[citation needed] Following his transfer, Terlizzi made 18 league appearances, scoring 3 goals in just 4 months, and was sold to Selargius Calcio.
In June 2001, Terlizzi completed his transfer to Teramo Calcio, and in his lone season with the Serie C2 club, he played in 21 league matches, and scored a single goal.
He earned a guaranteed starting spot for much of the 2002–2003 league season, and went on to make over 30 appearances, also netting 2 goals, in all competitions.
In the summer of 2003 Terlizzi transferred to U.S. Città di Palermo, where he made 12 first team appearances in his first season, helping the club gain promotion to the Serie A.
He remained with Palermo for the 2005–2006 Serie A season, and despite the sale of star striker Luca Toni, the Sicilian club still managed a 7th-place finish in the league.
Terlizzi made his Italy national team debut, and only international appearance, in a friendly match against Croatia, on 16 August 2006, together with Sampdoria teammates Giulio Falcone, Gennaro Delvecchio and Angelo Palombo, in a 0–2 loss under new manager Roberto Donadoni.
In his first season with the club, he made 25 league appearances, and formed an impressive central defensive partnership with Lorenzo Stovini.
The duo held their positions during the 2008–2009 Serie A season as well, under new coach Walter Zenga, and Terlizzi made an additional 20 league appearances.
Under Siniša Mihajlović, however, Terlizzi managed to earn back his starting position alongside Silvestre, and went on to total 25 appearances for Catania in all 2009–10 competitions, helping the club to the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia, and also to a record points total in Serie A for the Sicilians, finishing in 12th places.