Waterville, Maine – Colby College is excited to announce the selection of Jake Bernhardt as the new Jack Sandler Memorial Men's Lacrosse Head Coach.  An industry icon with extensive collegiate and professional playing experience as well as coaching successes at the University of Maryland and the University of Vermont, he becomes the second coach at Colby to hold the title of Jack Sandler Memorial Men's Lacrosse Head Coach. 

"I am honored to assume the leadership of the Colby Men's Lacrosse team, a program with a rich history and a bright future ahead," stated Bernhardt. "I would like to thank President Greene, Mike Wisecup, and the Colby community for this incredible opportunity. Colby's unwavering commitment to both academic achievement and athletic success is something I deeply admire, and I am confident that together we will continue to build on the program's legacy."  

Colby competes in the highly competitive New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), a conference that saw five member institutions finish the 2023 season with top-20 rankings in NCAA Division III.

Bernhardt comes to Mayflower Hill after guiding the University of Maryland Terrapins to a 10-4 record and a #4 ranking heading into the 2023 NCAA Tournament as the offensive coordinator. Prior to last season, he served as the associate head coach at the University of Vermont, where he guided the Catamounts to two America East Championships, a national ranking that shot as high as 12^th in the country, and their program's first two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2021 and 2022. A graduate of the University of Maryland, Bernhardt had a storied collegiate career that included being a two-time national runner-up and team captain with the Terrapins. 

"I am incredibly thrilled to welcome Coach Bernhardt into the Colby Mule family," said Mike Wisecup, vice president and Harold Alfond Director of Athletics.  "As we look to build an exciting new chapter in our lacrosse program, I am confident in Jake's ability to inspire and lead our team to new heights and success.  He possesses the skill, experience, competitive drive, and deep commitment to the development of our students that will propel our men's lacrosse team to the top."
Drafted 12th overall in the 2012 Major League Lacrosse (MLL) draft, Bernhardt began his professional playing career in 2013 with the Ohio Machine, where he guided the Machine to the MLL championship in 2017 en route to earning MLL All Star recognition. He played the 2018 season with the New York Lizards before joining the Maryland Whipsnakes of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), his current team for the summer professional season. As a Whipsnake, Bernhardt has served as captain for five seasons, twice earning PLL All Star recognition, guiding his team to two PLL crowns. 

"I'm excited to join the Mules as we head into the final prep phase for the season," said Bernhardt. "This group is certainly motivated and ready to make their mark on the NESCAC."   

Bernhardt begins work with the Mules later this month.