When she joined the staff at FIU it marked a return to collegiate tennis after a four-year hiatus that she spent as a tennis instructor at the prestigious Coral Oaks Tennis Club in Miami. In 1997, despite having only two returning players, Bernstein, in her first year as a head coach, guided FIU to the Trans America Athletic Conference Tournament Championship and a 12-12 season record. In 1999, the program's first year as a member of the Sun Belt Conference, her program improved to 12-10. Last season turned out to be statistically one of the finest in the history of Golden Panthers women's tennis. No. 14-ranked South Alabama.
Tennis is a year-round sport and it's hard to keep one's total commitment every day.
But the players really got into it and we all got along extremely well. I felt a real closeness to that group and I enjoyed the relationship. Win or lose, you want to have fun and make sure it is an enjoyable experience. She was named the NCAA's Senior Player of the Year after reaching the finals in doubles and semifinals in singles at the national championships. As a sophomore, she was part of a doubles team with current Florida State head coach Lise Gregory that won the NCAA national title and finished undefeated with a perfect 29-0 record.