Jared Bernhardt Hired as Assistant Coach for Florida Women's Lacrosse

Jared Bernhardt really is back in lacrosse. Like, for real this time.

The former Tewaaraton Award-winning attackman who won national championships in both lacrosse (2017 at Maryland) and football (2022 as quarterback at Ferris State) was hired as an assistant coach for the Florida women’s team earlier this week.

Bernhardt made it to the NFL as a wide receiver with the Atlanta Falcons, but injuries derailed his pursuit of a professional football career, which ended in May after eight months on the practice squad with the CFL’s BC Lions.

Bernhardt, 27, signed a two-year free-agent contract with the PLL’s Denver Outlaws in June and has heated up after a slow start. He scored six goals in two games before the all-star break, both Denver wins.

Bernhardt’s brother, Jesse, is a veteran defenseman for the Outlaws and one of the top defensive coordinators in men’s lacrosse as John Tillman’s assistant at Maryland. Their other brother, Jake, is a defensive midfielder for the Maryland Whipsnakes and the head coach at Division III Colby.

Bernhardt had a brief stint as the director of player development at Maryland when both of his brothers were on John Tillman’s staff there, but this is his first true foray into coaching. Florida is their home state.

Bernhardt was a multi-sport star at Lake Brantley (Fla.), which is about two hours south of Gainesville. Florida boasts one of the best women’s lacrosse teams in the country, having advanced to consecutive final fours in 2024 and 2025.

Head coach Amanda O’Leary tabbed Bernhardt to replace Regy Thorpe on her staff. Thorpe was hired as the head coach at Syracuse last month.

“Jared’s championship pedigree, his unique experience as a professional athlete in both lacrosse and football and his deep understanding of the game will be an incredible asset to our program,” O’Leary said. “He is a competitor, a teacher and a person of high character — and we cannot wait for our student-athletes to learn from him.”

“I am super excited to join Coach O'Leary and her staff,” Bernhardt said. “To grow up in this state and now work at a great University like Florida, I am super appreciative of this opportunity. I cannot wait to get started.”