COLLEGE PARK, Md.-- The University of Maryland athletics department and the M Club proudly announced the selection of eight exceptional alumni and one exceptional coach selected for induction into the University of Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2021.
The class includes: Rick Badanjek (football), Steve Blake (men’s basketball), Sasho Cirovski (men’s soccer coach), Maurice Edu (men’s soccer), Paula Infante (field hockey), D’Qwell Jackson (football), Crystal Langhorne (women’s basketball), Keli Smith-Puzo (field hockey), Erin Taylor Blount (women’s soccer).
"We would like to congratulate all of this year's inductees and their families," said University of Maryland Director of Athletics Damon Evans. "This is a tremendous class of Hall of Famers who have made an undeniable impact on Maryland athletics both on and off the field. We're looking forward to celebrating this outstanding class and recognizing their academic and athletic achievements."
Founded in 1982 by the M Club and developed as a collaborative effort with the Athletics Department, the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame pays tribute to those superior Terrapin athletes, coaches and administrators who have made major contributions to the honor and fame of the University of Maryland, and have continued to demonstrate the positive values learned through competing in intercollegiate sports. Induction into the Hall of Fame represents the highest athletic honor the University can bestow.
“The M Club is thrilled to finally announce this distinguished group of Hall of Fame Inductees,” said Executive Director of the M Club and Director of Alumni Engagement Laura Chiriaco. “We are in awe of their exceptional athletic achievements, and we’re grateful to them for sharing their gifts with the Maryland Athletics family. Congratulations to all of our inductees, and thank you to the selection committee for giving us another outstanding, deserving Hall of Fame class!”
The M Club will also present Honorary M Awards to Kirk D. Bell, Marcos Bronfman, Susan Wilkes, and John McNamara (posthumously) for their longtime dedication to Maryland athletics. Kevin Kearns will be honored as Distinguished Citizen of the Year in recognition of his 40 years of unwavering service to Maryland student-athletes.
The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on November 19, 2021 at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center. The reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the dinner to follow at 6:30 p.m. For ticket information, please call the M Club office at 301-314-6394 or visit https://ter.ps/2021HOF.
The class includes: Rick Badanjek (football), Steve Blake (men’s basketball), Sasho Cirovski (men’s soccer coach), Maurice Edu (men’s soccer), Paula Infante (field hockey), D’Qwell Jackson (football), Crystal Langhorne (women’s basketball), Keli Smith-Puzo (field hockey), Erin Taylor Blount (women’s soccer).
"We would like to congratulate all of this year's inductees and their families," said University of Maryland Director of Athletics Damon Evans. "This is a tremendous class of Hall of Famers who have made an undeniable impact on Maryland athletics both on and off the field. We're looking forward to celebrating this outstanding class and recognizing their academic and athletic achievements."
Founded in 1982 by the M Club and developed as a collaborative effort with the Athletics Department, the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame pays tribute to those superior Terrapin athletes, coaches and administrators who have made major contributions to the honor and fame of the University of Maryland, and have continued to demonstrate the positive values learned through competing in intercollegiate sports. Induction into the Hall of Fame represents the highest athletic honor the University can bestow.
“The M Club is thrilled to finally announce this distinguished group of Hall of Fame Inductees,” said Executive Director of the M Club and Director of Alumni Engagement Laura Chiriaco. “We are in awe of their exceptional athletic achievements, and we’re grateful to them for sharing their gifts with the Maryland Athletics family. Congratulations to all of our inductees, and thank you to the selection committee for giving us another outstanding, deserving Hall of Fame class!”
The M Club will also present Honorary M Awards to Kirk D. Bell, Marcos Bronfman, Susan Wilkes, and John McNamara (posthumously) for their longtime dedication to Maryland athletics. Kevin Kearns will be honored as Distinguished Citizen of the Year in recognition of his 40 years of unwavering service to Maryland student-athletes.
The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on November 19, 2021 at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center. The reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the dinner to follow at 6:30 p.m. For ticket information, please call the M Club office at 301-314-6394 or visit https://ter.ps/2021HOF.
- Rick Badanjek '85 - Football
- Rick Badanjek is one of the greatest scorers in Maryland Football history. His 44 rushing touchdowns are the most ever for a Terp and his 46 total touchdowns are also a school record. Badanjek ranks eighth all-time at Maryland in career rushing yards with 2,417. He rushed for 90 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns en route to being named the Most Valuable Player of the 1984 Sun Bowl, a game Maryland won, 28-27, against Tennessee. Badanjek went on to play three seasons in the NFL with Washington and Atlanta.
- Steve Blake ‘03 - Men’s Basketball
- One of the most decorated players in Maryland men’s basketball history, Steve Blake helped lead the program to its first and only NCAA Championship in 2002. Blake is Maryland’s only four-time all-conference selection and remains the school’s all-time leader in career assists, single-season assists and career starts. He was selected with the 38th overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft and went on to play 13 seasons for eight different teams.
- Sasho Cirovski - Men’s Soccer Coach
- Sasho Cirovski is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in the history of college soccer. The program’s all-time winningest coach, Cirovski has captured three national championships (2005, 2008, 2018), advanced to the NCAA Tournament 26 times, made nine College Cups and won 14 conference titles. The Terps’ bench boss is also one of just six coaches to win 400 matches at a single Division I program. Cirovski has turned Maryland into the preeminent producer of professional soccer talent among college teams in the United States. Terps have participated in three consecutive FIFA World Cups and 14 Terps have earned caps for the US Men’s National Team. Cirovski has developed 49 MLS SuperDraft picks and seven MLS homegrown signings.
- Maurice Edu '06 - Men’s Soccer
- Maurice Edu is one of the greatest players in Maryland soccer history. The Fontana, Calif., was a key cog in the Terps’ run to a national championship in 2005 as a second-team All-ACC selection before earning first-team All-American honors in 2006. Edu was subsequently selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft, won MLS Rookie of the Year and played in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. A veteran of 46 appearances for the US Men’s National Team, Edu was selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and made three appearances. Edu played for clubs in the top leagues of England, Scotland and Turkey and participated in the UEFA Champions League. He is now a top television analyst for Fox Sports, CBS Sports, and Atlanta United.
- Paula Infante ‘06 - Field Hockey
- Paula Infante dominated the NCAA field hockey competition throughout her four years in College Park. Infante was a four-time First Team All-American and won the Honda Sports Award as the nation’s top player in 2005 and 2006. She led the Terrapins to back-to-back NCAA titles in her junior and senior seasons. Her 58 career goals are No. 9 on the Terps’ all-time list. Infante was captain of the Chilean National Team.
- D'Qwell Jackson '05 - Football
- D'Qwell Jackson, a two-time All-American (2004, 2005) and three-time All-ACC selection (2003-05), is one of the most decorated Terrapins to ever play on the defensive side of the ball. He led Maryland in tackles from 2003-05 and ranks fourth all-time in school history with 447 career tackles. Jackson capped his Terps career by winning the 2005 ACC Defensive Player of the Year award. He went on to play 11 years in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts and the Cleveland Browns, and was a 2014 Pro Bowl selection.
- Crystal Langhorne ‘08 - Women’s Basketball
- Crystal Langhorne will forever be in the rafters of the XFINITY Center after leading the Terrapins to the 2006 NCAA Championship. Langhorne was one of Coach Brenda Frese’s first top recruits, helping get the program back to the top of the national stage. Langhorne was named ACC Player of the Year, ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year, ACC Freshman of the Year and was a three-time All-American. Langhorne is second in the Maryland record books in scoring and rebounding with 2,247 career points and 1,229 career rebounds. She still holds the program record with her field goal percentage of 65.2 percent. Langhorne was drafted sixth overall by the Washington Mystics. She went on to win two WNBA titles and was a two-time WNBA All Star.
- Keli Smith-Puzo ‘01 - Field Hockey
- A two-time Olympian and three-time all-American at Maryland, Keli Smith Puzo is undoubtedly one of the all-time greats of the legendary Maryland field hockey program. Smith Puzo helped lead the Terrapins to the 1999 NCAA title and earned three All-ACC honors. She helped the Terps to three ACC titles. Smith Puzo competed for the U.S. National Team in the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics. She earned 173 international caps with the U.S. National Team.
- Erin Taylor Blount ‘97 - Women’s Soccer
- When it comes to trailblazers, the story of Maryland women’s soccer cannot be written without super sweeper Erin Taylor. The Jupiter, Fla. native became the program’s first and only United Soccer First Team All-American and ACC Player of the Year after a sensational senior season in 1996. The defender was a three-time United Soccer Coaches All-Region honoree (1994-96), three-time All-ACC selection (1994-96) and two-time All-ACC Tournament choice (19940-95). She recorded 12 career goals and five assists while helping Maryland to its two winningest seasons in program history with 18 victories and 19 wins in 1995 and 1996 (respectively). She was also a United States Women's National Team pool player in 1997, and Assistant Women's Soccer Coach at The Ohio State University from 1998-2001.
