TOWSON, Md. – Former Towson University men's lacrosse All-American defenseman and Hall of Famer Carl Beernink '92, who helped Towson advance to the 1991 NCAA Division I National Championship, died suddenly on July 2. He was 49.
 
A three-year starter on defense, Carl earned honorable mention All-American honors twice and was named second team in his senior year when he served as a team co-captain. He remains the only long stick defenseman in program history to have received All-American notice three times.
 
In his junior year Carl was selected as the team's Joseph Ferrante Award recipient. The following year he was honored as Towson's Unsung Hero. He represented the Tigers in the 1992 Annual North-South Senior All-Star game. He was inducted into Towson's Hall of Fame in 2010.
 
During Carl's four-year career Towson compiled a 41-14 record that included the Tigers' first three NCAA Division I postseason appearances (1989, 1991, 1992 and three East Coast Conference titles.
 
In 1991 Towson made its celebrated run for the Division I National Championship game. The unseeded Tigers knocked off No. 6 Virginia 14-13 and No. 3 Princeton 14-13 in overtime on the road in the early rounds to reach the Final Four. Towson defeated No. 7 Maryland 15-11 in the semifinal at the Carrier Dome but lost Beernink in the closing minutes with an ankle injury. He was forced to watch from the sidelines as unbeaten and top-seeded North Carolina prevailed 18-13 for the title.
 
"He was a great player and such a good person," says Carl Runk who coached the Tigers for 31 seasons from 1968-98. "It hurt him that he couldn't play in that game. He was in tears because here we are playing in a national championship and he was on the sidelines on crutches. He was one of the guys that got us there. Yes, he would have made a difference. Would we have won the game with him on the field – I don't know but our chances certainly would have been a heckuva lot better. We would have been more secure and more confident with Carl in there. Besides being an excellent lacrosse player he was a strong leader and the guys respected him."
 
After graduating from Towson, Carl was selected by the Pittsburgh Bulls of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League, playing just one season before the team folded. Carl then turned to club lacrosse, playing for the Greene Turtle and later Mt. Washington Tavern teams.
 
"Carl was a quiet guy," says John Blatchley, a two-time All-American attackman for the Tigers who was a teammate of Carl's from seventh grade youth lacrosse to Loyola High School and through four years at Towson. "He never looked for accolades, wasn't much into beating his chest but he was a damn good lacrosse player and a great friend." 
 
The father of three daughters, Carl devoted much of his time to coaching youth girls lacrosse at Immaculate Conception, Lutherville-Timonium and Kelly Post. He was also involved with the Charm City Youth Lacrosse program.
 
At the time of his death Carl was employed as the Operating Officer, Baltimore Private Client at Brown Advisory, an independent investment management firm.
 
Carl is survived by his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and daughters Emma, Gretchen and Stella. A visitation is scheduled for Sunday, July 29 from 2-5 pm at Ruck Towson Funeral Home, 1050 York Road when the family will receive friends and well-wishers. A funeral mass will be offered at 10 am on Monday, July 30 at St. Francis Catholic Church, 13717 Cuba Road, Hunt Valley.