Vermont State University Lyndon

"The enthusiasm that he brought to the sidelines was mirrored not only by his players in uniform, but also by the student body and the communities in northern New England." - John Allen Jr.

Eric Berry '91 graduated from Lyndon with a degree in interdisciplinary studies.  As a student, he was a standout basketball player from 1985-1989.  He was on the starting lineup beginning his sophomore year and was always given the job of guarding the opponent's best scoring guard or point guard.  

Eric was the recipient of the Michael Tessier Award in both 1988 and 1989.  This award is given to the player who exemplifies heart, hustle, and a desire to win.  Eric served as captain his senior year and scored 500 points in that season alone, including 38 points in a single game.  He ended his basketball career at Lyndon with Most Valuable Player honors in 1989. 

An entrepreneur, Eric owns and operates three Subway restaurants and Northeast Sports Network (NSN), a company he created and co-owns.  NSN is the first major sports website in Vermont to create web-based sports broadcasts. 

It is now a full-fledged sports network and production company providing sports coverage for six different colleges and universities in Vermont.  Eric was named Vermont Media Person-of-the-Year by the Vermont Basketball Coaches Association and Entrepreneur-of-the-Year by the Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce in 2009.

Eric was the boys' basketball coach at Lyndon Institute from 1992-1999, before coming back to his alma mater to coach the men's basketball team.  From 2000-2006, Eric led the men's team to a record of 99-66.  His teams only experienced one season with a losing record and even then, they advanced to the Sunrise Conference Semi-Finals. 

During Eric's coaching tenure he brought the first and only basketball team from Lyndon State College to the NAIA National Championships in Branson, Missouri, during the 2000-2001 season.  Every team he coached over his six years at Lyndon advanced to the semifinals or championships.  Eric received much deserved recognition as Coach-of-the-Year in the Sunrise Conference in 2005.     

Eric has been actively involved with youth basketball programs since 1990.  He has also coached youth baseball and softball for several years.  Eric is a member of the Lyndonville Rotary Club and the Elks.  He has been playing men's softball for 23 years and has garnered several championships along the way. 

Eric lives in Lyndonville with his wife, Meridith '97, and his children, Jade and Camden.