During a period of intense scrutiny and turmoil at the University of Maryland, Terps fans received a welcome opportunity to rejoice when the men's soccer team knocked off Akron for the national championship Dec. 9.
"I just couldn't be more proud of the journey that we had this year with this team, and just really happy for the entire Maryland community that we could put a smile on people's faces in what's been a difficult fall for the university," Maryland head men's soccer coach Sasho Cirovski said on Glenn Clark Radio Dec. 12.
The university and its athletic department have captured the public spotlight for the past six months following the death of 19-year-old football player Jordan McNair, and the ensuing investigations and personnel decisions generated even more negative publicity for the institution. Cirovski has been at Maryland for 26 years, during which time he's built relationships with the coaches across all sports, and he said they were all affected by the tumultuous spring and fall.
