Gary Gait was a three-time national champion while starring as a Syracuse attack. He’s been called the best player in lacrosse history.

His successful career as a coach, though, began at Maryland, where he helped the Terrapins win seven national titles as an assistant from 1995-2001.

‘It was a great time in my life, and I enjoyed being part of Maryland lacrosse and their run they had when I was there,’ the Syracuse head coach said. ‘But I’ve moved on and that was a long time ago, and I’m back at my alma mater and loving the opportunity to try and take this team to the next level.’

On Saturday, Gait returns to College Park, Md., for a 1 p.m. matchup with the No. 4 Terrapins. It will be Syracuse’s third straight game against a top-five team. SU split its first two games of the tough stretch with an 11-9 overtime loss at home to No. 1 Northwestern and a 12-11 double-overtime victory over then-No. 5 Florida in Gainesville, Fla.

Syracuse’s rivalry with the Terrapins, though, goes beyond Gait. The Orange has never beaten Maryland, but SU has consistently played the Terrapins close. Last season, SU lost a low-scoring game in College Park 7-5.

‘Every game’s the same,’ SU attack Michelle Tumolo said. ‘… We just have a rivalry against them because they ended our season two years ago, and last year we played them and we only lost by two, so we can run with them and just prove ourselves.’

Though Gait is no longer with Maryland, the team still has some connections to his time with the Terrapins. Maryland head coach Cathy Reese played during Gait’s tenure as an assistant coach at the school. The Terrapins won the national championship all four years of her career.

It’ll actually be the second time this season Gait sees one of his former players standing on the opposite sidelines coaching an opponent. The SU head coach first experienced it when the Orange fell to Northwestern in overtime. Kelly Amonte Hiller was a two-time national player of the year for the Terrapins under Gait and helped guide Maryland to a pair of national championships.

‘It makes it fun,’ Gait said. ‘It’s just an exciting opportunity, and I look forward to it every week. It makes it fun to look across and see a young coach doing such a great job.’

So far, Syracuse has gotten up for games like this. SU gave the No. 1 Wildcats their toughest test of the season.

Syracuse midfielder Sarah Holden expects Gait to be fired up for his return to Maryland. And she thinks the team will feed off that excitement.

‘I’m sure he’ll go back to his old stomping grounds and want to come away with a ‘W,” Holden said, ‘so I’m sure that will rub off on us as well.’

But had a few things gone differently, Gait could still be on the other side of this rivalry Saturday. In 2001, Maryland’s Hall of Fame coach Dick Edell retired, and Gait found himself among candidates to replace him as men’s lacrosse coach. Ultimately, he was passed over for Dave Cottle.

Nine years later, the job opened up again.

This time around, it was Gait who turned down the Terrapins, instead choosing to remain at his alma mater. Though it was an opportunity he appreciated, his heart remains with the Orange.

‘I made a commitment to Syracuse,’ Gait said. ‘… I haven’t finished the job I started here, and I’m still working on that, so until that job’s done I’m here and I’m here for good.’

dbwilson@syr.edu