BALTIMORE – The Baltimore-based
Daily Record announced on Friday that Salisbury University men's lacrosse head coach
Jim Berkman has been named to its
2023 listing of Influential Marylanders.
Fifty-two Influential Marylanders were selected by the editors of
The Daily Record for their significant contributions to their respective fields and for their leadership in civic leadership, communications, education, finance, freestyle, general business, health care, law, philanthropy, real estate and technology.
"It's an honor to be recognized amongst the tremendous leaders in our state from many different backgrounds," stated Berkman. "I work hard every day and strive for excellence not only in myself but others around me. I'm proud of the players and staff that have come through our program and created this legacy, learned the 'Sea Gull Way' and continued to be great leaders and mentors in all walks of life."
"Each season, Jim sets new standards for what it means to be the best men's lacrosse head coach in the NCAA," said SU President
Carolyn Ringer Lepre. "During his decades at SU, he has produced some of the nation's best collegiate lacrosse players, and some of the best and brightest student-athletes in Division III and beyond. His influence is certainly felt on the field, but also through the many Sea Gull alumni who have benefitted from his mentorship."
"This year's Influential Marylanders are at the pinnacle of their chosen professions. They work tirelessly to excel in their careers, but they work just as hard to spark innovation and progress, mentor others and meet a variety of challenges in Maryland and beyond," said
Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, managing director of
The Daily Record/BridgeTower Media. "What they do makes a difference for many of us in Maryland.
The Daily Record congratulates this year's Influential Marylanders.
Berkman, who just capped off his 36th season with his
13th national championship back in May, is the NCAA's all-time winningest men's lacrosse coach with 620 wins. He is the only coach in NCAA men's lacrosse history to reach the 500- and 600-win marks in a career.
The 13 national championships are also tied for the most in Division III men's lacrosse history with Hobart. The Sea Gulls have repeated as national champions on four separate occasions, including a three-peat from 2003-05. Seven of his championships have capped off undefeated seasons and he has tied the mark for the most wins in a single season (23) four times.
In total, Berkman has led the Sea Gulls to 34 straight NCAA Tournament appearances since 1989, 29 NCAA Final Fours and 20 NCAA Championship games.
Since joining the former Capital Athletic Conference in 1995 and extending to memberships in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference, Berkman has led the Sea Gulls to 25 Conference Championships with a career mark of 163-7 with a 95.9 winning percentage in conference games.
Berkman and his players have racked up a multitude of accomplishments since stepping on the sidelines of Sea Gull Stadium. Berkman has been named the National Coach of the Year four times (1991, 2008, 2012, 2023) and has coached a combined 56 National Players or Positional Players of the Year, 25 Conference Player of the Year awards with 14 players drafted to professional leagues and 260 All-Americans.
The longtime head coach has been recognized not only around Maryland, but nationally as well. Berkman was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2013, he will be enshrined in the
Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association Hall of Fame later this year. He also was honored as the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Howdy Myers Man of the Year in 2012 for his contributions to lacrosse in a capacity over and above the normal efforts and, in so doing, demonstrating an unselfish and untiring devotion to the game.
Off the field, Berkman has been a tireless advocate for cancer awareness. Berkman and the men's lacrosse team has an annual LAX for Leukemia game that raised over $100,000 in the past 13 years of the event. In the past, he was the Co-Director of Schumaker Pond Triathlon and helped raise over $500,000 in his tenure for the American Cancer Society.
Influential Marylanders will be honored on Sept. 21 at The Grand Lodge in Cockeysville, Md.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football and men's and women's swimming, and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse. With over 500 student-athletes in 21 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, and dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on-and-off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 23 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 196 conference championships and 44 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or on social media @SUSeaGulls.
