Career
Wrestling Greco-Roman-style in high school at New Ulm High School, she earned the Minnesota state high school championship in 2004. She competed in the freestyle 72 kg/158.5 lbs class, because Greco-Roman-style is not yet an Olympic sport for women. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Bernard defeated Nigeria"s Amarachi Obiajunwa, then lost to China"s Wang Jiao which put her in the repechage competition for a bronze medal.
In those matches, she defeated Sweden"s Jenny Fransson before losing to Japan"s Kyoko Hamaguchi, placing fourth in her class.
Bernard originally lost to Stephany Lee at the 2012 Olympic trials. Lee later tested positive for marijuana and Bernard was awarded the spot.
At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she lost to Jenny Fransson in the first round.