Jake Bergey

Jake Bergey
Born (1974-05-04) May 4, 1974 (age 50)
Covington, Kentucky, U.S.
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight225 pounds (102 kg)
PositionForward
NLL draft38th overall, 1997
Philadelphia Wings
NLL teamsPhiladelphia Wings
MLL teamsRochester Rattlers
Baltimore Bayhawks
NCAA teamSalisbury
Pro career1998–2008

Jake Bergey (born May 4, 1974) is an American retired lacrosse player. He played ten seasons for the Philadelphia Wings in the National Lacrosse League. Bergey is the son of former NFL star Bill Bergey,[1] and brother of fellow lacrosse player Josh Bergey.[2] His uncle is former football player Bruce Bergey.

Early life

Bergey came to the Philadelphia area as a child when his father was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles,[3] and grew up in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.[4] He began playing lacrosse at Upland Country Day School in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, where he also played soccer and ice hockey.[5] Bergey went on to attend the Tatnall School in Wilmington, Delaware, where he won two state titles with the lacrosse team – earning All-American honors as a senior after scoring 89 goals – in addition to earning first-team all-state honors as a defensive back on the football team.[5][6]

Collegiate

Bergey was a four-time letterwinner in lacrosse at Salisbury State University from 1994 to 1997.[7] As a freshman, he helped the team to an undefeated season and scored five goals in the championship game of the 1995 NCAA Division III tournament.[5] Bergey then scored three goals in the 1996 title game for their second consecutive national title.[8] He was a first-team All-American in 1995, 1996, and 1997 at Salisbury.[7]

Bergey was inducted into the Salisbury Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 2007.[7]

NLL

Bergey joined the Philadelphia Wings in 1998. Bergey quickly became a fan favorite, wearing #66, the same number his father wore with the Philadelphia Eagles where he was a star linebacker. He was a member of both the 1998 & 2001 National Lacrosse League Champion's Cup Wings teams. Bergey was an alternate captain for the Wings from 2001 to 2007 and was Captain for the 2004 season. At the end of the 2007 season, Bergey was the second leading scorer in Wings history.

After playing 10 years for the Wings, Bergey was chosen by Boston coach and former teammate Tom Ryan in the 2007 National Lacrosse League expansion draft.[9] Subsequent to the draft, Boston put the "franchise tag" on him to retain his rights for the 2008 season.[10] Boston drafted Bergey even though he had off-season knee surgery and was considering retirement.[11]

Bergey has stated that he has no intention of playing outside of Philadelphia. In the Philadelphia Daily News, Bergey was quoted as saying

I totally expect to be back in Philadelphia," said Bergey, who has considered a future in coaching. "If things don't work out as planned, I have my hands filled enough with my family and my job that I can stay busy.[12]

During the 2007 Entry Draft, Bergey was traded back to the Wings in exchange for two late round draft picks.[13]

After the Blazers sat out the 2008 season, another expansion draft was held, and again Bergey was chosen by Boston. However, in February 2009, he was traded back to the Wings for a conditional draft pick so that he could retire as a member of the only team he had ever played for.[14]

On February 8, 2014, Bergey's No.66 jersey was retired by the Wings.[3]

MLL

In 2001 & 2002, Bergey played in Major League Lacrosse for the Rochester Rattlers.[1] In 2003, he was limited to one game with the Baltimore Bayhawks due to injury a knee injury that also forced him to miss the entire 2003 NLL season.[15] He has not played in the MLL since.

Statistics

NLL

    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team GP G A Pts LB PIM GP G A Pts LB PIM
1998 Philadelphia 12 20 18 38 35 33 3 4 9 13 14 6
1999 Philadelphia 12 31 39 70 52 18 1 1 0 1 5 2
2000 Philadelphia 12 27 35 62 67 11 1 0 2 2 3 0
2001 Philadelphia 14 43 43 86 90 2 2 3 4 7 10 0
2002 Philadelphia 13 30 30 60 56 7 1 2 2 4 3 0
2004 Philadelphia 11 11 27 38 39 18 -- -- -- -- -- --
2005 Philadelphia 15 16 25 41 46 8 -- -- -- -- -- --
2006 Philadelphia 16 27 28 55 43 11 -- -- -- -- -- --
2007 Philadelphia 15 22 25 47 60 6 -- -- -- -- -- --
2008 Philadelphia 13 29 31 60 89 8 1 3 0 3 4 0
NLL Totals 133 256 301 557 577 122 9 13 17 30 39 8

MLL

    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team GP G 2ptG A Pts LB PIM GP G 2ptG A Pts LB PIM
2001 Rochester 14 15 0 10 25 5 9 1 2 0 0 2 4 0
2002 Rochester 14 7 0 8 15 12 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2003 Baltimore 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MLL Totals 22 22 0 18 40 18 15 1 2 0 0 2 4 0

Salisbury University

     
Season GP G A Pts PPG
1994 -- -- -- -- --
1995 -- -- -- -- --
1996 15 57 18 75 --
1997 14 39 19 58 --
Totals -- -- -- -- --

References

  1. ^ a b "Bergey stars on his own field". DemocratandChronicle.com. August 10, 2001. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
  2. ^ "Josh Bergey enjoying life on sidelines Marple Newtown rookie lacrosse coach says the Tigers are on their way to contending". Philly.com. Archived from the original on March 19, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  3. ^ a b McManus, Tim (February 8, 2014). "Wings set to retire Bergey's No. 66". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D4. Retrieved November 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Leitzell, Kevin (January 15, 2001). "Chadds Ford's Bergey living lacrosse dream". Daily Local News. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Zabitka, Matt (June 23, 1994). "Bergey's sons find success away from football". The News Journal. p. 57. Retrieved November 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Murphy, Ed (March 28, 1995). "Bergey carries big stick for Gulls". The News Journal. p. 22. Retrieved November 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b c "Jake Bergey (2007) - Salisbury Athletics Hall of Fame". Salisbury Seagulls Athletics. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  8. ^ Murphy, Ed (May 17, 1996). "Bergey key to No. 1 Sea Gulls". The News Journal. p. 40. Retrieved November 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Pat Merrill Selected First Overall By Boston". NLL.com. July 31, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  10. ^ "League announces franchise players". NLL.com. August 1, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
  11. ^ "Wings Lose Star Forward Jake Bergey in NLL Expansion Draft". WingsLax.com. July 31, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
  12. ^ "Boston selects Wings' Bergey in expansion draft". Philly.com. August 1, 2007. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
  13. ^ "Draft Day Trade Frenzy". NLL.com. September 2, 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-09-06. Retrieved 2007-07-03.
  14. ^ "Jake Bergey retires as a Wing". NLL.com. February 5, 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-09.
  15. ^ "MLL: Teams Announce Rosters; Schedule for 2004". LaxPower.com. Retrieved 2007-08-02.