Maryland men’s basketball’s sacred tradition that continues to live on

Photo Courtesy of Alexa Wootten

52 years ago, Hall of Fame Maryland coach Lefty Driesell wanted to be the first team to practice for the 1971 season. So on the eve of the start of college basketball, Driesell had his team lined up at the stadium track.

Once 12:03 a.m. hit, the Terps ran a mile.

The workout was not heavily promoted, but clearly it’s always been an event for the fans as 800 students showed up to watch the 1971-72 Maryland men’s basketball team run that mile.

That midnight mile sparked a college phenomenon: Midnight Madness. Programs like Duke (“Countdown to Craziness”), Kentucky (“Big Blue Madness”) and Michigan State (“Michigan State Madness”) began hosting events at midnight the day the season started to kick things off with fans.

These events all earned their own titles, but still held the same excitement — basketball season has arrived.

Most schools’ versions of Midnight Madness include dunk contests, costumes, big screens filled with hype videos, or a scrimmage. For most schools, all of it happens in their arenas. But for Maryland, it decided to stick with Driesell’s way and keep it on the track.

Thousands of students filed into Ludwig Field on Oct. 17 to run the Midnight Mile with the 2023-2024 Maryland men’s basketball team.

“It’s one thing to watch basketball, but to feel connected to the team and the student body is just all together and you’re all rooting somebody on it’s just so fun,” student Emma Boyd said.

The players get something special out of it too.

“You know it’s really cool,” center Caelum Swanton-Rodger said. “Being able to be a part of that history, you know it’s a great experience having all the fans out here every year. Keeping [and] upholding that tradition, it’s great.”

“You really get to meet them, a lot of people — they know of you but you’ve never met them before, and they say they’re going to come support and watch the games — it just makes me feel good as a player,” guard/forward Jamie Kaiser Jr said.

So when the clock strikes 12:03, it’s time for the Terps to get to work.