COLLEGE PARK, MD -- Maryland women’s basketball team head coach Brenda Frese signed All-Big Ten transfer Kaylene Smikle and Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Sarah Te-Biasu this week.
Smikle, a native of Bay Shore, N.Y., earned All-Big Ten Second Team and All-Big Ten Freshman Team honors at Rutgers. Te-Biasu was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Year after averaging 15.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists this season at VCU.
"The first thing I have to do is give huge thanks to so many people here at Maryland that helped put this group together,” Frese said. “My staff has worked tirelessly since before our season even ended. The transfer portal is relentless, from early in the morning until late at night, for weeks. There’s a lot of moving parts to the whole operation. It’s a true team effort. Our academic advisor deserves special mention as she’s had to look at everyone’s transcripts and find out how we’re going to make it all work. I also have to give a huge thanks to everyone who’s donated to our Maryland Collective. That support is invaluable to our program for now and the future."
KAYLENE SMIKLE
Guard ● 6-0
Junior
Bay Shore, N.Y. ● Westtown (Rutgers)
Frese on Smikle: “Kaylene was someone we prioritized early on. We’ve seen firsthand what she can do in the Big Ten. As soon as she appeared in the portal, I reached out immediately. After talking to her and her family, I was even more excited to get them to Maryland. Families are a really important part of the equation for us. Kaylene will be a terrific fit. She is a tremendous scorer from outside and going to the hoop, she can play in transition and she’s terrific at getting steals. She is extremely competitive and driven. We’re really excited she’s a Terp.”
SARAH TE-BIASU
Guard ● 5-5
Fifth-Year
Montreal, Canada ● Niagara Prep (VCU)
Smikle, a native of Bay Shore, N.Y., earned All-Big Ten Second Team and All-Big Ten Freshman Team honors at Rutgers. Te-Biasu was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Year after averaging 15.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists this season at VCU.
"The first thing I have to do is give huge thanks to so many people here at Maryland that helped put this group together,” Frese said. “My staff has worked tirelessly since before our season even ended. The transfer portal is relentless, from early in the morning until late at night, for weeks. There’s a lot of moving parts to the whole operation. It’s a true team effort. Our academic advisor deserves special mention as she’s had to look at everyone’s transcripts and find out how we’re going to make it all work. I also have to give a huge thanks to everyone who’s donated to our Maryland Collective. That support is invaluable to our program for now and the future."
KAYLENE SMIKLE
Guard ● 6-0
Junior
Bay Shore, N.Y. ● Westtown (Rutgers)
- 2023 All-Big Ten Second Team
- 2023 All-Big Ten Freshman Team
- Averaged 17.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 47 games played at Rutgers over the past two seasons
- Played in just 15 games this past season
- As a freshman in 2022-23, was No. 5 in the Big Ten in scoring with 17.9 points per game in addition to averaging 19.5 points in Big Ten play
- Became Rutgers’ all-time leading freshman scorer in program history, ending the season with 573 points
- A four-star recruit and the No. 11 ranked wing in the nation according to espnW and the No. 64 overall recruit in the country coming out of high school
Frese on Smikle: “Kaylene was someone we prioritized early on. We’ve seen firsthand what she can do in the Big Ten. As soon as she appeared in the portal, I reached out immediately. After talking to her and her family, I was even more excited to get them to Maryland. Families are a really important part of the equation for us. Kaylene will be a terrific fit. She is a tremendous scorer from outside and going to the hoop, she can play in transition and she’s terrific at getting steals. She is extremely competitive and driven. We’re really excited she’s a Terp.”
SARAH TE-BIASU
Guard ● 5-5
Fifth-Year
Montreal, Canada ● Niagara Prep (VCU)
- 2024 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year
- 2024 All-Atlantic 10 First Team; 2023 All-Atlantic 10 Third Team
- Averaged 15.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 2023-24 at VCU
- Averaged 13.8 points, 2.8 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 107 games played at VCU
- Started in 103 of 107 career games
