To me in simply comes down to whether MD is still getting the best 5 players in MD each year. For years it was just about automatic that the best players stayed home to be part of the amazing UMD tradition. If they no longer get the best of the best in the state that is a big issue because the out of state best players will rarely choose UMD. They have had an amazing advantage historically of keeping the best local kids - offering close to free education for in-state players was also a big advantage. If they don't get the Top 5 players each year they will start to look more and more like Stony Brook which is still a Top 15 school every year.
I’m willing to bet that Maryland has finished outside the Top 10 less than 5 times over the past 40 years. They won one of the past 2 National Championships obviously they are bringing in good players and there is no reason to believe that they will not continue to do so. As for “the best 5 players in state of MD” that’s not even possible to accurately assess, ranking of players is opinion based. MD will continue to bring in talent and they will continue to be one of the best programs.
