COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The Maryland Terrapins men’s lacrosse team is among the best in the country. The Terps are an undefeated 7-0 and ranked No. 2 in the nation.
They are led by a player who is re-writing the program's record books.
Terps attackman Jared Bernhardt is leading the Big Ten with 28 goals on the season. He scored five in the Terps' 17-10 win over Penn State on Saturday.
His second was historic.
Bernhardt became the program’s all-time leading goal scorer, netting the 156th of his career, passing Matt Rambo for the top mark. Bernhardt took it all in stride.
"It’s obviously a great honor," he said. "I was just staying even-keeled. The objective is to win the game however possible."
"Given the history of this program and all the great players that you’ve had come through here, that’s a pretty big accomplishment," said Terps Head Coach John Tillman.
Tillman added that the way Bernhardt is wired, the record isn’t the end-all, be-all. Bernhardt validated that claim.
"It’s obviously a great honor but I didn’t come to Maryland to break records or do any of that stuff. I came to win national championships," said Bernhardt.
The fifth-year senior is now at 159 goals and counting. He’s also at 234 career points, 24 away from passing Rambo for the program's top spot as well.
The goal-scoring record almost never happened for Bernhardt. Last fall he was preparing to transfer to Division II Ferris State. Not for lacrosse. He was going to to play football. However, with the pandemic canceling Ferris’ season, back to the Terps came Bernhardt for a fifth year.
"When he decided to come back it was definitely late in the fall," said Tillman. "It was almost like one of the best presents you could get around the holidays."
"It was a bummer football wasn’t able to happen," said Bernhardt. "But I just look at is as I had another opportunity to come full circle back here to College Park with a great group of guys."
A group of guys that have as good a shot at that national championship as any group in the country.
Follow Shawn Stepner on Twitter @StepnerWMAR and Facebook
