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

Olney,  Maryland,  March 29, 2001 - Sandy Spring Bancorp,  Inc. (Nasdaq -- SASR)
today  announced that its board of directors has authorized the repurchase of up
to an additional 5%, or approximately  478,000 shares, of its outstanding common
stock, in connection with shares expected to be issued under Bancorp's  dividend
reinvestment plan, stock option, and employee benefit plans, and other corporate
purposes.  The share  repurchases  are expected to be made primarily on the open
market from time to time until March 31,  2003,  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 206,477  shares of its
common stock under its previous share repurchase program, which expires on March
31, 2001.

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  9,552,672
outstanding shares of common stock trade on the Nasdaq National Market under the
symbol SASR, and closed yesterday at a price of $28.56 per share.

ABOUT SANDY SPRING BANCORP/SANDY SPRING NATIONAL BANK

With $1.8 billion in assets,  Sandy Spring Bancorp,  Inc. is the holding company
for Sandy  Spring  National  Bank of  Maryland,  the fourth  largest  commercial
banking  organization  headquartered  in  Maryland.  Sandy Spring is a community
banking  organization  that focuses its lending and other services on businesses
and  consumers in the local market area.  Independent  and  community  oriented,
Sandy Spring National Bank traces its origin to 1868 and offers a broad range of
commercial  banking,  retail  banking and trust  services  through 29  community
offices  and 46 ATMs  located in Anne  Arundel,  Montgomery  Howard,  and Prince
George's  counties in Maryland.  Visit Sandy Spring National Bank for our online
banking products and services at www.ssnb.com.

For additional information or questions please contact:
Hunter R. Hollar, President & Chief Executive Officer
or
James H. Langmead, Chief Financial Officer
Sandy Spring Bancorp, Inc.
17801 Georgia Avenue
Olney, Maryland 20832
(301) 774-6400, (410) 792-2450, or 1-800-399-5919
E-mail:  hhollar@ssnb.com
         jlangmead@ssnb.com
         Web site:  www.ssnb.com