A two-time All-ACC selection and catalyst behind Wake Forest’s first-ever NCAA Field Hockey National Championship in 2002, Maria was a fierce competitor, a loyal friend, and a leader who inspired those around her—on and off the field. Standing only 5 feet tall and weighing just 105 pounds, her tenacity was unmatched. “Any time, any day, any opponent,” she once told Coach Jen Averill, who would later describe Maria as “a pistol” whose actions and words left a permanent mark on everyone she encountered.

After graduation, Maria became the youngest collegiate head coach in the country and went on to join the coaching staff at Duke University, even as she waged a private battle with stage IV melanoma. Despite enduring multiple brain surgeries and aggressive treatments, Maria rarely missed a game or practice, embodying optimism, resilience, and service until her final breath on November 1, 2006.

Now, nearly two decades later, Maria’s legacy will live on through the In5pire Hope Fund—offering financial assistance, free lodging, and critical support to families displaced by cancer treatment in the Research Triangle and beyond, including through Nick’s House Durham.