Club Sports Hall of Fame inductee Bernardo seamlessly bridged gap between playing and coaching lacrosse

Former Flames middie and Graduate Assistant Coach Brett Bernardo has worked with FCA Lacrosse since before his time at Liberty, leading players to camps across the country and outreach trips to Israel and other places.

Club Sports Hall of Fame inductee Bernardo seamlessly bridged gap between playing and coaching lacrosse

1/29/2025 6:30:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Brett Bernardo emerged as one of the top scorers in Liberty's program history in just three seasons after transferring from NCAA Division I Marist (N.Y.) College as a sophomore.

Brett Bernardo Liberty FSU action — Brett Bernardo was an offensive catalyst for Liberty as a middie in his three seasons on the field, and a team captain two of those years.

As one of the leading scorers in Liberty University's men's lacrosse history with 82 goals and 57 assists in 44 games over three seasons (2014-16), midfielder Brett Bernardo was a phenomenal leader, teammate, and later a graduate assistant coach from 2017-19.

He helped lead Liberty to the MCLA DI National Championships for the first time (2018) before serving as offensive coordinator for the 2019 season, when Liberty went 17-2 and returned to nationals.

Brett Bernardo PBA head coach — Bernardo has risen the ranks to land his first head coaching job.

Bernardo has since risen the coaching ranks with stints as an assistant coach at Grove City (Pa.) College in 2020 and recruiting coordinator for Messiah (Pa.) University in 2021-22. Most recently, he moved to Palm Beach Atlantic (Fla.) University to serve as assistant coach for two seasons before being promoted in July to interim head coach of that NCAA Division II program that competes in the Sunshine State Conference.

"I've had a very unique and incredible journey where God's sovereignty has shown through it all, and I am grateful for every experience," Bernardo said. "I wouldn't be where I am today if God didn't open doors and give me chances to grow at every stop. I am blessed to be where I am today and see an incredible opportunity moving forward."

On Friday, though he won't be present due to the start of PBA's first season with him at the helm, Bernardo will be the fourth member of Liberty's lacrosse program inducted into the Club Sports Hall of Fame. Flames Head Coach Kyle McQuillan will serve as his presenter with a video acceptance speech to be played during the afternoon ceremony in the Hancock Welcome Center.

"I am grateful for Kyle and how he helped shape me in the journey of getting to where I am today," Bernardo said. "One of the blessings that played out was Kyle gave me my first opportunity to coach collegiate lacrosse, and he allowed me to exercise and learn my voice. Having been a player in his systems on the offensive side of the ball, Kyle really gave me freedom to exercise that right away, and I will forever be grateful for that experience."

A two-year captain at Liberty, Bernardo became a two-time MCLA Division I All-American and three-time All-SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference team member after transferring from NCAA Division I Marist (N.Y.) College.

He was named the SELC Offensive Player of the Year in 2015 when he scored 45 goals and distributed 24 assists in 15 games and was the Flames' first MCLA Division I First-Team All-American before repeating that honor in 2016. He also made the All-SELC Tournament team those two seasons before completing his B.S. in Business Marketing.

Brett Bernardo assistant coach Liberty huddle — Bernardo spent three seasons on the Flames' coaching staff as a graduate assistant.

McQuillan said Bernardo started a trend within the program to attract players who would transfer in from NCAA programs and make significant contributions toward the Flames' on-field success.

"Brett opened our eyes and proved to us as coaches that we could recruit players from NCAA Division I, II, and III programs and provide an experience at a Christian university that guys were looking for and build our program around them," McQuillan said. "He had a determination to play somewhere that valued more than playing for self, that promoted a faith system and represented Jesus."

In Bernardo, the Flames received a true Champion for Christ.

"From a skill perspective, Brett was definitely the most talented player we've ever had play at Liberty," McQuillan said. "When you looked at what he could do on the field, it was not just his athleticism, but what set him apart was just how hard he worked."

The Flames also added Chad Moore, a midfielder from Mercer (Ga.) University during Bernardo's time on the team and have picked up other NCAA transfers in C.J. Nichols, a middie from UMBC; Connor Guiltinan, a defender from High Point University; Bryn Jungles, from Queens University and the University of Lynchburg; and most recently Caleb Hammett, a graduate faceoff specialist from UMass.

Bernardo played alongside Moore and Ryan Miller, his successor at offensive coordinator who was inducted as part of the eighth class of the Club Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.

"l want to take all that I've learned from the coaches and mentors that I've had in the past to use the gifts and strengths God's given us (at PBA) to strengthen His Kingdom and at the same time contend to win lacrosse games and championships and get after it day in and day out," he said of his new role as head coach. "I now work with confidence in His ability to move this program in the right direction, with a vision moving forward to be a national contender every single year."

McQuillan said Bernardo has always been a man of conviction and ambition.

"He has a great mind for the sport, but more than anything, his passion for the sport and the level of investment and intensity he brought to the game as a player is exactly what he brought as a coach," McQuillan said. "He had a huge impact on our program as a player and a coach, and I am excited to see what he is able to build down in Florida."

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer