When the Maryland men’s lacrosse team faced Virginia on Jan. 28 in a preseason exhibition at Maryland Stadium, its touted freshman midfielder created buzz.

“They got another Bernhardt brother,” whispered a woman in a black Terps cap to someone sitting next to her on the bleachers.

The fan was referring to Jared Bernhardt, younger brother of former Maryland standouts Jake and Jesse Bernhardt. He was making his first ever home appearance, and as the third-ranked recruit in the nation, his arrival warranted recognition.

Since the scrimmage with the Cavaliers, Jared Bernhardt’s profile has grown larger. He’s recorded seven points through three games, and he’s carved an important role in the Terps’ starting midfield.

“He’s been real big,” goalkeeper Dan Morris said. “Coming into freshman year, it’s always tough, but he’s progressively getting better and better with each practice.”

Bernhardt competed against older children while growing up, first in his own backyard and then on the quiet suburban streets of Longwood, Florida, against his older brothers’ friends.

The Bernhardt family had a small lacrosse net behind their house, which Jake and Jesse Bernhardt took turns shooting on.

Once Jared Bernhardt grew older, he spent days playing against bigger kids in his neighborhood in basketball, football and wiffle ball. At night, he played manhunt.

Jesse Bernhardt said his younger brother’s willingness to challenge children who were bigger and stronger than him gave him an edge he has today.

“[Jake] and I were a couple of years older than him, but he always tagged along and always played with us,” Jesse Bernhardt said. “So he was a young guy out there trying to get past my older buddies playing football or basketball … He definitely gained a competitiveness from that early on.”

After Jake Bernhardt joined Maryland in 2009 as a midfielder, Jesse Bernhardt arrived in 2010 as a long pole. In 2012, Jake Bernhardt was named team captain. Meanwhile, Jesse Bernhardt made two All-American teams.

Whenever he could, Jared Bernhardt flew to College Park with his parents to visit his brothers and watch a game. Often, he attended Friday practice and observed the Terps’ training session.

For someone unaccustomed to the skill set of players in a college lacrosse program like Maryland, the level of play he witnessed made a strong impression.

“It was big for me coming from Florida to see some top-notch players,” Jared Bernhardt said. “They were heroes to me — big-time players. I wanted to be like them and just watched how they did things.”

Bernhardt said the weekend trips drew him closer to lacrosse, which at the time jockeyed with football for his attention.

At Lake Brantley High School, he racked up more than 4,000 all-purpose yards in his final two seasons as a triple-option quarterback. He received football interest from Navy, Army and Air Force.

However, he decided to follow in his brothers’ footsteps, committing to play lacrosse for coach John Tillman’s squad. While it was a difficult decision, he said he felt most comfortable in College Park.

It didn’t take Jared Bernhardt long to settle in.

While Tillman avoids placing pressure on first-year players because “there’s a lot to digest and think about,” he started Jared Bernhardt in Maryland’s season opener at then-No. 11 Navy.

With 16 seconds remaining until the break and the game tied, 5-5, Tillman called timeout so he could design a play for one of his experienced attackmen. The coach said Jared Bernhardt, stationed near midfield, was “the last option.”

So Jared Bernhardt waited as the Terps passed the ball around the left side. But with seven seconds to go, he received a pass from attackman Colin Heacock and burst forward. He faked a right-handed shot on the run and then launched the ball at the net with his left just before the clock expired.

The attempt flew past the goalkeeper, leading his teammates to mob him as the Midshipmen trudged off the field for the intermission.

“That was a really good feeling,” Jared Bernhardt said.

Tillman’s main takeaway from the score was Jared Bernhardt’s patience, as the freshman lingered like a veteran at the outskirts of the play before making his move.

“He doesn’t try to do too much,” Tillman said. “He lets the game come to him, and he plays with a lot of poise. A lot of the success he’s had … he’s just put himself in the right place at the right time.”

Since the Navy game, Jared Bernhardt has continued to impress. In Maryland’s 16-8 win over Saint Joseph’s, he notched three goals and an assist, becoming the first Terps freshman to earn a hat trick since midfielder Connor Kelly completed the task against North Carolina in 2015.

Last weekend in Maryland’s 19-5 victory over High Point, Jared Bernhardt added his fifth goal of the campaign. He said it was “awesome” to register a score in the same venue his older brothers found success.

But what has impressed teammates more than his on-field contributions is the way he carries himself. Attackman Matt Rambo said he “can really see the potential that’s going to be there.”

“He’s teachable,” Rambo said. “He doesn’t complain and he doesn’t argue with anyone. He just does the right thing all the time.”

While taking turns with a stick, a ball and a worn-down net in a central Florida backyard with his youngest sibling, Jesse Bernhardt could also see Jared Bernhardt’s promise. So when asked if his brother’s quick ascension at Maryland surprised him, he didn’t hesitate.

“To be honest, not at all,” Jesse Bernhardt said. “My mom always said he was going to be the best out of the three of us … He’s just starting to scratch the surface.”

CORRECTION: Due to an editing error, a photo caption on this article misidentified Jared Bernhardt as Jake Bernhardt. The caption has been updated.