Maura Verleg is an international student from Holland who is on the women's field hockey team at the University of Maryland. Maura experienced winning the conference with the Terrapins in 2022, also reaching the semi-finals of the NCAA tournament. In this interview Maura discusses what it's like making the move to the US from Holland, being part of a successful program, and what her plans are for after graduation.

2aDays: How did you first find it being an international athlete from Holland coming to the states and what was it like initially?

Maura Verleg: To be honest I was pretty scared in the beginning as it was obviously not easy to leave home and leave everyone behind–especially because family is such a big thing for me so I missed them. But, because you're going somewhere where you have a team it was so easy to adjust and everyone was there for me from the first day so I thought that was really easy for me. I did in the beginning have some trouble with the language. I obviously had English class in high school but it was just not the same as talking everyday. So, it was hard but because you speak English everyday here you learn it so quickly. I would say I did expect the culture to be the same as at home but it was way more different than I thought it would be, that did surprise me. I also had some Dutch teammates so whenever I would feel homesick or wanted to speak Dutch they were always there for me.

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2aDays: What made you want to choose the University of Maryland?

MV: Originally I went to the University of New Hampshire. My freshman year was there and then I transferred to UMD because I soon realized that I wanted to play at a higher level. UNH also plays in a different conference and then UMD is in the Big 10, which is one of the best field hockey conferences right now. When I decided I wanted to transfer, I looked at the team culture and I really love the team culture here–it's really like a family. But then also everyone is so competitive, even during practice. You have to work hard everyday and the coaching staff was obviously a big part of my decision. I really love the coaching staff here because everyone's really experienced. Our head coach, I think it's her 35th season now. It's just awesome to be coached by someone that has so much experience and I still feel like I learn something everyday.

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2aDays: What was it like to win the Big 10 Conference Championship and make it to the NCAA Final Four?

MV: The Big Ten was definitely a memorable moment because it was also our senior night at home, so all the families were there and it was just awesome to play at home with all of our fans. It was also amazing because the Big 10 is the biggest conference for field hockey right now and it was awesome to see how much we've grown. It was my first Big 10 Championship so it was obviously nice to have that in your senior season. 

Leading up to the Final Four we made it to the NCAA tournament which is also a big deal and we played at home too which was so nice again because we have all of our fans. The Final Four was kinda funny because I'm from the Netherlands, I didn't really get how big of a deal it was! But, when I got there it was such a big deal and we had a team banquet with all the other teams and it's organized way bigger than any other normal game. So, even though we didn't make it any further, it's amazing that I've had such a cool experience.

2aDays: What do you think are the key things that helped improve your game during your time at college?

MV: One thing that really helped me was learning what the best type of recovery style was for me because I think that's one of the most important things. Field hockey-wise we have two games every week and it's a lot of running so you really have to prioritize your health and make sure you eat enough, sleep, and go to treatment. Also, I feel like my teammates are such a big part of why I can still grow everyday because that's also a big part of our team culture. Everyone pushes each other every day to get better and they are the ones that know me the best and they can always give me advice on how I can improve certain things.

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2aDays: What advice would you give to current college athletes around balancing their sport and academics?

MV: I think one very important thing is to use the resources that are available. I don't know about other schools because it's different for each school but here at Maryland we have a center where we can all do our homework and get tutoring and our academic advisors are all there. So, that's something that definitely helped me a lot. I would always do my homework before or after breakfast and then something that personally helped me was to just get ahead of schedule schoolwork-wise whenever I can because you always have times that are busier than you thought they would be.

2aDays: What are your aspirations for after graduation?

MV: I was planning on graduating this Spring but due to COVID I'm taking my fifth year so I have another year. I'm majoring in psychology but because of my fifth year I'm doing a double major now. After my fifth year I'll probably go home and maybe do a Master's degree.

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2aDays: What last words of advice would you give to future college athletes looking to get into college?

MV: Definitely take care of your body. Prepare yourself for every practice and prioritize sleep and nutrition. Do the summer packet! Because that is something that really helped me to be prepared. I don't know how it is for other sports, but we only have preseason for 2 weeks so it's important to arrive in shape and make it easier for yourself. For choosing a school, I think it's important to go on a visit before you decide and to meet everyone and feel how it is to be here and choose the school that you feel most comfortable at.

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Image Credit: UMD Athletics

* Originally published on May 4, 2023, by Rhys Davies