[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 42 (Wednesday, April 5, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3156-S3158]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     COMMENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Sarbanes and 
myself, I call up a resolution which is at the desk and ask for its 
immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 425) to commend the University of 
     Maryland women's basketball

[[Page S3157]]

     team for winning the 2006 National Collegiate Athletic 
     Association Division I National Basketball Championship.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I offer this resolution on behalf of 
Senator Sarbanes and myself.
  Yes, the women's basketball team of the University of Maryland did 
win the women's basketball championship. I am here today to offer this 
resolution and to state I am so proud of the young women of this 
championship basketball team.
  Led by Coach B, Brenda Frese, the Terps finished the season with a 
record of 34 wins and 4 losses, a fine record for any basketball team. 
It was especially sweet because those Terps defied all expert 
predictions.
  Last night was a game for the history books. It went into overtime 
and, at the same time, was in overdrive.
  I have to say a word about our worthy opponent, the Blue Devils. They 
were champions, too. What we saw on the court was fierce play, 
brilliant strategy, and the American value of sportsmanship.
  But there is only one winner of each game, and although Duke played 
very well, our Maryland Lady Terps were, indeed, a story champion. The 
University of Maryland has a fine basketball tradition. The national 
championship team exemplifies all that is good about it. They are 
student athletes. They study 2 hours a day to make sure they are going 
to graduate and have fulfilled the American dream while they are out 
there playing the hoop dream.
  Last night proved to the country their maturity, their grace under 
pressure, their skill, and their indomitable spirit.
  The most outstanding player of the tournament, Laura Harper, held the 
Terps together, scoring in that first half when Duke was playing great 
defense. But in the second half, after Coach B's terrific motivational 
speech, they were out there and the colors shone through. Behind by 13 
points with only 15 minutes left, they would not give up to pressure. 
Coach B called her team to the bench for a breather, and they returned 
to the court as if there were no deficit to overcome. The energy and 
the poise of the tri-captains--Shay Doron, scooting down that court, 
dashing through the defense of the Blue Devils, zinging in for her 
points and, at the same time, making most of her free throws; Crystal 
Langhorne, though boxed in, did a dramatic steal and surged ahead; and 
there was Charmaine Carr, backing up the team.
  This pushed the team over the hump. As the clock wound down, the 
Terps had closed the gap and finally we were into overtime. Then a 
freshman guard, Kristi Toliver, came down the floor. They had her boxed 
in, yet from a dramatic distance she made a magical three-pointer with 
only 6 seconds left. And as the Terps fans know, it was fear the 
turtle. It showed that overtime is our time.
  Freshman Marissa Coleman played superb basketball. We all know the 
outcome.
  When the final buzzer sounded, the University of Maryland Terrapins 
were crowned the national champion.
  I congratulate the players and the coach for the excitement of such a 
wonderful game and a wonderful season, and I congratulate them on their 
sportsmanship.
  Elizabeth Dole and I had a bet on the outcome. By the way, you should 
know that in order to be in the final four you have to have a woman 
Senator here. There was LSU, Senator Landrieu; Senator Dole had to have 
two teams, and there she was; and, of course, Senator Barb Mikulski 
with her Terrapins. Senator Dole and I had a friendly bet, my crab 
cakes against her barbecue. We shared some barbecue together and some 
of their sweet tea, which is as nice as our friendship.
  That is what sportsmanship is. Hats off to the Terps, and hats off to 
title IX that made it all possible.
  I will not yield that championship next year.
  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, it is with a profound sense of Maryland 
pride and pleasure that I rise in joining my Maryland colleague, 
Senator Barbara Mikulski, in introducing a resolution congratulating 
the University of Maryland Terrapins for winning the 2006 NCAA Women's 
National Basketball Championship. Joining us in this effort is the 
Maryland House delegation, spearheaded by University of Maryland alum, 
Congressman Steny Hoyer.
  As our resolution highlights, this has been a terrific run for the 
women's basketball team. The team notched 33 wins, the most for any 
Division I men's or women's basketball team this season. Maryland was 
also the only team in the Nation to score more than 3,000 points. With 
this championship, the team became only the fourth school to secure 
championships in both men's and women's basketball, joining Stanford 
University, the University of Connecticut and the University of North 
Carolina.
  Maryland, after its stellar regular season, was surprisingly selected 
as a No. 2 seed. The young team, which started two freshmen, two 
sophomores and one junior, seemed to thrive on the NCAA selection 
committee's underestimation. They played in, and won, six overtime 
games this season, including the positively thrilling come-from-behind-
victory in the championship game. Down by thirteen points with fifteen 
minutes left in regulation, the Terps kept chipping away at the lead, 
capping it off with a terrific three point shot by freshman guard, 
Kristi Toliver, to tie the game at 70 with 6.1 seconds left in 
regulation.
  In overtime the Lady Terps showed why they consider the extra period 
to be ``their time.'' Smothering defense and poise in shooting free 
throws secured the brilliant win down the final stretch.
  The championship team consisted of senior guard/forward Charmaine 
Carr, freshman guard/forward Marissa Coleman, junior guard Shay Doron, 
junior guard Kalika France, sophomore forward/center Laura Harper, 
sophomore center/forward Crystal Langhorne, sophomore guard Christie 
Marrone, sophomore guard Ashleigh Newman, junior center Aurelie Noirez, 
sophomore forward/center Jade Perry, senior forward/center Angel Ross, 
freshman guard Kristi Toliver, and sophomore guard Sa'de Wiley-
Gatewood. Their victory could not have been secured without the 
talented coaches and staff led by head coach Brenda Frese, assisted by 
coaches Jeff Walz, Erica Floyd, and Joanna Bernabei. Finally, I'd like 
to acknowledge the director of basketball operations, Mark Pearson and 
athletic director Debbie Yow.
  On behalf of the State of Maryland, the Maryland congressional 
delegation and the University of Maryland, I ask my colleagues to join 
me in acknowledging the outstanding efforts of this amazing group of 
basketball players, coaches and staff.
  Cheer the turtle!
  Ms. MIKULSKI. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 425) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, is as follows:

                              S. Res. 425

       Whereas the University of Maryland women's basketball team 
     has worked vigorously, dynamically, and very enthusiastically 
     to reach a championship level of play;
       Whereas the students, alumni, faculty, and fans of the 
     Terrapins should be congratulated for their commitment to the 
     University of Maryland Terrapins national champion women's 
     basketball team;
       Whereas the student athletes, led by Crystal Langhorne and 
     her teammates, Kristi Toliver, Freshman of the Year Marissa 
     Coleman, Shay Doron, Laura Harper, Kalika France, Christie 
     Marrone, Ashleigh Newman, Aurelie Noirez, Jade Perry, Angel 
     Ross, Charmaine Carr, and Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood participated 
     in this national championship season;
       Whereas Head Coach Brenda Frese has recruited and taught 
     the top talent in the United States to be student athletes at 
     the University of Maryland and has been assisted by coaches 
     Jeff Walz, Erica Floyd, Joanna Bernabei, and Director of 
     Basketball Operations Mark Pearson, to imbue in these young 
     women the values of teamwork, perseverance, and 
     competitiveness;
       Whereas the University of Maryland women's basketball team, 
     also known as the ``Terps'', was able to defeat their 2 
     greatest foes en route to a first national championship in 
     women's basketball;
       Whereas the championship game was won in overtime after 
     overcoming a deficit of 13 points with only 15 minutes 
     remaining in regulation play; and
       Whereas the grit, heart, and maturity of the 2006 
     University of Maryland Terrapins

[[Page S3158]]

     women's basketball team will be the standard-bearer for years 
     to come in the game of Women's College Basketball: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the University of Maryland Terrapins 
     women's college basketball team for winning the 2006 National 
     Collegiate Athletic Association Division I National 
     Championship;
       (2) recognizes the breathtaking achievements of Head Coach 
     Brenda Frese, her assistant coaches, and all of the 
     outstanding players; and
       (3) directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit a copy 
     of this resolution to Brenda Frese, Head Coach of the 
     national champions University of Maryland Terrapins and to 
     the University of Maryland College Park President, Dr. Dan 
     Mote for appropriate display.

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