Attackman Jared Bernhardt will return to Maryland men’s lacrosse for a fifth season, the team announced Monday morning.

Bernhardt, a 2019 Tewaaraton Award finalist, is among the most prolific goalscorers in program history, with his 131 goals leaving him at No. 5 on the Terps all-time scoring list. The Longwood, Florida, native won a national championship as a freshman and earned all-conference and all-American honors as a sophomore. In his junior campaign, Bernhardt racked up 51 scores — the second-highest mark in Maryland’s history. For his exploits, Bernhardt was named First Team All-Big Ten and First Team All-American.

Bernhardt was on pace to have another impressive season as a senior. He notched 20 goals and nine assists in the six games before the coronavirus pandemic upended the season, highlighted by four-goal games against then-No. 20 High Point and then-No. 6 Penn State.

[Maryland men’s lacrosse left with more questions than answers after abrupt end to season]

Bernhardt’s return to College Park seemed unlikely a few months ago. The senior was open about his desire to play college football as a graduate transfer. In high school, Bernhardt starred as a triple-option quarterback, racking up over 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns in his junior and senior seasons. The senior attackman mulled an offer to play quarterback at Navy before joining the Terps in 2016.

Following the season’s cancellation, Bernhardt announced his intent to play football at Division II powerhouse Ferris State. Coach John Tillman had already worked to cover for Bernhardt’s potential departure, securing former Colgate attackman Griffin Brown in April. Maryland also brought in a strong recruiting class, highlighted by attackmen Eric Malever and Daniel Kelly.

With Bernhardt’s return, the Terps’ attacking play gets a significant boost. And after an unusual 2020 season, it seems Maryland is poised to do what it has done so consistently throughout Bernhardt’s career: compete for a national championship.