Maryland Terrapins

The Maryland Terrapins, commonly referred to as the Terps, consist of 27 men's and women's athletic teams that represent the University of Maryland, College Park in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I competition. Maryland became a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1952, and is now a Football Bowl Subdivision program in football. The nickname was coined in 1932 by Dr. Harry C. "Curley" Byrd, then the school's football coach and later the school's president. Previously, Maryland teams were known as the "Old Liners"--a reference to the state's nickname, "The Old Line State." However, the school newspaper, The Diamondback, wanted a better nickname. Byrd thought "Terrapins" was a good choice because of the diamondback terrapins endemic to the Chesapeake Bay region. Byrd's hometown of Crisfield was famous for the number of terrapins along its shores. The school mascot is an anthropomorphic turtle named "Testudo". The official team colors are red, white, black, and gold, derived from the Maryland state flag.