When the University of Vermont men's soccer team won the NCAA national championship in December 2024, it marked the culmination of decades of determination, teamwork, and steady investment. For Peter Bernhardt '72, it was also a deeply personal moment - the kind of transformative success that stays with a team, a university, and a state for generations.
"I was there in Cary, North Carolina, watching them pull off something truly extraordinary," Bernhardt says. "It reached me to my core."
As a former UVM soccer player himself, Bernhardt has long believed in the power of sport to unite people and build character.
Now, because of Peter's leadership and philanthropic support - alongside the strong community of alumni and donors who support UVM Athletics - the national champions are headed to Germany this June for a training and exhibition trip designed to reward their historic achievement and prepare them for the season ahead.
The trip is more than a celebration. It's a bridge between eras, a formative opportunity for returning players and new recruits to train, bond, and compete in one of the world's most respected soccer cultures.
A Team Effort: The "We Five" and the Vision
This moment is part of a longer story.
Bernhardt and a small group of alumni and supporters known as the "We Five" have been integral to UVM soccer's rise over the past five years.
United by friendship and a shared belief in what the program could become, they put together a proposal in 2021 with one bold goal: win a national championship within five years. They backed that vision with strategic planning, mentoring, and philanthropic support.
And then, in year four, the team did it.
"We wanted to treat this team the way you'd treat a championship team in any high-performing organization," Bernhardt says. "Reward excellence, raise expectations, and keep building."
From Past to Present: Bridging Generations
For Bernhardt, the connection to the Men's Soccer team runs deep.
As a student-athlete in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he helped lead UVM to a Yankee Conference championships in 1969 and 1971 and traveled in 1970 on a European soccer tour with his teammates and coaches. That experience left a lasting impression.
Now, he's passing that opportunity on to the next generation.
The Germany trip also comes at a pivotal time for UVM Athletics. In addition to the team's overseas journey, the university is breaking ground on a new athletic support building at the Post Athletic Complex - a long-awaited enhancement that Bernhardt and others have championed for years. With proper restrooms, concessions, and gathering spaces, it will better serve the thousands of community members who attend events each year.
"Athletics is one of the big doors into UVM for the community," Bernhardt says. "We want to get it right."
The men's soccer program, which draws packed crowds to Virtue Field, is at the heart of that connection. Bernhardt has watched with pride as the game evolved over the decades - from modest crowds and short seasons in his day, to today's year-round training, global recruiting, and elite-level play.
"The level of soccer these guys play is light-years ahead of our era," he says. "It's fun to watch, and it's something the whole state has gotten behind."
That statewide pride was on full display in the wake of the championship. Bernhardt recalls hearing stories of people walking their neighborhoods during halftime and seeing televisions tuned to the game in nearly every window.
"It was a national story. An international one, really. And it happened right here in Vermont," he says. "This is something people will remember for a long, long time."
Looking Ahead: Building the Next Team
Brad Cole '16, Associate Head Coach for the team, says the trip is as forward-looking as it is celebratory.
"This trip is a great opportunity to celebrate our national championship success while also building the foundation of another championship level team for Fall 2025. Our team's success is built upon creating a family and we believe this trip will allow us to strengthen the bonds within our team while also integrating the new players early. Through a combination of training, high level games, and cultural experiences we will be able to provide a tremendous experience for our players that will last a lifetime," Cole says.
He also emphasized the power of alumni support: "UVM soccer is far more than the collection of players you see on the field each gameday. It is a collection of individuals who wore the uniform for over 50 years that all understood when you play for UVM you are playing for something bigger than yourself. The generosity Peter has shown along with others reinforces this message and allows our players to not only get a best-in-class experience here at UVM but also see firsthand how their connection to the program and bonds as teammates will last a lifetime."
As the team departs for Germany, Bernhardt hopes their experience there will deepen not only their skills but their bond - with each other, with the university, and with the supporters who have been behind them every step of the way.
"They're going to be national champions for the rest of their lives," he says. "And now they're ambassadors for UVM, for Vermont, and for the kind of excellence we believe in."
