Welcome Back, Father Christian Hamrick '17!
Bishop Spalding recently announced that Father Christian Hamrick '17 will join Father Ryan as Chaplain for the 2026-2027 school year.
Many in the Father Ryan family were on hand at his ordination last August. "We are thrilled to welcome Father Hamrick back home to Father Ryan,” said Louisa Bateman, Director of Campus Ministry. “I look forward to working with him to continue guiding students to a life in Christ, while strengthening existing ministry programs and looking for innovative ways to minister to our student body, parents, and faculty.” His twin, Andrew Hamrick ’17, continues the family’s legacy of service to others as a member of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.
We bid a very fond farewell to Father Anh Tuan Phan for his dedication, love, humor, and pastoral care as our Chaplain for the past three years.
Father Phan has been assigned as Associate Pastor at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church and the Chaplain of University Catholic at MTSU.
Father Ryan Poets Are Top Awardees in Inaugural Diocesan Poetry Contest
Father Ryan...
Was the 1st school in Tennessee to integrate in 1954, following Brown v. Board of Education?
Was the 1st school in the nation to receive dual accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Southern Association of Independent Schools?
Played in the 1st athletic event in the South between an integrated basketball team (Father Ryan) and the all-Black team (Pearl High)? Known as "The Game That Changed the South," this 1965 game was a pivotal civil rights event.
Hosts the world's largest student-led Relay For Life event to raise money for cancer research?
Camp Ryan is in Full Swing!
Visit fatherryan.org/camps to see what camps and slots are still available. Enjoy your Irish summer! Thank You, Mrs. Clippinger and Mr. Durand!
Two pillars of the Father Ryan faculty retired this month after
Congratulations to rising seniors Lila Fortner, Amelia Williams, and Lucas Bivens, first, second, and third place winners, respectively, in the High School category, in the Catholic Schools Office inaugural St. Brigid Poetry Contest for students in 3rd-12th grade.
In honor of the special Jubilee Year of St. Francis, students across the diocese were invited to submit a poem reflecting on the mercy, peace, and hope that shaped St. Francis’ life. More than 150 poems were submitted across nine schools in the Diocese.
Junior Irish Night Kicks Off Irish Football's First Home Game on August 28!
Don’t miss this year’s exciting Junior Irish Night, Friday, August 28, for the opening home football game vs. Riverdale.
Registration is open NOW for this event, which is always a SELL-OUT. All Junior Irish Welcome! Come in Father Ryan gear!
August 28, 2026
5:00-6:45pm Father Ryan's Academic Lawn
5:00pm: Junior Irish Night opens Swag bags, face painting, inflatables, carnival and lawn games, a DJ, and more!
6:35pm: Walk with the Jungle and Marching Band
four decades at our school. Betts Clippinger, fondly known as “Mrs. Clip,” was our Senior Service teacher, organizing the seniors’ various off-campus service projects across Nashville.
Mr. Durand, Chair of the Arts Department, began teaching art at the Elliston Place campus. Under his leadership, the visual and performing arts at Father Ryan have greatly expanded. Today, there are 35 different arts courses, the most of any private high school in Middle Tennessee.
Abby Wigger ’12 Wins 2026 Christ the King School Teacher Award of Excellence
Congratulations to 6th-grade teacher Abigail Wigger, Christ the King Class of ’08, and Father Ryan Class of ’12, on her well-deserved award as the 2026 Christ the King School Teacher Award of Excellence winner.
Charlie Becker '24 Hosts Football Camp at Father Ryan
Line up with our Student Body as the Marching Band leads them across the bridge to Giacosa Stadium to cheer on the Irish!
Registration is required in order to secure your swag bag.
Please note: Parent(s) will need to purchase a gameday ticket to enter the stadium. All children who are registered for Junior Irish Night will receive free admission to the game.
Register Here
Questions? Contact the Admissions Team at admissions@fatherryan.org.
Irish Athletics
Track & Field Claim State Titles and New Records
The Irish Track and Field team ended its impressive 2026 season with four State Titles, setting three school records!
Caroline Perri '26 saw the top of the podium three times, winning the titles for the Girls 400m Dash (55.57 *New School Record), Long Jump (18-11.25), and Pentathlon (3,765 points). Caroline received All-Midstate Honors for her performance.
Ryder Ortner ’26 claimed the title for the Boys 800m Dash with a time of 1:50.38, setting both a new school and meet record and running the 4th fastest time in Tennessee state history. Ryder received All-Midstate Honors for his performance.
The Irish also saw record-breaking performances in three other events:
NEW SCHOOL RECORD - Girls 4x400m Relay (Leah Burton '27, Stella Doherty '28, Caroline Perri '26, & Bennie Bonadies '26) | 4:00.90
NEW SCHOOL RECORD - Girls 100m Hurdles (Caroline Perri '26) | 14.72
NEW SCHOOL RECORD - Girls 800m Run (Caroline Perri '26) | 2:11.40
Notable
State Meet Performances:
3rd | Girls 4x400m Relay (4:00.90)
4th | Boys 4x400m Relay
4th | Girls 3200m Run - Lydia Brunner '27
4th | Girls 1600m Run - Lydia Brunner '27
5th | Girls 1600m Run - Bennie Bonadies '26
5th | Girls 800m Run - Bennie Bonadies '26
5th | Boys 400m Dash - Peter Perri '29
5th | Girls 100m Hurdles - Caroline Perri '26
6th | Boys 4x800m Relay
It was great to have Charlie Becker ’24 of the National Championship Indiana football team and proud Ryan Nation member back on Norwood Drive. Becker, with the help of several former Irish athletes and current Father Ryan Football coaching staff, presented a great camp on May 17 for dozens of kids across Nashville.
Thanks, Charlie, for sharing your talent, time, and love for the game and your school with us!
Thanks, too, to:
Stef Ponder '23 - Football at UT Martin
JoJo Crump '24 - Football at Virginia Military Institute
Mekaih Collins '24 - Football at Austin Peay University
Caiden Anku '25 - Football at United States Naval Academy
Joe Derrick '25 - Baseball at Rend Lake Community College
6/2/26, 2:49
6th | Boys Pole Vault - Peter Perri '29
7th | Girls 1600m Run - Maggie Slattery '26
7th | Boys Long Jump - Peter Perri '29
8th | Boys Pole Vault - Will Freeman '26
8th | Girls 800m Run - Maggie Slattery '26
Girls Rugby 15's Wins its “Two-peat” State Championship
Congratulations to the Girls Rugby 15’s squad on winning back-to-back State Championships. Catherine Vance ’27 was named the MVP.
Triathlete Gracie Herrera '29 Places 1st in 2026 Tennessee State Triathlon Sprint Championships
A member of the Cross Country and Track & Field teams, Gracie Herrera '29 placed first in the High School Division (Ages 15-19) at the 2026 Tennessee State Triathlon Sprint Championships as part of the Nashville Women's Triathlon in May.
The competition comprises a 200m swim, a 15k bike ride, and a 4k run, and Gracie's overall time was 1:08:15. Finishing first out of eight athletes in her division, Gracie finished 28th overall out of 137 total competitors.
This summer, she will continue her training as she prepares for the 2026 USA Triathlon Sprint National Championships in Milwaukee this August, a race Gracie qualified for last year at the State Championships, which includes a 750m open-water swim, a 20k bike ride, and a 5k run.
Irish Arts
We’re thrilled to announce that this fall, our Purple Masque Players will perform The Diary of Anne Frank. The Spring 2027 musical will be The Music Man. More details to follow in the fall.
Stay tuned for all things Irish Arts and the Purple Masque Players by following us on social media!
Ready for a Brand New Year!
It’s been an amazing school year, especially as we culminated our twoyear celebration of 100 Years of Father Ryan.
We have lots to look forward to as we start our next century of Catholic excellence!
On August 2, we welcome 200+ new incoming students at New Family Welcome and the much-anticipated House sorting. The application for the 2027-2028 school year opens on August 14
We host our first home football game, with Junior Irish Night, on August 28
Our Preview Day will be Sunday, October 25, 2026. Look for Preview Day details in August and plan to spend an incredible afternoon at Father Ryan.
In early fall, we will share additional admissions events for families to discover why Father Ryan was voted the #1 Private High School in Nashville by the 2025 Nashville Scene.
Please reach out to Erin (Baltz) Riggs '00, Director of Enrollment, over the summer with any questions about admissions. We are here to help!
Want to learn more about Junior Irish opportunities?
Visit our Junior Irish webpage to learn more about how you can get your child involved with Father Ryan today!
Junior Irish Webpage
Director of Enrollment
Assoc. Director of Enrollment
Assoc. Director of Enrollment
Enrollment Registrar
© 2026 Father Ryan High School | 700 Norwood Drive | Nashville, TN 37204 | 615-383-4200
Erin (Baltz) Riggs '00
Peyton (Carell) Fuller'13
Ben Spence
Erin (Corrigan) Vallett '95
