Maryland Lacrosse Great Peter Worstell Named to National Lacrosse Hall of Fame
Maryland men’s lacrosse legend Peter Worstell has earned one of the highest honors in the sport, as USA Lacrosse announced that he will be inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026. Worstell starred for the Terrapins from 1977 through 1981 and became one of the most accomplished and versatile players in program history. His impact, however, extended far beyond College Park, as he later helped grow the sport at the high school, youth and camp levels in California.
Worstell is one of eight members of the 2026 Hall of Fame class, joining Lissa Fickert, Jon Hess, Sarah Albrecht Meehan, Lindsey Munday, Jim Nestor, Max Seibald and Chris Rotelli. USA Lacrosse selected Worstell in the outstanding contributor category, recognizing both his playing career and his decades of work expanding the game. The class will officially be inducted Jan. 9, 2027, during a ceremony at the M&T Bank Exchange in Baltimore.
A Unique Place in Maryland History
Worstell remains the only player in Maryland men’s lacrosse history to earn All-America honors at two different positions. He was recognized as an All-American at both midfield and attack, showing the versatility that made him one of the most dangerous players of his era. He was also a four-time All-American and four-time All-ACC selection during his Maryland career.
His All-America honors came in 1977, 1978, 1980 and 1981 after an injury forced him to redshirt in 1979. Maryland records list him as a second-team All-American in 1977 and 1978, a first-team selection in 1980 and a second-team selection in 1981. Worstell’s ability to excel at multiple positions helped define a Maryland career built around production, toughness and adaptability.
Worstell also earned All-ACC honors in each of those four playing seasons. His performances later earned him a place on the ACC’s 50th Anniversary Men’s Lacrosse Team in 2002, an honor reserved for some of the conference’s greatest players. Maryland placed 19 players on that anniversary team, with Worstell standing among the program’s most decorated representatives.
Production That Still Stands Out
Worstell finished his Maryland career with 175 points and 126 goals. At the time the ACC released its 50th Anniversary Team, his 126 goals ranked fourth in Maryland history, while his 175 career points placed him among the program’s most productive offensive players. He also produced one of his best seasons after shifting from midfield to attack.
As a freshman in 1977, Worstell led Maryland with 28 goals while playing midfield. He again led the Terps in goals in 1980 with 24 before making the move to attack for his final season. In 1981, Worstell exploded for 43 goals and 67 points, leading Maryland in both categories.
That final season showed exactly why Worstell was so difficult to defend. He already had established himself as one of the nation’s best midfielders, but his transition to attack allowed Maryland to take even greater advantage of his scoring ability. His combination of athleticism, competitiveness and positional versatility made him one of the most complete offensive players in Terrapins history.
Winning Was Always the Priority
Worstell’s Maryland career was not defined only by individual statistics. During his five years in College Park, including his redshirt season, Maryland went a combined 40-16 and lost only three ACC games. That level of team success reflected the winning culture Worstell helped create.
Former teammate John Lamon described Worstell as an exceptionally intense and passionate competitor when Maryland inducted him into its Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010. Lamon said Worstell’s energy and dedication affected the players around him and emphasized that Worstell always cared more about winning than individual recognition. That reputation followed Worstell long after his college playing days ended.
Worstell was eventually inducted into the University of Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010. That honor recognized a career that had already placed him among the best players to ever wear a Maryland uniform. His 2026 selection to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame now places him among the most influential figures in the sport nationally.
Building Lacrosse in California
Worstell’s impact after Maryland became just as important as what he accomplished on the field. USA Lacrosse credited him with launching five different boys’ and girls’ high school lacrosse programs and helping drive the sport’s development in California. He also founded or co-founded youth programs and nationally recognized summer camps during more than two decades of involvement on the West Coast.
That work came during an important period of growth for lacrosse outside its traditional strongholds in Maryland, New York and the Northeast. California eventually became one of the sport’s largest emerging markets, producing high-level high school talent and sending players to major college programs across the country. Worstell played a direct role in building that infrastructure.
His contributions also earned recognition from multiple organizations. Before his selection to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, Worstell had already been inducted into six different halls of fame, including the National Interscholastic Lacrosse Coaches Hall of Fame in 2023. That collection of honors shows the breadth of his influence as both a player and builder of the game.
Hall of Fame Class of 2026
The National Lacrosse Hall of Fame was established in 1957 and is operated by USA Lacrosse. Nearly 500 players, coaches, officials and contributors have been inducted, and the Hall is housed inside the National Lacrosse Museum at USA Lacrosse headquarters in Sparks, Maryland. Worstell will now permanently join that group.
The selection process includes voting by current Hall of Fame members, current and former U.S. national team players and coaches, elite-level high school and college coaches, officials and individuals who have made major contributions to the growth of lacrosse. Final selections receive approval from the USA Lacrosse Board of Directors. That makes Worstell’s selection especially meaningful because it represents recognition from across the sport.
Worstell is being inducted as an outstanding contributor rather than strictly as a player, which speaks to the full scope of his lacrosse career. His Maryland accomplishments alone would make him worthy of recognition, but his decades spent expanding the sport strengthened his case even further. Few figures have combined elite college success with such a long-term commitment to developing the game.
Another Maryland Legend Enters the National Hall
Maryland has one of the richest histories in college lacrosse, and Worstell’s induction adds another chapter to that tradition. His career came during a period when the Terrapins were already one of the sport’s premier programs, and his performance helped maintain that standard. Four All-America selections, four All-ACC honors and 175 career points give him a statistical résumé few Maryland players can match.
His ability to earn All-America honors at both midfield and attack remains especially remarkable. Maryland has produced generations of elite lacrosse talent, yet no other player in program history has matched that particular accomplishment. More than four decades after his final season, Worstell still holds a unique place in Maryland’s record book.
The official induction ceremony being held in Baltimore adds another fitting connection to Worstell’s Maryland roots. His college career was built in College Park, the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame itself is located in Sparks and his induction ceremony will take place in Baltimore. For one of Maryland lacrosse’s most accomplished former players, the honor comes full circle.
MSB Take
Peter Worstell’s National Lacrosse Hall of Fame selection is one of those honors that goes well beyond statistics. His Maryland numbers were elite, but being the only Terrapin ever to earn All-America honors at both midfield and attack says even more about the type of player he was. He could change roles, remain productive and still perform at an All-America level.
What makes Worstell’s story even stronger is what happened after he left Maryland. Instead of simply being remembered as a great college player, he spent decades helping expand lacrosse in California through high school programs, youth organizations and camps. That kind of long-term contribution is exactly what a national hall of fame should recognize.
Maryland men’s lacrosse has produced countless stars, but Worstell occupies a particularly important place in the program’s history. His combination of production, versatility, competitiveness and commitment to growing the game makes this honor more than deserved. When Worstell officially enters the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in January, Maryland will once again have one of its legends recognized among the sport’s all-time greats.
