‘A dream come true’: Maryland’s long-awaited basketball practice facility finally becomes a reality

COLLEGE PARK — Brenda Frese has waited for decades to have a practice facility to call her own. 

“In all my 30-plus years of coaching, this is my very first practice facility to be a part of.”

Now, it’s finally a reality for the longtime Maryland women’s basketball coach, as her squad and coach Buzz Williams’ men’s team have christened the new Barry P. Gossett Basketball Performance Center on the College Park campus just ahead of the new season.

“Oh, it’s a dream come true,” Frese said as part of a tour of the Terrapins’ new digs. “I am really grateful that here at Maryland, it’s the first one that I’ve been a part of. You can see all the amenities, all the bells and whistles. They did a phenomenal job. I can’t say enough.”

Maryland was previously the only school in the Big Ten Conference and one of only a handful across major college basketball without a dedicated basketball facility. Construction of the $52 million, 45,000 square foot center took a little more than two years to complete after ground was broken in June 2023 following delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was definitely necessary, absolutely,” Frese said. “You’ve got to have — when your players are spending so much time on their craft, you have to be able to have the resources and the facilities to go behind it.”

Upon entering the black brick and steel-clad facility, players, staff and guests are greeted by a large video screen that runs continuous highlights of past Terrapin players and successes. Just beyond, Maryland players who’ve played professionally are honored with a tile along the walls leading to each team’s respective locker room.

“When you see the history, and you learn about the history a little bit more — which, I still have more learning to do — I think it’s just inspiring to see all the hard work,” said men’s guard David “Diggy” Coit, a transfer from Kansas. “Before the NIL [era] and before transfer portals all came in, a lot of people put their blood, sweat and tears, took the most of their opportunity to help build this.”

The center features dual sides for the men’s and women’s teams with their own lockers, lounges, film rooms and recovery areas.

“I’m just super grateful,” said women’s guard Saylor Poffenbarger. “Obviously, it’s beautiful. It speaks for itself. But I think also just being able to be the first team in it is super exciting. We’re all super excited just for Coach B to get something like this, but then also for us to be the ones who inherit it. So we’re just super grateful and excited.”

Frese and Williams each have offices that overlook the large gymnasium and practice court, which, along with a large weight room, are shared by both teams.

“My view also looks outside to the campus, Frese added, “and so to have had 23 years, and to have that kind of view of just how gorgeous our campus is, I feel again like a kid at Christmas.”

On its walls, the practice court lists the same honors for retired numbers, NCAA Tournament appearances and national championships that are displayed on the banners hanging from the rafters of Xfinity Center.

“Walking in here and just being able to, like, inherit this from the past programs of all the teams of Maryland, and just having that excitement, carries over to the season,” Poffenbarger said. “We come in here super excited every day.”

An indoor tunnel was also added to link the facility to Xfinity, connecting through what was previously a weight room. Maryland administrators want to use the nearly 18,000-seat arena for other revenue-generating events now that it will be open more often.

“In my time, we’ve always been great team players. But that that has been challenging … when you’ve had both sports wanting to do things at the same time,” Frese said of Xfinity, which also hosts Maryland’s volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling teams. “And recruiting now, you have a lot of visits, official visits, unofficial visits, and — rightly so — both coaches want to show their best facilities.”

Williams, who was named Maryland’s coach in April, was able to put some of his own imprints on the building before it opened. He designated a place in the men’s locker room to commemorate each Terrapins’ road trip and a large wall ready to display his ‘quote shirts,’ a tradition he’s carried over from his previous stops. Nearly his entire roster this fall will be newcomers, like Coit.

“The facility just matches the energy around sports, energy around basketball, and the culture around basketball,” Coit said. “Credit to the fans, credit to the people … that put money into this but also worked hard for this.”