In Their Own Words: Terp #1s Reflect On JB1

By Jason Yellin, Associate AD / Strategic Communications Officer

5/28/2021 6:00:00 AM

For decades the #1 jersey has been an honored and cherished one for Maryland men’s lacrosse. Legendary Terps have donned the single numeral and played with finesse and fire-power. From Andrew Whipple in the 1990s to Joe Walters in the 2000s to Matt Rambo of the 2017 National Champions, #1 has represented excellence.

But, no one has done it better wearing #1 than Jared Bernhardt, who has rewritten the Maryland record book in 2021. Bernhardt’s list of accomplishments includes becoming Maryland’s career leader in points and goals, setting a record for most goals in a season, while playing a shortened season, and in turn setting the school record for goals per game and points per game in a season.

Behind it all, Bernhardt is humble and never one to self-promote. With that in mind, we went to the list of legendary #1s to get their impressions of the frontrunner for the Tewaaraton Award who leads Maryland into Championship Weekend in Connecticut.

First Impressions

Following in his brothers Jake and Jesse’s footsteps in donning the Maryland colors, Jared has been around Maryland lacrosse since Jake came to College Park as a freshman in 2008. The Bernhardts have been part of the Terrapin fabric of the program that prides itself on being the best.

Mike Mollot, #1 from 2000-03: “The Bernhardt family has been around Maryland lacrosse for the last 12 years. Ever since the Bernhardt name has been associated with Maryland lacrosse, that has been the DNA of Maryland lacrosse. Tough, gritty athletes, hard-working, good teammates, who are more worried about the W’s than the personal accolades. Strong personalities, tough kids. It starts from the top, they have great parents, they were raised the right way.”

When it came time for Jared to join the roster in the Fall of 2016 there was an immediate sense of what was to come. How good could he be? The #1s knew it early on.

Connor Kelly, #1 in 2018: “I felt that right when he stepped in the door, the sky was the limit. He had the speed and size and the ability. I think the biggest intangible that he had was his willingness to learn and play within the offense. You see, a lot of guys come in and are highly touted coming out of high school, maybe they wanted to play their own way, but Jared was going to play off other guys.”

Matt Rambo, #1 from 2015-17: “I definitely thought he could become the player that he is today. I remember when he was a freshman, we would always tell him to be more authoritative and go to the net - which he has done a lot. He was always so good, over the last couple of years, just as he’s grown as a player and has been unbelievable. He’s been a leader on the field, he’s been a leader off the field. Just the way he holds himself accountable.”

Mike Chanenchuk, #1 from 2012-14: “I always thought Jared would be the best out of all of them and a lot of people would say that, including his two brothers. They are ultra competitive players. He was an elite player with quickness, size and strength and a work ethic to match. We always knew because Jake and Jesse worked so hard in the weightroom, it was obvious Jared was going to do the same thing.”

We haven’t seen a player who has all the tools like he has. It’s wild.

Joe Walters

Next-Level Athlete

Standing 6-1, 195 pounds, Bernhardt’s overall athleticism has been on display throughout his entire life. Attending Lake Brantley High School in the Orlando, Fla., suburbs, Bernhardt was a stud on the lacrosse field and as a triple-option quarterback for the Patriots. He racked up more than 400 career points on the lacrosse field and more than 4,000 all-purpose yards on the gridiron.

His ability to see the field, create, adapt and succeed has been evident during his record-setting career, something the #1 rave about.

Andrew Whipple, #1 from 1995-98: “Jared is without a doubt one of the most explosive attackmen of all-time. On top of his great athleticism and shooting ability, Jared is also an extremely unselfish lacrosse player and does a great job of setting up his teammates. Jared is a nightmare for any defender in a one-on-one match up.”

Chanenchuk: “He’s an elite athlete, but he’s smart about it. He’s not just a kamikazee dodger, he knows when he needs to be fast or when he needs to be slow. His IQ from an athlete standpoint is off the charts. But at the same time -- and this ties into being the epitome of Maryland lacrosse - he doesn't force the issue. He doesn't hog the ball, he just plays within the system, which is really hard to do when you're the best player on the field. Jared does just enough to win games and put up a lot of points while using his teammates, which is really impressive.”

Joe Walters, #1 from 2004-06: “He’s such a multi-dimensional threat. Jared’s got incredible vision. His dodging ability is unbelievable. His moves, his explosiveness, we haven’t seen a player who has all the tools like he has. It’s wild. That’s what makes him stand out, you can't catch him, he can beat you in every single way. I've seen multiple highlights this year, where he'll score four, five, six goals and every goal is different. That speaks to who he is as a player.”

Rambo: “He’s always in shape, always has his stick in his hand. He’s the last guy at practice, he’s the guy that’s staying after, he’s always shooting, he’s always asking what he can do to get better. He was always looking to put more plays in his arsenal. His athletic ability is so crazy. Until you go and see him in person, TV doesn’t do him justice. Everyone says, ‘he’s the most athletic person ever’ on TV, but then you go see him in person, this 6-1 guy who is quick and fast, he rides, he’s always going hard every second of the play. That’s what makes him so good. He’s always going to the net. He’s always making the right play. He’s unselfish. He’s looking for the assist, but will take the ball in big moments. His fundamentals are everything a coach is looking for.”

Mollot: “After watching some of the things he does -- I coach my son’s youth lacrosse team -- and I’m changing my offense next year because of what Maryland and Jared do. He’s multi-dynamic. He'll score from behind, he'll dodge from up top, he’ll finish inside. He’s just a superior athlete. He’s just a worker and has the ability to sting the ball from outside. He’s a matchup nightmare. He has the ability to finish on his own. He has the ability to drill a slide and dump it off for the open guy. He's really a challenging matchup. He can beat you with speed and quickness and he can beat you with strength and will.”

Grant Catalino, #1 from 2008-11: “It’s amazing to see how Jared has had success within an offensive system while continuing to be the most dominant player on the field. Typically, when you are such a dominant player like Jared, you are the offense. What he has done, shows how much he trusts and believes in his teammates. His compete-level, matched with his composure is something special.”

Representing The Number

Bernhardt wore #10 as a freshman in 2017 as Rambo led Maryland to its first National Championship in 42 years wearing #1. Then Tewaaraton finalist Connor Kelly donned the #1 for a season. Heading into the 2019 season, Bernhardt was honored with the rite of wearing the #1. For the last three seasons, he has set record after record wearing the hallowed digit. But more important to the #1s is how Bernhardt has represented the number with honor and passion, on and off the field. That leaves the #1s beaming with pride.

Rambo: “Jared is wearing #1 with the expectations and he’s taken it above and beyond and we are all proud of him. I am so happy to see him wearing #1 and taking on that responsibility. It is a lot of responsibility, a lot of eyes are on you. It’s about the way you carry yourself, that’s how you want to wear it. It’s not about the best guy on the field, it's about off the field. With his leadership, he’s awesome. For him to wear that #1 and bring that legacy of #1 to the next level makes all of us happy and proud.”

Mollot: “Jared has taken wearing #1 to a new level. What Rambo did a couple years back was something special. From what started with Whipple in 1995, it's at a whole new level now. With the teams I coach now, I might not flat out tell them, but that’s what I am trying to instill in them, everything that Jared is all about. I want my kids, my players, to be blue collar, hard-working kids who truly believe in competing their butts off. To be a player that plays for the team, the W, more than they're worried about their individual accolades, which is what Jared is all about. Jared is old-school, he’s got the right mentality and he’s going to do whatever it takes to help his team win.”

Walters: “#1 is a special number at Maryland, there is a huge sense of pride watching Jared play. You look back at who’s worn it and you take great pride, especially one of my heroes growing up was Andrew Whipple, who went to Final Fours and his dad was my coach in high school. To be able to wear #1 myself, it was a dream come true. To see all these guys that have worn it since then to see Jared wearing it - you want someone who represents that number well and there can’t be anyone better than Jared.”

Chanenchuk: “It was an obvious choice for Jared to wear #1. Coach Tillman wants to have that legacy of the guy who wears #1, but it’s not necessarily the guy who is going to score the most points. It’s going to be a guy who is a leader, doing things off the field that not everyone is going to see.”

Jared is old-school, he’s got the right mentality and he’s going to do whatever it takes to help his team win.

Mike Mollot

Family Honor

Much like the world of sports, and especially lacrosse, family is omnipresent. That is true with the Bernhardts. Jared’s father Jim and mother Catherine instilled the morals and principles in their boys from a young age and that has been present as they competed throughout their athletic careers. Jim passed away in 2019, and Jared continues to honor his beloved dad with an unparalleled work ethic and passion for the game, something that is apparent to the #1s.

Kelly: “Jared’s one of my favorite players that I've played with. I can't say enough about him and his family, they're tremendous competitors and just tremendous people you want the best for you. I just loved playing with them. The Bernhardts are one of the most hard-working, humble group of people and for me, having played with Jake and Jesse at Team USA, and playing with Jared during at Maryland, I got to feel like their family ‘just gets it.’ They are a very competitive family and just know how to get the job done.”

Rambo: “What Jared’s doing this season, he has a chip on his shoulder, after his dad passed away, I think he’s playing a lot for his father, who was an awesome role model - not just for Jared, but for those in the NFL, college football, all of us. This is a great year for Jared, it just shows how hard he works on and off the field. I couldn’t be more proud for him.”

Mollot: “The way Jared was raised by his family is something special, you can tell that. He’s a selfless kid who was raised the right way. He’s made of the right stuff. I’m sure everyone in his family is super proud of him. He’s made of the right stuff, he’s old-school and he represents the university, the program and the number the right way. You couldn't really ask for a better guy.”

I think he’s the best player in the country and I think he’s proven it over and over again.

Matt Rambo

Jared Bernhardt Sets Maryland SJared Bernhardt Sets Maryland School Record for Career Goalschool Record for Career Goals

Championship Drive

Yes, Bernhardt has re-written the Maryland lacrosse record book and he’s the frontrunner to win the Tewaaraton Award, as the sport’s top player, but what drives him is a will to win -- and win as a team. This weekend in East Hartford, across the Long Island Sound where his father grew up, Bernhardt will lead the Terps into action with one goal in mind. The #1s know Jared has one single mission: to win another National Championship.

Walters: “When you say, ‘Be The Best,’ you think about this season as a whole they (Maryland) is going to have to beat the best to be the best to win the National Championship. Thinking about that, you look at Jared and he became arguably the best player in Maryland history. The ‘Be The Best’ mantra is Jared Bernhardt this year.”

Mollot: “Jared has taken it to a whole new level. I admire Jared because of the world we live in where now, it’s me before we and these guys are worried about their brand -- I don’t think Jared gives a lick about that. I'm sure he has made his family proud. He certainly has made the alumni and every Maryland fan proud. He just grinds, he works his tail off, he cares more about winning that National Championship right now, more than anything.

Chanenchuk: “It has been great to cheer him on from being a freshman winning a National Championship in 2017 to now a fifth-year senior, playing at such an elite level and having so much determination to bring another National Championship back to College Park.”

Rambo: “I think he’s the best player in the country and I think he’s proven it over and over again. I’m happy that he has broken all of the records, the points record, the goals record, I hope he breaks more records. I hope he gets another National Championship. That’s what we all want to see.”