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Maryland Basketball Programs Bring in Top-10 2018 Recruiting Classes

By Anthony Brown

COLLEGE PARK, MD - MARCH 03: Fans hold of 'Thank You Seniors' signs before the Maryland Terrapins play the Illinois Fighting Illini at Xfinity Center on March 3, 2016 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MD - MARCH 03: Fans hold of 'Thank You Seniors' signs before the Maryland Terrapins play the Illinois Fighting Illini at Xfinity Center on March 3, 2016 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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College basketball is back in College Park. Both Maryland Basketball Programs finished in the top 10 for the 2018 recruiting class.

Basketball is back in College Park. Both Maryland Basketball programs finished in the top 10 for the 2018 recruiting class. A good sign for Maryland fans.

Starting with the Maryland men’s basketball team. The Terps officially welcomed Jalen Smith, Aaron Wiggins and Eric Ayala to the program on Wednesday for National Signing Day.

247Sports ranks Maryland, the fifth best 2018 recruiting class nationally and number one in the Big Ten. Maryland basketball may not be finished as Oak Hill Academy (Va.) Guard Keldon Johnson plans to commit next week.

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The Terps are up against the heavy competition in the Kentucky Wildcats, Texas Longhorns and North Carolina State Wolfpack. Johnson according to the 247Sports Composite is the No.14 ranked player nationally, No. 2 shooting guard and No. 1 player in the state of Virginia.

Maryland Men’s Basketball Head Coach Mark Turgeon is going to have three really talented players on the Maryland basketball roster this time next year.

For Brenda Frese and the women’s team, they signed the fourth best 2018 recruiting class nationally. Six-foot-five, Forward Shakira Austin from Riverdale Baptist High School (Va.) is one of the three players from the top five class. For Colonial Forge High School, she averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds on her way to winning a state title with the team.

The 5-foot-10 guard Taylor Mikesell out of Jackson, High School in Massillon, Ohio was the first of Brenda Frese’s 2018 pledges in September of last year. In addition to being ranked the No. 32 best player overall and No.9 guard in the country, she averaged 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 3.2 steals per game in 2016.

Last but not least, Six-foot-four post player Olivia Owens out of Niskayuna High School in New York is the No. 33 best recruit and No. 5 best post player in the country.

Brenda Frese had a lot of success with the Maryland women’s  basketball team including a regular season Big Ten title and winning the Big Ten tournament in the first year. Not only that, with this class, she now has 12 top-10 recruiting classes in 16 years with the Terps basketball team.

Complete List of Maryland Terps Men’s Basketball Recruits

1. Aaron Wiggins, Guard, Four-Star Recruit

2. Eric Ayala, Guard, Four-Star Recruit

3. Jalen Smith, Forward, Five-Star Recruit

Full List of Maryland Basketball Women’s Recruits

1. Taylor Mikesell, Guard

2. Olivia Owens, Post

3. Shakira Austin, Forward

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