Ward Berndt Assistant coach

Berndt comes to SMU head coach for cross country and assistant for track and field. He spent two years previously at Minnesota State–Mankato, where he had the opportunity to work with many national-caliber athletes. He specialized in vertical jumps and long sprints.

Prior to that, Berndt spent seven years at UW-River Falls as a men’s and women’s cross country coach and and an assistant in the women's track and field program. While at UW-RF, he helped guide the women’s track and field team to an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Division III national championships.

As an athlete, Berndt was a captain and four-year lette winner in both cross country and track and field at UW-River Falls.

Berndt currently holds a Level I coaching certification from USA Track and Field.