Tuesdays before each game and close at 8 a.m. the following Thursday, or until inventory is exhausted. (Claim periods have already opened for the Terps’ home games vs. UConn and Michigan State.) If seats are still available after the period closes, students can then purchase guest tickets.
The claim periods for basketball are less regular, but for both sports, if demand exceeds supply, a loyalty-based lottery system goes into effect; students earn more entries by attending more games. Loyalty points are sport-specific and don’t carry over year to year, and students lose points if they claim a ticket they don’t use.
For faculty and staff, 20% discounted season tickets are available for football and men’s basketball. They can also purchase reserved seats for women’s basketball, but general admission is free. In addition, Barry P. Gossett Director of Athletics Damon Evans announced that faculty and staff could claim up to two complimentary tickets to football’s home opener on Saturday vs. UConn (the deadline to claim those was Tuesday) or the Friday night game vs. Northwestern on Oct. 11, courtesy of SECU.
Faculty and staff appreciation games also offer free or discounted tickets for up to two guests and feature special shoutouts during the competitions. This fall, those games are slated for women’s soccer (Sept. 22), volleyball (Oct. 5 and 7) and field hockey (Oct. 14).
A record number of students claimed football tickets last year, averaging nearly 12,000 per game. And as UMD celebrates a decade in the Big Ten, adding four West Coast teams to the conference only amps up the hype, said Jordan Looby, associate athletic director of marketing strategy and fan experience.
“The Big Ten traditionally has incredible opponents that people want to come watch,” he said. “Now, we’ve added a team that went to the College Football Playoff last year (Washington), teams like USC and UCLA that are just traditional powers, and Oregon, who is a top five team for football. So that’s going to be really exciting.”
Club and Intramural Sports
Students play intramural volleyball last year. (Photo courtesy of RecWell)
If you’re not one of UMD’s 500-plus student-athletes, RecWell offers dozens of opportunities to get your competitive juices flowing through club and intramural sports.
Terps can choose among 47 club offerings this year, including running and rugby, crew and cricket, baseball and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Teams in these sports compete against other schools, and some hold tryouts and charge dues. Last year, 417 students, faculty and staff participated. Those interested this year can check out the full club directory for more details.
RecWell’s 33 intramural fall sports, meanwhile, are free, don’t involve tryouts and feature Terps-vs.-Terps matchups. Last year, 8,073 participants suited up, and those joining this year can enjoy sports like soccer, flag football and pickleball, as well as tournaments and Terps After Dark events like spikeball and badminton competitions.
This fall, UMD’s intramurals program is also expanding its involvement with Unified Sports, which pairs Terps with Special Olympics athletes. RecWell will offer seasons in soccer, flag football and basketball, and it’s aiming to add volleyball in the spring.
Fitness
Looking to keep active without keeping score? Check out RecWell’s fitness programs, with nearly 100 group classes like yoga, Zumba and boxing available this fall. More than 4,000 unique participants got their sweat on last year. Students paying the on-campus student fee can access the programs and facilities for free with their ID, while faculty and staff memberships are $173 per semester and $517 annually.
Terps participate in a UBox fitness class last fall. (Photo courtesy of RecWell)
The typically outdoorsy Adventure Program’s popular climbing wall is getting an indoor bouldering counterpart in October, allowing Terps to reach new heights year-round. In another new initiative, the program is partnering with Terps After Dark to offer a sleepaway experience on Sept. 13, where camping novices can practice tent-pitching outside Eppley Recreation Center.
Beyond Eppley, new outdoor fitness equipment, which will help Terps train using gravity and bodyweight, is slated to debut outside Prince Frederick Hall next month.
Whether inside or out, the slew of options helps new students not only develop healthy habits, but also build community, said Brianne Rowh, RecWell’s assistant director of business services, communication and marketing.
“There’s a lot of people that come to the rec center to hang out, not only to recreate,” she said. “It’s a great way to form connections with people you may see in your building. … You might end up on a basketball court together or on a treadmill beside one another.”
Topics:
Schools & Departments:
Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Division of Student Affairs University Recreation and Wellness