Impact Of A Scholarship: Abigail Bentz

The Terrapin alumnus still remembers her first trips to College Park. “On my official tour it was pouring rain, but the campus was still so stunning,” said Bentz. “We did our little drive around and I thought, ‘this is the most beautiful, huge campus in this condensed space!'” 

Bentz also recalls getting along well with former head coach Steve Aird and the other girls that had committed. “I came to Maryland’s [volleyball] camp, and the rest is history.” 

The University of Maryland was especially appealing for Bentz because of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. “In high school, I was the editor of the newspaper, so it was very important to me that my college’s journalism school was good too.” Bentz went on to earn her bachelor’s degree at Maryland in multiplatform journalism. 

For Bentz, Maryland offered the ideal intersection of athletic, professional, and personal opportunities. “The location of Maryland, being so close to D.C. and the metro, provided me with so many opportunities in the summertime,” explained Bentz. “Not only having the journalism school on my resume but also having the location right next to one of the most influential cities in the world was a massive, massive perk.” 

She also described the value of Maryland’s in-house athletics leadership positions. “If you take advantage of the opportunities they have set up for you, you’re able to also build your resume through athletics, which is usually a very comfortable space for athletes.” For example, as president of SAAC, Bentz formed dynamic relationships with student-athletes from other Terrapin teams.