The Maryland lacrosse program is fresh off their first national title since 1975.
However, the Terrapins are going to look a whole lot different when they take the field next spring.
Assistant coach Kevin Conry was named the head coach at Michigan last week after five years in College Park. Conry has served as Maryland’s defensive coordinator and was the associate head coach the past two campaigns.
The Terps are coming off a season in which they only surrendered 8.79 goals-per-game, which was good for 15th in the nation. Maryland also played more games than most teams with 19 due to their national title run.
With Conry’s departure, Maryland has a big hole at fill with their defensive coordinator position. However, it appears that a very familiar face could step into the role.
"“Sources tell IL that the job has yet to be formally listed so the search has not yet begun, but informed speculation suggests that former Terrapin longstick middie and current Princeton assistant Jesse Bernhardt will emerge as a leading candidate for the position.” – Inside Lacrosse"
Bernhardt was a two-time USILA All-American and was named the ACC Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2012. He was named as Princeton’s new defensive coordinator this past summer.
The former Terp certainly makes a lot of sense considering his defensive savvy from his playing days. His brother, Jared Bernhardt, lined up at midfielder this past season, but could slide down to attack after some potential news regarding a former top-ranked Terp recruit.
Maryland recently updated the 2018 roster on their official website and junior attackman Timmy Monahan wasn’t included on it.
The popular theory is that Monahan has informed the coaching staff that he plans to transfer out of the program.
Monahan is a former Under Armour All-American and standout at nearby Gonzaga High School (D.C.). The Bethesda native produced just two goals and an assist in nine games for the Terps in 2017.
It appeared as though Monahan may have finally received playing time next season, but coach John Tillman may have passed him over. Tillman is losing Matt Rambo, Colin Heacock, and Dylan Maltz on attack, but still has guys with experience at the position in Bernhardt, Louis Dubick, and Tim Rotanz.
Maryland is certainly undergoing some changes, but it may not affect a whole lot. Conry obviously was one of the best assistant coaches in the college game in recent years, but Bernhardt could be a very nice up-and-coming fit if that’s the route that the Terps elect to go.
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If Monahan is transferring, the Terps will have ample time to potentially get a transfer of their own if they so desire. While this is a group that’s losing a lot of talent, Tillman has never left the cupboard bare for the Maryland lacrosse team.