COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland will serve as host to the Terrapin Invitational, a five-team event which gets underway Saturday at the Eppley Recreation Center Natatorium.

The two-day event will kick off the 2012 season for the Terps, who were ranked No. 20 in the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Women's Varsity National Top 20 Preseason poll. The tournament also includes two more ranked teams in No. 8 San Diego State University and No. 14 University of California-San Diego. Marist College and Wagner University round out the field.

Head coach Carl Salyer, entering his eighth season, and his team will also hold a pair of events on Saturday to aid in saving the water polo program following the decision of Maryland to cut several sports.

The team will hold a two-hour clinic at noon on Saturday, January 28 at Eppley and a fundraising event at 8 p.m. Saturday at Looney’s in College Park, Md. Two-time Olympian Nicolle Payne will be on hand for the clinic and attend the findraiser. She was a member of four National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship teams at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) and a four-time All-America goalkeeper.

Maryland Invitational Schedule

Saturday, Jan. 28

• Maryland vs. Marist – 9:30 a.m.
• Wagner vs. UC San Diego – 11 a.m.
• Save UMD Water Polo clinic – Noon to 2 p.m. (Eppley)
• San Diego State vs. Marist – 2:30 p.m.
• Maryland vs. UC San Diego – 5 p.m.
• Wagner vs. San Diego State – 6:30 p.m.
• Save UMD Water Polo event – 8 p.m. (Looney’s Pub in College Park)

Sunday, Jan. 29

• Maryland vs. San Diego State – 10:30 a.m.
• Marist vs. UC San Diego – noon
• Maryland vs. Wagner – 3 p.m.

All times EST

Parking is available in either Lot 1 or Stadium Drive garage. Click here to view a campus parking map.

Release courtesy University of Maryland Women's Water Polo