Family Ties

Throughout its history, Maryland men's lacrosse is a program that hangs its hat on its core tenets, including culture, tradition, and family. Concerning the latter, the word "family" has meaning both figuratively—with the brotherhood shared by both former and current Terps— and literally—with extensive family ties throughout the program. 

This year's team is home to several Terps with older brothers, fathers, uncles, and/or grandfathers who were also Hardshells and grew up inspired by their older counterparts' stories. 

Newcomers Teddy Dolan (a graduate transfer from Binghamton) and Eliot Dubick (a freshman from Potomac, MD) both had older brothers (Danny Dolan and Louis Dubick) who raved about the atmosphere in College Park—both on the field where they won a National Championship together in 2017 and in the locker room. 

"Having Danny here from 2017 to 2019, I got to have a little experience of what it was like to be a Maryland Terrapin," Teddy said. "It was special to hear about what the culture was like here and how it was so family-oriented. And then when I had to decide where to play next it was obvious that there was no better place to play than here." 

"The thing I was most excited for Teddy to experience here was just the locker room environment," Danny added. "Success on the field is what everyone talks about but I think if you ask anyone who has graduated from Maryland, the first thing they'll bring up is the locker room, the culture and the family atmosphere. The success on the field is almost secondary because it's more about the family you find and the relationships you build for life. And now that's something Teddy and I can share which I know we will both cherish forever."

In Dubick's case, the family ties extend far past just him and Louis—their father Marc (1981-1983) and grandfather Harry (1950-1951) were Hardshells. And as a third-generation Dubick, Maryland was in Eliot's blood from the beginning.

"I've been going to games whether it is basketball, football or lacrosse since I can remember," Eliot said. "It's definitely been in the family for a while. To now get the chance to put on the Maryland jersey every single day, there's nothing more special than that."

Senior attackman Danny Maltz also has childhood memories of cheering on the Terps as his older brother Dylan starred from 2015 to 2017 in College Park. Seeing what it was like to live as a Hardshell every day made Danny's ultimate college decision relatively easy. 

"Obviously I got to see Dylan play here and go through all these experiences here and that made me want to live out the same things," Danny said. "It was cool to me to see how special the lacrosse culture is here and now it's still something special that brings the two of us and our whole family together.”

Similarly, freshman Riley Reese, the son of not only former Hardshell Brian Reese but also one of the most decorated collegiate coaches of all time, Cathy Reese, grew up going to games in Maryland Stadium and cheering on the Terps. The opportunity to play on a campus where both his parents created long-lasting legacies and to share that experience with them was ultimately too good to pass up when it was time to make his college decision.

"It's a one of a kind thing to get to play at the place where your dad played," Reese said. "Having him support you at every game, having your mom also there and be such a big part of Maryland athletics, it's something I wouldn't trade for anything."

For some players, family connections exist with this year's team. Jack and Charlie Koras and BJ and Colin Burlace are sets of brothers in their second seasons playing together as Terps. For both pairs, the experience has been an opportunity to live out the dreams they've had since they were kids.

"I think it's one of the best feelings in the world," Jack said. "You play in your backyard as kids and now you get to play at the highest level with your brother. It's just a special opportunity that not many people get."

"We always have each other's back through everything, good days or bad," Charlie added. "That's one of the biggest benefits of having your brother as a teammate. It's something I'll always be grateful for."

The Burlace brothers were also introduced to the world of Maryland lacrosse at a young age, thanks to their father Brian, or Bubba as he was affectionately known, a two-time All-American at Maryland from 1989-92 and the recipient of the 1992 Schmeisser Memorial Cup, which is awarded to the nation's top defender. 

The pair can recall playing with Maryland gloves as early as third grade and envisioning themselves as future Terps, playing on the same field their father once did.

 "It's something we've dreamed of since we were kids playing together in the backyard," BJ said. "Having the honor to play for Maryland is something we've envisioned our whole lives. To now get to wear it across our chest is really special to both of us."

 "Maryland's been a part of who we are since we were born," Colin added. "And now it's so cool for both of us and for our whole family to actually be on the inside of it and getting to experience the culture firsthand."

Perhaps no family exemplifies what it means to embody Maryland like the Bernhardt clan. The three brothers Jake, Jesse and Jared have poured countless hours into the program, first as players where all three excelled with Jared ending his career as the 2021 Tewaaraton Winner, and then, in Jake and Jesse’s case assistant coaches. Jesse is in his sixth season as the team’s defensive coordinator while Jake is in his first year back in College Park. 

Similarly to many before them, it was the culture and atmosphere that has made Maryland lacrosse a place they want to keep coming back to.

“The people are what makes Maryland lacrosse different and continues to draw people back and pass it on,” Jesse said. “It’s never been about the facilities or buildings but the people in those structures. Terps magnetize to other Terps, it draws people with similar values and beliefs to each other to create unbelievable bonds that people just want to have a part in.”

For the Bernhardts, the same sense of family they experienced as kids growing up with their parents Jim and Catherine was found in College Park, making their family roots to the program even sweeter. 

“The ability to have myself and our family woven into the fabric of Maryland lacrosse and vice versa is hard to put into words. Our family is very tight knit and puts tremendous value on relationships, seeing that mirrored in Maryland lacrosse is why we were originally so drawn to it and made the decision to come back to be a part of it."

Of course, one of the hottest topics for many of the Maryland men's lacrosse families is what it means to be part of the Maryland and Johns Hopkins rivalry game. 

For newcomers like Dolan and Dubick, the stories and memories they've heard from family members who have experienced the storied rivalry firsthand are unparalleled—-and now they get to be a part of it for the first time ever.

"Danny's always said his first taste of the Hopkins rivalry was such a surreal moment for him and something that he's never forgotten," Dolan said. "For me to be able to experience this great rivalry with Maryland across my chest is something I know I'll never forget either."

"I know for me and for all my teammates who have families who have played in this rivalry and have heard so many stories, it's something we're really excited about," Dubick added. "I'm going to appreciate every single second of it. To have my brother in the stands, my dad there, and have all the rest of my family going to be there, it's going to be so special to share that with them and my 50 brothers on the field."

For the grandfathers, fathers, and older brothers who have played in the storied rivalry themselves, they recognize that the opportunity for their young family members to be on the sidelines themselves will be an experience unlike any other before. 

Louis Dubick, a hardshell from 2016-2019, knows that feeling firsthand and will now switch roles with his younger brother Eliot—cheering him on from the stands while Eliot experiences the game on the field. 

"I know Eliot's pretty fired up about it. Obviously, the history is well-documented there, but there's an extra edge that you can't fully appreciate until you're on the field and on the sidelines actually living it. The whole mentality changes, and everyone is locked in regardless of who's having a good season or a bad season or what stakes are on the line. None of that matters. It's Maryland-Hopkins, and that says it all.

My family is super excited for Eliot, for the other freshman, and for the whole team to be a part of lacrosse history and that they get to experience something that is somewhat unreplicable in college sports. This has definitely been a date that's been circled on my calendar for a while. Nothing is going to get in the way of me and a lot of the alumni coming out to this one."

Even for those who have experienced the game before, such as the Burlace brothers, it will be the first time for most players to play the rivalry in a COVID-free, restriction-less SECU Stadium and, as such, will be the first time they get the true rivalry experience. 

"We've been coming to this game pretty much every year since we were born," Colin said. "We would come every year with our parents, go to the tailgates beforehand and then go cheer on the Terps. It's a new level of energy and I'm fired up to experience that as a player here at our home stadium."

For as much as the guys with the blood connections experience the family feel at Maryland, that's not where it ends. Every guy in the locker room is brought into the brotherhood, and all their families are part of the Maryland Men's Lacrosse program—a family undeniably unparalleled and exceptional. 

"You come in with these family connections where you have people to rely on and they have people to rely on and that just extends through the whole team," Reese said. "It truly is a brotherhood and a family here and I feel like that's what makes this place different."

"One of the main things we say here at Maryland is, 'It's not what you have that makes things go, it's the people,'" BJ Burlace added. "And we have some pretty special people here. I think the family-atmosphere is something that hits home for a lot of people and everyone buys into that."

And as the Terps head into Saturday's edition of the greatest rivalry in college lacrosse, family will be at the center of it all. 

"Family is everything here," Dolan said. "The people are what really make this place. This team is a brotherhood so to be able to share an experience like a Hopkins rivalry game together under the lights on a Saturday night, this is the stuff we'll never forget and that we'll share together for the rest of our lives."