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Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Athletics

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF SAINT MARY'S UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CARDINAL ATHLETICS
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Ward Berndt

  • Title
    Head Men's/Women's Cross Country Coach
    Assistant Track and Field Coach
  • Email
    wberndt@smumn.edu
  • Phone
    507-457-6614
Year at SMU: 13th (in 2017) / Year-by-Year Record
Berndt is the head men's and women's cross country coach, and assistant track and field coach at Saint Mary's University, a position he has held since the 2005 season.

In his time at Saint Mary's, Berndt's cross country teams have earned 22 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors, and his 2005 Cardinal women's squad owned the highest Division III GPA in the country (3.74). Berndt has coached one national qualifier and seven All-Region performers. Berndt has coached Saint Mary's to its highest MIAC team finish in women's program history, and the highest regional finish in men's program history.

On the track, Berndt is credited with coaching 6 All-Americans, 17 NCAA national championship participants, 37 NCAA provisional qualifiers, and 2 NCAA automatic qualifiers.

Berndt's cross country and track and field teams have broken all but two event and school records — including a pair of school-record, All-MIAC performers and two All-Region runners in 2013.

Prior to his arrival at SMU, Berndt worked at Minnesota State Mankato for two years as a graduate assistant, where he had the opportunity to help with the men's cross country team and work with the men's and womens track & field teams. While coaching at Minnesota State, Berndt had 14 athletes/relays on the Division II National list, three national qualifiers, one All-Americans and two conference Champions. Prior to that, Berndt spent seven years at UW-River Falls as an assistant men's and women's cross country and an assistant in the women's track and field program. While at UW-RF, he helped guide the womens track and field team to and eighth-place finish at the NCAA Division III national Championship. As an athlete, Berndt was a captain and four-year letter winner. At UW-River Falls, Berndt focused on the 1500 and Steeple Chase on the Track as well as competing in Cross Country. Berndt currently holds a Level I coaching certification from USA Track and Field.

Berndt is married—he and his wife, Sarah, have two children, Gabe and Allie.
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