EXHIBIT 99

 
SANDY SPRING BANCORP                 PRESS
SANDY SPRING                        RELEASE
NATIONAL BANK
of Maryland
SINCE 1868

NASDAQ NATIONAL MARKET-SASR

                             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



       SANDY SPRING BANCORP, INC. ANNOUNCES NEW SHARE REPURCHASE PROGRAM

         April 5, 1999, Olney, Maryland . . . . Sandy Spring Bancorp, Inc.
(NASDAQ National Market--SASR) today announced that its board of directors has
authorized the repurchase of up to an additional 5%, or approximately 480,000
shares, of its outstanding common stock, par value $1.00 per share, in
connection with shares expected to be issued under Bancorp's dividend
reinvestment, stock option, and employee benefit plans and for other corporate
purposes. The share repurchases are expected to be made primarily on the open
market from time to time until March 31, 2001, or earlier termination of the
repurchase program by the Board. Repurchases under the program will be made in
the discretion of management based upon market, business, legal, accounting and
other factors. Bancorp has purchased the equivalent of 428,472 shares of its
common stock under its previous share repurchase program, which expired on March
31, 1999.

         Hunter R. Hollar, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sandy Spring
Bancorp, stated that the company believes the share repurchase program is in the
best interests of Bancorp and its shareholders. Sandy Spring Bancorp's 9,593,220
outstanding shares of common stock trade on the Nasdaq National Market under the
symbol SASR, and closed at a price of $28.00 per share on April 1, 1999.

         Sandy Spring Bancorp, Inc. is the bank holding company for Sandy Spring
National Bank of Maryland, which has 23 community banking offices in Montgomery,
Howard, Anne Arundel and Prince George's Counties in Maryland. As of March 31,
1999, Sandy Spring Bancorp had consolidated assets of approximately $1.3
billion.

For additional information or questions please contact:
Hunter R. Hollar,President and  Chief Executive Officer or
James H. Langmead, Vice President and Treasurer
Sandy Spring Bancorp
17801 Georgia Avenue
Olney, Maryland 20832
(301) 774-6400 or (410) 792-2450