Buckeyes Add Lauren Bernard for 2021-22 Season
4/27/2021 9:34:41 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Lauren Bernard is returning to her home state.
Bernard will transfer to Ohio State and compete for the Buckeyes in 2021-22, head coach Nadine Muzerall announced. Bernard, a native of Madison, Ohio, comes to Ohio State after spending two years at Clarkson.
Growing up in the Buckeye State, Bernard said she always had a sense for just how special being a Buckeye was. But it wasn’t until she decided to put on the scarlet and gray herself that it truly hit home.
“Growing up my family and I were diehard Ohio State fans for as long as I can remember,” said Bernard. “I knew it was a special place and everyone in the state takes great pride in their school. I’m just excited to be a part of it now.”
Bernard played in 56 games for the Golden Knights where she scored three goals and handed out 14 assists. She was the Knights’ second-highest scorer from the blueline with 13 points, including 11 assists, as a freshman in 2019-20. Additionally, her +/- of +23 was tops on defense.
Prior to arriving at Clarkson, Bernard represented USA Hockey at the 2019 U18-World Championships in Obihiro, Japan, winning the Silver medal. She was named to the 2019 USA Today First-Team All-American team and skated for the Pens Elite program out of Pittsburgh, Pa. prior to 2019.
“That was an amazing experience to be able to play against some of the best female hockey players in the world,” said Bernard. “It’s something you’ll never forget.”
Bernard has excelled in the classroom as a member of the ECAC Hockey All-Academic team and the National Honor Society at Bishop Kearney High School. She was an engineering major at Clarkson and a major reason for her decision to come to Ohio State was picking up on that major when she enrolls. While in Columbus, she’ll be pursuing either civil and environmental engineering or biomedical engineering.
The other reason why Bernard is coming home to Ohio State is the work that awaits her once she arrives.
“The level of work ethic and competition is what attracted me to this situation,” said Bernard. “There’s a culture and accountability in everything that’s done. I know I’ll become a better player as a result of it.”
