NAME: Ali Bernard
UNIVERSITY: Regina, Alberta
CATEGORY: Student-Athlete
SPORT: Women’s wrestling
YEARS ACTIVE: 2005-2008, 2010
HIGHLIGHTS:
Five-time Canada West gold medalist (2005-2008, 2010)
Five-time CIS gold medalist (2005-2008, 2010)
2005 CIS and Canada West Rookie of the Year
Two-time US Olympian (2008 and 2012)
BIOGRAPHY:
Wrestler Ali Bernard is a unique member of the inaugural Canada West Hall of Fame class, being inducted as a student-athlete of two schools - Regina and Alberta. She is also the Hall of Fame’s first inductee that competed at the Olympics for a country other than Canada, having represented the United States at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Games.
A native of New Ulm, Minnesota, Bernard competed for the Regina Cougars from 2005 to 2008, before wrestling one final season in 2010 at the U of A, where she then served as an assistant coach for three years.
Bernard won the national championship for her weight class in every year of her varsity career, setting a record with five CIS gold medals. She also placed atop the podium at the Canada West championship in all five of her seasons. Bernard competed in the 80kg division in 2005; the 72kg division in 2006, 2007 and 2010; and the 82kg division in 2008.
While at Regina, Bernard was a three-time recipient of the school’s female athlete of the year award (2005, 2006, 2007). In 2005 she was named both the CIS and Canada West Rookie of the Year. She was named Canada West’s most outstanding wrestler in 2007.
After concluding her student-athlete career at the University of Alberta in 2010, Bernard joined the Golden Bears and Pandas wrestling staff for the 2011 season. Her success as an athlete followed her into coaching, as Bernard assisted in one women’s national team championship (2011), two women’s team Canada West titles (2012, 2013) and one men’s team Canada West championship (2013).
Internationally, Bernard won several medals, including gold at the 2010 FISU Games, and bronze at the 2011 World Championships. As a member of the United States Olympic team, she placed 5th in the heavyweight class at the 2008 Beijing Games, and was 13th in the 72kg division at the London Olympics four years later.
Following retirement from competition, Bernard has worked as a corporate trainer in her home state of Minnesota.