Maryland women’s basketball junior guard Bri McDaniel will miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL, the team announced Tuesday. The No. 8 Terps will enter their most challenging week of the season and embark on what they hope is a long postseason run without one of their top scorers and most intimidating defenders.
“We are so sad for Bri,” Terps coach Brenda Frese said in a statement. “She brings a competitive fire and passion every time she steps on the court and I know she will continue to pour that into her teammates. She will have incredible support from our Maryland family and her amazing family back home. We will be with her every step of the way and I know she will attack her recovery and rehab to come back stronger than ever.”
McDaniel’s injury came on the final play of the first quarter in Maryland’s 99-92 win over No. 24 Minnesota on Tuesday. She poked a ball loose then sprinted the other way for a layup attempt, but collided with a defender on her way up and landed awkwardly. She was carried off the court and didn’t return to the game. Frese said after the victory that McDaniel would be evaluated over the following days to determine the severity of her injury.
McDaniel averaged 10.6 points, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game this season, often as Frese’s first call off the bench. She played in all 17 games, starting two of them, and recently posted a season-high 21 points in the Terps’ victory over Wisconsin earlier this month.
“By committee,” Frese said after Tuesday’s win when asked how she’d fill McDaniel’s potential absence. “It’s what you gotta have with a great team with depth, even though our depth is being impacted at the moment, you got to have others step up.”
Maryland is 16-1 and in the midst of its most difficult test of the season. The Terps have already faced three Top 25 teams this month, the one loss coming by five to No. 4 Southern California. That stretch continues Monday against No. 7 Texas, then on the road against No. 12 Ohio State on Thursday and No. 1 UCLA at home Sunday.
McDaniel played in 34 and 33 games over her freshman and sophomore seasons, respectively, becoming an immediate impact and one of Maryland’s most reliable contributors over the past two years. The Terps have national championship hopes in 2025. McDaniel, who would have been a key figure in that run, now won’t be a part of it.
“To all my fans and friends, I just want to say thank you for all your support, love, and prayers,” McDaniel said in a statement. “Don’t worry y’all, the comeback is coming soon!”
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