Upper Iowa University Athletics Hall of Fame
Chad Bernard, a 1996 graduate, is being inducted into the Upper Iowa University Athletics Hall of Fame as an athlete. He was a three-year letter winner in baseball from 1992-94.
Bernard had an outstanding career for the Peacocks on the mound. In 1993, the Upper Iowa baseball team won the I.I.A.C. Conference Championship. He was a major contributor to that team’s success under the direction of Coaches Rick Heller and Mark Danker. Bernard was named the I.I.A.C.’s Most Valuable Player in 1993 along with 1st team All-I.I.A.C. honors as a pitcher. He was also named to the NCAA Division III All-Region second team in 1993. His ERA of 1.81 in 1993 was as good a season as there had been in 28 years of Peacock baseball. He concluded his junior and senior years with a 13-3 record and 3.03 ERA.
A highlight of his pitching career for the Peacocks came during his junior year when he pitched in a 5-1 victory over the #1-ranked Aurora College in Upper Iowa’s first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III Regional Tournament surrendering only five hits and striking out seven. In addition to this, he defeated Iowa State University 2-1 with a three-hitter. He was named the team’s Most Valuable Pitcher in 1993 and 1994.
A graduate of Tripoli High School, he had an outstanding career earning 13 All-State letters in four years along with being named to the Iowa Star All-Conference First Team in baseball and basketball in 1988 and 1989. Currently residing in Tripoli, he has been engaged in marketing with Lorillard for the past 11 years. Chad and his wife Laura are the parents of two girls, Hannah and Isabel.
