Jim Berkman
Encyclopedia
James "Jim" Berkman is an American lacrosse
coach. He has served as the head coach at Salisbury University
since 1989, and before that spent one season as the head coach at SUNY Potsdam
. Berkman's teams have won eight Division III national championships and 15 Capital Athletic Conference
(CAC) championships. He has been named the Division III coach of the year four times and the CAC Coach of the Year seven times.
In 2008, Berkman surpassed Jack Emmer
's former record of 326 wins to become the all-time winningest NCAA men's lacrosse coach. As of the end of the 2010 season, Berkman also possesses the highest all-time winning percentage
of a lacrosse coach at any level.
, where he played basketball and lacrosse as a midfielder. He scored thirty goals to finish his college career as the third all-time scorer for the Saints. In basketball, he averaged 8.2 points per game and finished his career as the all-time leader in assists. As a senior in 1982, he was named a second-team lacrosse All-American
and played in the North-South All-Star Game. That year, he was named the Most Valuable Player
on both the lacrosse and basketball teams and the Outstanding Male Senior Athlete.
, where he also served as an assistant lacrosse coach. In 1985, as the head coach at Potsdam State
he led the lacrosse team to a school-record of nine wins. He then returned to his alma mater
and, in addition to coaching lacrosse, he led the men's basketball team to the ICAC championship during the 1987-1988 season. The following year, he returned to Salisbury.
, He led Salisbury to 105 consecutive conference wins and 15 conference championships. The Sea Gulls under Berkman have secured the Division III national championship in 1994, 1995, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008
, and appeared in the final in 1991, 2000, 2006, and 2010
.
(USILA) Division III Coach of the Year honors, and the FieldTurf Tarkett
Coach of the Year honors in 2006 and 2007. He was named the CAC Coach of the Year in 1991, 1996, 2002, 2003, and each year from 2005 to 2008.
During the 2008 NCAA tournament
, he surpassed Army
coach Jack Emmer's former record of 326 wins to become the all-time winningest NCAA lacrosse coach. By the end of the 2009 season, he had expanded it to 337 wins. Under Berkman, Salisbury has also secured numerous records for winning streaks. The Sea Gulls compiled an NCAA record 105-game conference winning streak from the start of the 1995 season through the 2009 NCAA tournament
. They also compiled 69-, 55-, and 47-game consecutive winning streaks, an 87-game regular season winning streak, and an 80-game home winning streak.
with his wife, Jennifer, who is the Student Health Services director at Salisbury University. Their son, Kylor, played as a midfielder on the lacrosse team coached by his father, and in 2009 became the first player to be named National Midfielder of the Year three consecutive years. Their daughter planned to attend Mount Saint Mary's University
in 2010 to play women's lacrosse
.
Field lacrosse
Field lacrosse, sometimes referred to as the "fastest sport on two feet," is a full contact outdoor men's sport played with ten players on each team. The sport originated among Native Americans, and the modern rules of field lacrosse were initially codified by Canadian William George Beers in 1867....
coach. He has served as the head coach at Salisbury University
Salisbury University
Salisbury University is a public university in Salisbury, Maryland.According to U.S. News and World Report's 2009 America's Best Colleges index, "In guidebooks and surveys by U.S...
since 1989, and before that spent one season as the head coach at SUNY Potsdam
State University of New York at Potsdam
The State University of New York at Potsdam, also known as SUNY Potsdam, or, colloquially, Potsdam, is a public university located in the Village of Potsdam in St. Lawrence County, New York. Founded in 1816, it is among the 50 oldest colleges in the United States...
. Berkman's teams have won eight Division III national championships and 15 Capital Athletic Conference
Capital Athletic Conference
The Capital Athletic Conference is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Member institutions are located in the eastern United States in the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Delaware....
(CAC) championships. He has been named the Division III coach of the year four times and the CAC Coach of the Year seven times.
In 2008, Berkman surpassed Jack Emmer
Jack Emmer
John S. Emmer is a former American lacrosse coach. He retired in 2005 as the winningest lacrosse coach in NCAA history by number of wins with 326. This mark was surpassed in 2008 by Jim Berkman of Division III Salisbury University...
's former record of 326 wins to become the all-time winningest NCAA men's lacrosse coach. As of the end of the 2010 season, Berkman also possesses the highest all-time winning percentage
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
of a lacrosse coach at any level.
Early life
Berkman grew up in Watertown, New York. He attended nearby St. Lawrence UniversitySt. Lawrence University
St. Lawrence University is a four-year liberal arts college located in the village of Canton in Saint Lawrence County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2300 undergraduate and 100 graduate students, about equally split between male and female....
, where he played basketball and lacrosse as a midfielder. He scored thirty goals to finish his college career as the third all-time scorer for the Saints. In basketball, he averaged 8.2 points per game and finished his career as the all-time leader in assists. As a senior in 1982, he was named a second-team lacrosse All-American
USILA All-American Team
The USILA All-American Team is an honor given annually to the best American men's college lacrosse players at their respective positions by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. The term All-American is derived from the same practice in American college football, in which the...
and played in the North-South All-Star Game. That year, he was named the Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
on both the lacrosse and basketball teams and the Outstanding Male Senior Athlete.
Early coaching positions
He then attended graduate school for two years at Salisbury UniversitySalisbury University
Salisbury University is a public university in Salisbury, Maryland.According to U.S. News and World Report's 2009 America's Best Colleges index, "In guidebooks and surveys by U.S...
, where he also served as an assistant lacrosse coach. In 1985, as the head coach at Potsdam State
State University of New York at Potsdam
The State University of New York at Potsdam, also known as SUNY Potsdam, or, colloquially, Potsdam, is a public university located in the Village of Potsdam in St. Lawrence County, New York. Founded in 1816, it is among the 50 oldest colleges in the United States...
he led the lacrosse team to a school-record of nine wins. He then returned to his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
and, in addition to coaching lacrosse, he led the men's basketball team to the ICAC championship during the 1987-1988 season. The following year, he returned to Salisbury.
Salisbury
Berkman took over as the Salisbury men's lacrosse head coach in 1989. Each season since, he has guided the team to the NCAA tournament, for a total of 21 consecutive appearances. He has compiled a 337-34 record. From the season they entered the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) in 1995 until the 2009 NCAA tournament quarterfinals2009 NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship
The 2009 NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Tournament is held from May 9 through May 24, 2009. This is the 30th annual Division III NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament...
, He led Salisbury to 105 consecutive conference wins and 15 conference championships. The Sea Gulls under Berkman have secured the Division III national championship in 1994, 1995, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008
2008 NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship
The 2008 NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Tournament was held from May 10 through May 25, 2008. This was the 29th annual Division III NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament...
, and appeared in the final in 1991, 2000, 2006, and 2010
2010 NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship
The 2010 NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Tournament is held from May 12 through May 30, 2010. This is the 31st annual Division III NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament...
.
Honors and records
The St. Lawrence Athletics Hall of Fame inducted Berkman in 2001. He was awarded the 1991 Francis "Babe" Kraus Award, the 2008 United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse AssociationUnited States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association is an association of institutions with varsity college lacrosse programs in all three NCAA divisions, founded in 1885.-Awards:...
(USILA) Division III Coach of the Year honors, and the FieldTurf Tarkett
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
Coach of the Year honors in 2006 and 2007. He was named the CAC Coach of the Year in 1991, 1996, 2002, 2003, and each year from 2005 to 2008.
During the 2008 NCAA tournament
2008 NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship
The 2008 NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Tournament was held from May 10 through May 25, 2008. This was the 29th annual Division III NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament...
, he surpassed Army
Army Black Knights men's lacrosse
The Army Black Knights men's lacrosse team represents the United States Military Academy in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse competition. During the team's 92-year history, it has won eight national championships and made fifteen postseason NCAA tournament...
coach Jack Emmer's former record of 326 wins to become the all-time winningest NCAA lacrosse coach. By the end of the 2009 season, he had expanded it to 337 wins. Under Berkman, Salisbury has also secured numerous records for winning streaks. The Sea Gulls compiled an NCAA record 105-game conference winning streak from the start of the 1995 season through the 2009 NCAA tournament
2009 NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship
The 2009 NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Tournament is held from May 9 through May 24, 2009. This is the 30th annual Division III NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament...
. They also compiled 69-, 55-, and 47-game consecutive winning streaks, an 87-game regular season winning streak, and an 80-game home winning streak.
Personal life
Berkman resides in Salisbury, MarylandSalisbury, Maryland
-Demographics:Salisbury is the principal city of the Salisbury-Ocean Pines CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Salisbury metropolitan area and the Ocean Pines micropolitan area , which had a combined population of 176,657 at the 2010 census.As of the census of 2000, there were...
with his wife, Jennifer, who is the Student Health Services director at Salisbury University. Their son, Kylor, played as a midfielder on the lacrosse team coached by his father, and in 2009 became the first player to be named National Midfielder of the Year three consecutive years. Their daughter planned to attend Mount Saint Mary's University
Mount Saint Mary's University
Mount St. Mary's University, also known as The Mount, is a private, liberal arts, Catholic university in the Catoctin Mountains near Emmitsburg, Maryland. It was founded by French émigré Father John DuBois in 1808 and is the oldest independent Catholic college in the United States...
in 2010 to play women's lacrosse
Women's lacrosse
Women's lacrosse, sometimes shortened to wlax or lax, is a sport played with twelve players on each team. Originally played by the indigenous peoples of the Americas, the first tribe to play it was the Hauser tribe, of the Great Plains. The modern women's game was introduced in 1890 at the St...
.