Maryland
Norfolk State coach demands more respect for Spartans after competitive loss to heavily favored Maryland
Norfolk State entered Saturday’s matchup against Maryland in the women’s NCAA Tournament as considerable underdogs. But the Spartans pushed the Terrapins well into the fourth quarter before losing 82-69.
The first-round game got off to a surprising start with Norfolk State scoring the game’s first seven points. The historically black university located in Virginia also entered the locker room with a 32-30 lead at halftime.
The underdog Spartans trailed by just four points early in the fourth quarter.
Despite losing to Maryland, longtime Norfolk State head coach Larry Vickers said his team showed it deserved better.
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Norfolk State head coach Larry Vickers during the second half against Maryland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 22, 2025, in College Park, Md. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
“This group won 30 games this year, 27 games last year, 26 games the year before, and we still walk into these things having to get respect from the three people on the floor,” the Norfolk State coach said. “I’m not going to complain about officiating. That’s not what I’m going to do. But when you all see these Spartan heads in your gym, I think we should get a little bit more respect than we get.”
NCAA WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT 2025: TOP MOMENTS FROM DAY 2
Maryland did have a strong third quarter, making all 12 of its free throws.
“I’m not saying we didn’t foul because it was a large moment. We were probably fouling. I’ve got to watch the film,” he said. “But you can’t send teams to the free throw line — especially as good shooters as they were.”
Norfolk State guard Diamond Johnson (3) shoots over Maryland guard Sarah Te-Biasu (1) during the first half of the first round of the NCAA Tournament in College Park, Md. Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
For the game, Norfolk State was whistled for 21 fouls to Maryland’s 12, and the Terps went 23 of 25 from the line. That was a significant factor, although Vickers did suggest his team deserved some of the blame.
A game ball with the March Madness logo during the first round of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center March 22, 2025, in Baton Rouge. (Beau Brune/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
“I’m not saying that the officiating lost us that game,” he said. “We fouled. And we fouled. And we fouled. And we fouled. And we fouled jump shooters, and we fouled jump shooters some more.”
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Vickers also praised guard Diamond Johnson, who scored 18 points Saturday, and pushed back against her perceived dropping WNBA Draft stock.
“I’ve watched her go from seventh in the first round, when she got to me, and drop and drop and drop and drop, and I don’t know why,” Vickers said. “She needs to be on every mid-major finalist list, every Dawn Staley award winner finalist list, every Nancy Lieberman finalist list. She’s super special.”
Vickers, who has spent the past nine seasons at Norfolk State, was asked about his coaching future after all the success he’s achieved at the school. On that, he wasn’t offering much insight.
“We all have visions and goals,” he said. “I don’t know. I don’t know. We’ll see.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Calling all outdoorsmen and women — Maryland’s Lower Shore is home to some of the best hiking, walking and running trails on the East Coast.
Here’s a closer look at four picturesque parks and preserves with nature trails in the Berlin, Salisbury and Ocean City area.
Assateague Island
Assateague Island offers a wide variety of paved and unpaved trails open for hiking and 37 miles of flat beach terrain for wandering and beachcombing. Assateague Island’s Maryland District features a Life of the Dunes trail, Life of the Forest trail, Life of the Marsh trail.
Furnace Town
Furnace Town is nestled between the Pocomoke State Forest and Nature Conservancy’s Nassawango Creek Preserve. The popular historical site offers three Nature Conservancy Trails, three Maryland Forest service Trails, and a 26-acre outdoor museum and recreation area.
Pemberton Historical Park
Pemberton Historical Park, a 262-acre area featuring a trail system, outdoor amphitheater and more, was created in the 1980s. The park offers 4.5 miles of nature trails for walking and hiking only, allowing visitors to explore wetlands, forests and more of the natural world.
Nassawango Creek Preserve
Nassawango Creek Preserve’s primeval forest has an abundance of bald cypress and black gum trees. Visitors are invited to indulge in its four trails, the Nassawango Joe, Prothonotary Warbler, Ron Wilson Memorial Trail and Leifer Trail, as well as self-guided audio tours.
Olivia Minzola covers communities on the Lower Shore. Contact her with tips and story ideas at ominzola@delmarvanow.com.
The 21-year-old second baseman and 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has deep ties to the D.C. region.
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Washington Nationals’ first-round draft pick Chris Hacopian inked his first professional contract Wednesday, a moment made sweeter by the fact it was just a 30-minute drive from home to get to Nationals Park and put pen to paper.
The 21-year-old second baseman and 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has deep ties to the D.C. region. He’s from Potomac, Maryland, and played his high school ball at Winston Churchill, where he was named the 2022 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year and a 2022 Washington Post All-Met selection.
According to MLB.com, Hacopian grew up a Nationals fan, admiring the likes of Ian Desmond, Danny Espinosa and others. He also played his first two collegiate seasons at the University of Maryland, where his father Derek played before him, before transferring to Texas A&M for his junior season.
With the Aggies, Hacopian hit .319 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI across 42 games en route to being named First-Team All-Southeastern Conference and a Third-Team All-American by Baseball America, the Nationals said in a news release.
After inking his contract Wednesday, Hacopian donned his new jersey and ball cap and stepped onto D.C.’s beloved diamond as a part of the Nationals organization for the first time.
“That was so cool, oh my gosh. I’ve been in the stands like, 100 times, but being on the field is so different,” he said.
Hacopian was ranked 14th among MLB Draft prospects by MLB.com. The 6-foot-1-inch, 210-pound second baseman boasted one of the best bats in college baseball, according to MLB.com, with excellent control over the strike zone and feel for the barrel, along with solid pop.
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The state said the five recently traveled together to “a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak.”
Maryland health officials confirmed five more measles cases, all in Carroll County.
“These individuals recently traveled together to a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak,” the state Department of Health said in a release.
The agency said others may have been exposed on the afternoon of July 13 in the emergency department waiting room at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster.
Another measles case recently prompted warnings from health officials in Maryland, Virginia and the District. On June 17, a Maryland resident traveled through Dulles International Airport and visited a D.C. urgent care clinic.
Measles is highly contagious. It can spread through the air through coughs, breathing, and sneezes. Early symptoms can include fevers of over 101 degrees, coughs, runny noses, watery eyes and face or body rashes.
It can take up to 21 days after exposure for the first symptoms to appear, and those who are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles are especially vulnerable.
The five new measles cases in Maryland bring the state’s year-to-date total to nine. The state health department confirmed three cases in 2025, and one in each of the previous two years.
“All Marylanders should review potential exposure times, watch for symptoms, and confirm they are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations,” the health department said.
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© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
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