Maryland Athletics 2022 Hall of Fame Spotlight: Dominic Berger

Throughout the years, Maryland has established itself as a home to some of the most accomplished collegiate hurdlers, with the likes of Renaldo Nehemiah and Gregory Robertson having walked the halls. 

A homegrown talent, DeMatha High School Hall of Famer and Terrapin track star—Dominic Berger now joins these accomplished individuals as a member of the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame.

While a Terp, Berger often sought inspiration and motivation during his journey to greatness through the Maryland Hall of Fame. 

"When I came to Maryland, our athletic study hall was in the XFINITY Center, so every night freshman year after practice we would have to go over to [XFINITY] to check into study hall," Berger said. "The hallway that leads to the study hall is the wall that is the Hall of Fame. The greats of Renaldo Nehemiah, Frank Costellos, the great Greg Robinson, seeing those pictures on the wall, I said that was one of my goals to get there one day."

Growing up in Mitchellville, Maryland, and attending DeMatha, Berger was a successful student and dual-sport athlete, receiving multiple offers to compete in football and track and field. However, once deciding to commit to contending solely in track at the highest level, Berger elected to compete at Maryland and become a key figure in the great culture built within the program at his hometown university.

"After all of my visits, I felt connected not only to the vision of Coach (Andrew) Valmon, being part of his first recruiting class in Maryland, but into the vast history of how great Maryland track and field was in the 70s and 80s," Berger said. "I really bought into that decision and his vision of bringing that height of performance back to the University of Maryland. Also, with the visit and the current teammates they had, I really connected into that brotherhood, the family atmosphere. It was an easy decision for me to make."

Once he hit the collegiate stage, Berger immediately took off. He became one of the best track athletes to compete at Maryland and a role model for those around him as he constantly went above and beyond to ensure that he could continue to put forth his best performances. 

"Dominic Berger is the epitome of a student-athlete at Maryland," Valmon said. "(He was an) engineering major, he was a role model for our kids, he was in our first recruiting class, a DeMatha High graduate. He stood tall and above, and there was no task that was too small for him. We had him doubling in meets, (and he was a) multi-time NCAA champion. We're looking forward to Hall of Fame night."

Not only did Berger have immediate success on the track, but he also made an immediate impact on his teammates, who he often refers to as his brotherhood and family.

"Domonic, or Domo like all of us that know him call him, was a terrific teammate and an incredible captain," former teammate Robert Duru said. "He really modeled the discipline and dedication it takes to be great. He was the ultimate competitor and completely locked in to being great to maximize his potential. As a competitor in high school to a teammate in college, you always saw the ability and will in him to be great.

"Honestly, this recognition couldn't have gone to a better person. He is beloved by his family and friends and he gives back earnestly to the community and next generation of students and athletes. All in all, Domo is the man. He was the best we had, best I ever competed with or against, and I can't wait to celebrate his honor on Oct. 7."

Despite refining his technique, Berger quickly adapted to college competition as the event distance and hurdle heights differ at the college level. He became a three-time All-American, posting some of the fastest times in program history, including a program record in the 60-meter hurdles and the second-fastest time in the 110-meter hurdles. 

A four-time ACC Individual Champion, an NCAA runner-up, and a six-time ACC All-Conference team honoree, Berger's Terrapin career is one for the history books.

"I knew I did what I needed to do to prepare myself for the opportunity to do well," Berger said. "So seeing that come into fruition, winning the US juniors, and then, my sophomore year, getting second at NCAAs. That came as a surprise to a lot of other people but to me it didn't. I felt the preparation I put in, the confidence that I had, that I made the race part easy. It's automatic at that point."

For Berger, the pinnacle of his collegiate career came during his junior year when the Terps had the opportunity to host the ACC Championship meet at the Kehoe Track. Berger put on a show for the hometown crowd, setting the ACC Championship meet record in the 110-meter hurdles. 

"That year, I had some injuries, I wasn't running where I wanted to be, but I knew I had to show out for the hosted ACC Championship," Berger said. "All my friends' families, my high school friends, some of the other people from the football team, the basketball team, the entire school showed out, and so that year I brought it out of nowhere. It was the pinnacle of everything going to Maryland, being able to not only win at our hosted ACCs, but also win the meet record."

Having claimed four individual ACC titles, Berger's immense dedication to the sport showed, and those around him began to take notice. 

"Being able to dominate the conference and all these larger schools that never gave me a call in high school, and having that all on the chip on my shoulder," Berger said. "It was a great pride to be part of that vision that brought me to Maryland, bringing us back to prominence so the folks would know Maryland's here, so they have to worry about them just like all these other larger schools. Being able to follow that vision through was great."

The wins and record-setting performances made all of Berger's hard work worth it. 

"Being able to perform at the highest level and have those races come together at the biggest moments was huge and vindicating of all the hard work and dedication paying off," Berger added. 

Upon his graduation from Maryland, Berger continued to compete, becoming a professional hurdler and traveling the world, battling the best in the sport in the European-based professional track and field circuit. 

"I was fortunate enough to, after graduating, be sponsored by Adidas and travel as far as South Korea, Brazil, and all over Europe," Berger said. "I was able to live in London and train through the summers because most of the US-based athletes had a European home base during the summer, and mine was in London."

Berger quickly showed that he could shine amongst the best professionals, winning a silver medal at the 2014 US Indoor Track and Field Championships, which earned him a spot to compete at the World Indoor Championships representing Team USA.

One of Berger's favorite memories from his silver medal was beating Terrance Trammell, a multi-time Olympian and world champion in the indoor 60-meter hurdle. Growing up, Berger idolized Trammell. 

"Being able to beat him to make that team was one of the pinnacle moments of my professional career," Berger said. "Going against my idols and those who came before me and others who were great, and being able to make that team, that was one of the years that I fully went above and beyond. It gave me the ability to walk away at peace. I put everything into it."

Since concluding his career in professional track and field, Berger has hoped to leave a lasting impression on the next generation of Terrapin hurdlers.

"In my transition away from competing in the last couple years, (I've) been able to come back and really work with some of the hurdlers on the team now and share some of the information I wish somebody would've given me," Berger said. "The little things, the struggles I had being in their shoes, being able to go back and give back as much knowledge as I've gained over the years. Being able to go back and share that with the team has been great for me to help carry on that torch of success within Maryland."

"I want to continue doing that going forward as well. It is definitely something I'm passionate about," Berger added.

Having received that special phone call to be inducted into the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame, Berger has had time to reflect on his journey and showed immense gratitude at being immortalized amongst the best athletes in Maryland's history. 

"Until I started thinking about all that I did accomplish, it didn't hit me," Berger said. "In the moment I just had my head down doing the work, and I never really took much time to look back. Just having those moments like this, it really reminded me of all the work that I put in and how it paid off."

"To get that call, it's so surreal to me that I'll be a part of that wall of immortals," Berger added. "For as long as Maryland's there, I'll be a part of that prestigious group of folks. Even in my recruitment class, in the inductee class, Vernon Davis was on campus when I was there. So being able to see him and his success at Maryland and all through the NFL, just being in the same class as him is a great honor, because he's a good friend of mine as well."

A great teammate and friend, Berger shared that he would love to dedicate his Hall of Fame induction to his close friend and Terrapin teammate Sean Lowe who recently passed away. 

That's the one thing I wish that (Lowe) would be able to be here for," Berger said. "I definitely want to dedicate my induction to him and the impact he had on me."