What is Oberlin College men's soccer? That would be the correct answer if Jeopardy host Alex Trebek asked which team from the North Coast Athletic Conference is making its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Tournament?
 
However, I am sure the questions were not that easy for Oberlin College sophomore soccer player Sam Bernhard, who earlier this year lived out his childhood dream of becoming a contestant on Jeopardy.
 
Bernhard went up against an attorney from Washington, D.C., and a retired police officer from Long Island. While the interactions with his competitors were cordial, his conversation with the legendary show host was his most memorable moment of the experience.
 
 "Alex and I talked about the TV show Breaking Bad, which was really cool and special to me. It is something I won't forget anytime soon," he said.
 
Bernhard, a native of Blacksburg, Virginia, went through an extensive selection process to be chosen as a contestant. Last winter term he went up against 200,000 other applicants before being invited to Detroit to do a mock version of the show against 2,500 other people.  

Bernhard was on campus training with the soccer team during preseason camp when he found out he had been selected to be on the show.
 
"It was really exciting, I couldn't wait to call my mom and tell her and, of course, let all the guys on the team know as well."

The day of the show, Bernhard woke up in a Los Angeles area hotel room and was then taken to the studio with 20 other contestants who would be filming that day as well. He went through the pre-show process, which included shooting promos for local TV and even a little bit of makeup, but when the moment finally arrived with him on stage with the lights beating down, Bernhard had a lot of different thoughts running through his mind.
 
"It was pretty nerve-racking. I've been watching Jeopardy my whole life, and all I could think about was that I was too young to be playing against adults. Hitting the buzzer was pretty scary. However, at the same time being on stage knowing that I was doing something a lot of people don't get the chance to do was pretty awesome as well."
 
To see if he was able to overcome the nerves and take home the cash, you will have to watch the show, which is scheduled to air on December 11.  
 
Bernhard, who is an intended politics and environmental studies double major and English minor, doesn't quite know what he wants to do after Oberlin. He envisions teaching as a possible career, but likes to keep his options open.
 
He enjoys radio and interned with NPR last summer. He has a radio show every Saturday morning on Oberlin's campus station, WOBC- 91.5 FM, with fellow soccer player Louis Naiman.
 
"We talk a little. We play a little music. Whatever," said Bernhard. "It's a fun thing to do. Sometimes if we are in really sleepy hazes, Louis will just read the headlines of the New York Times in his radio voice and we'll just talk about that. It's pretty funny."

As someone who enjoys living in the moment, Bernhard decided to run in the New York City Half Marathon that took place in January of 2013. He elected to do it on a whim following a recent nose operation.
 
"Three weeks after my surgery, I took the train in to Central Park at 5:30 a.m. It was 12 degrees out. No training or anything. I just did it to see if I could do it. It was certainly a memorable experience, but next time I will be sure to train before I run a distance like that."
 
Now back on campus with the first semester nearing an end, Bernhard could not be happier with where he is. He enjoys all his classes, and he is part of the most successful soccer team in Oberlin history. The Yeomen recently earned the program's first-ever berth into the NCAA Tournament as the team tied a school record for wins in a season with a 13-3-4 mark. Bernhard believes the team is in the right frame of mind heading into the NCAA Tournament.
 
"I really feel like we are firing on all cylinders. Everyone has played a great role in getting us to where we are. I feel like the biggest difference in our play this year has been our defense and goaltending. Teams just haven't scored on us very much."
 
The Yeomen set a school record for shutouts in a season with 10 and allowed just 16 goals on the season – the lowest total of any team in Head Coach Blake New's 16-year tenure.
 
The Yeomen travel to the University of Rochester where they will play against SUNY-Oneonta in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, November 16, at 7:30 p.m.  
 
When asked which of his teammates he thought could hold their own on Jeopardy, the politics major gave a very political answer, "Assistant Coach David Wilson (Oberlin '06) and likely my roommate Louis." Bernard backtracked a little and then said, "The whole team, really, they're all a bunch of smart guys."
 
The players will have plenty of time to debate who is the smartest Yeoman on their bus ride to Rochester.

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