What does TERPS stand for? 

terps

The Maryland Terrapins, commonly referred to as the Terps, consist of 19 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Maryland, College Park in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I competition. Maryland was a founding member of the Southern Conference in 1921, a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1952, and is now a member of the Big Ten Conference. The nickname was coined in 1932 by Harry C. "Curley" Byrd, then the school's football coach and later the school's president. Previously, Maryland teams were known as the "Old Liners"—a reference to the state's nickname, "The Old Line State." However, the school newspaper, The Diamondback, wanted a better nickname. Byrd thought "Terrapins" was a good choice because of the diamondback terrapins endemic to the Chesapeake Bay region. Byrd's hometown of Crisfield was famous for the number of terrapins along its shores. The school mascot is an anthropomorphic turtle named "Testudo." The official team colors are red, white, black, and gold, derived from the Maryland state flag. It is the only NCAA school to have four official school colors. On July 1, 2014, the Terrapins became members of the Big Ten Conference following 62 years of membership in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The university currently sponsors varsity athletic teams in 20 men's and women's sports, which compete at the NCAA Division I level.

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