Michelle Berndt {Courtesy}
By: Matt Rothman
In her first season playing college soccer at Johns Hopkins University, Marjory Stoneman Douglas grad Michelle Berndt won a National Championship.
Michelle, who resides at Heron Preserve in Parkland, missed parts of the season with an injury but still managed to contribute throughout the year. Her team went 23-0-2 this year and recorded six wins in the NCAA tournament. In those games, Johns Hopkins outscored their opponents 20-3 and capped it off by beating Case Western 2-1 in the Championship Game for the team’s first National Championship in School history.
Michelle says being part of a national championship is a surreal feeling.
“When you put it into perspective, you realize that it is the best possible award you can earn in college soccer as a team, and it continues to astonish me,” Michelle said. “For the work that this team puts in, whether on the field in training or off the field in school or amongst each other to become closer, a National Championship seems relatively reasonable.”
Michelle finished the season playing in six games, which were all won by Johns Hopkins. she previously played one year of soccer with Marjory Stoneman Douglas and was a star playing with the Florida United travel soccer team. Michelle also played for the Puerto Rican Youth National Team. Currently, she is majoring in biology and hopes to become an officer in the medical corps through her scholarship from the Reserve Officer Training Corps.
Michelle, a 2022 grad, is not the only soccer player in her family. Her sister Maya, a senior at MSD, has signed to play at Northeastern University in Massachusetts.
Michelle and Maya Berndt {Eileen Berndt}
Her parents, Michael and Eileen, also played sports and have been a huge support for Michelle. Since coming to college, she has definitely become more independent but still receives endless support from back home.
“They are constantly checking in, asking how my practices are going, and assisting me in any way possible, said Michelle. “Without their support, this transition would have been much more difficult, so I am grateful for it.”
Michelle will still have three years left with Johns Hopkins. With nine graduate students and several seniors, she is expected to play a major role on the team next year.
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