Maryland freshman has stellar performance for Romania in U20 EuroBasket Championships

Maryland incoming women’s basketball freshman Nicole Fritea had a dominating performance in Romania’s 61-33 victory over Great Britain on Tuesday. Freita led all scorers with 18 points, seven rebounds, four steals, and three blocks, and added three assists in an easy victory. However, Romania suffered a 61-36 defeat against Switzerland on Wednesday, where she scored eight points, grabbed five rebounds, and recorded two blocks.

Incoming Maryland freshman Nicole Fritea led Romania to a 61-33 win over Great Britain at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket. Her stats:

- 18 points
- 7 rebounds
- 2 assists
- 4 steals
- 3 blocks pic.twitter.com/mcYw4VNgUw
— Inside Maryland Sports (@Terrapins247) August 6, 2025

Fritea signed with Maryland on July 24, after a stellar amateur career playing for Romania. Fritea had the highest efficiency numbers on the Romanian national team and led the national team in rebounding. She was the two-time best rebounder in the U18 and U19 championships in Romania and competed in the 2024 EuroBasket qualifiers, where she averaged 5.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

Fritea has to be figured in just as much as the other key newcomers of Maryland’s women’s basketball team, who are guard Yarden Garzon who both earned All-Big Ten honors last season at Indiana and guard Oluchi Okananwa from Duke , because of her international experience. She will bring added rebounding and toughness that will also be needed to play in the Big Ten.

Maryland women’s head coach Brenda Frese spoke to Maryland’s athletic website about what Fritea brings to the program after she was signed.

"Nicole comes to Maryland from Romania. She's a talented young player with good athletic ability. She's shown she can rebound and block some shots. She's got good hands and can finish in traffic with a soft touch around the rim. I love how she runs the floor, and she should be able to attack off the dribble. An underrated quality we saw is she seems to have the ability to draw fouls and get to the free throw line. Nicole's best basketball is ahead of her, and we want to help her develop it. She seems to be a true team player and tries to make everyone around her better. That should fit in with us well."

Although Lady Terps will have to wait a little while longer for Fritea to join her new teammates in College Park, she is beyond excited to grow as a player and as a young woman when she embarks on her journey abroad.

"I chose the University of Maryland because it gives me the opportunity to study in a top academic environment while continuing my athletic career at a high level. Basketball is an essential part of my life, and being able to join a team with such a rich history supports my dream of reaching places I never thought I could get to so quickly. For me, Maryland is the place where I can grow, learn, and build the future I truly want. I am truly grateful to have this opportunity, and I deeply appreciate all the support I've received from the team's staff. Their guidance and encouragement mean a lot to me, and that gives me even more motivation to give my best every single day." Fritea said via umterps.com.

Romania (2-1) will continue its action in the group stages of the tournament when it plays Albania (1-1) on Thursday at 9 a.m., which can be watched on YouTube.

Maryland freshman has stellar performance for Romania in U20 EuroBasket Championships

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