Rock News Spring 2024

THE ROCK NEWS SPRING 2024

PHILANTHROPY & ENGAGEMENT OFFICE

Mr.

’82 President

Mr. Spencer H. Hardwick ’07 President-Elect

Mr. Blaise A. Gassman ’16 Secretary; RockConnect Co-Chair

Mr. Enrique I. Gutierrez ’98 At-Large

Mr. James H. Maggard ’04 Stewardship & Engagement Co-Chair

Mr. Andrew J. Miller ’16 At-Large Member

Mr. Ivan L. Nugent ’99 At-Large Member

Mr. John R. Oades ’67 Volunteer Chair

Mr. Nicholas J. Porto ’96 At-Large Member

Mr. Todd A. Schieffer ’90 RockConnect Co-Chair; Alumni Recognition Chair

Mr. James C. Shay, III ’11 At-Large Member

Mr. Henry J. Thomas ’06 Nominating Committee Chair

Mr. James T. Van Dyke ’05 Stewardship & Engagement Co-Chair

This publication includes updates from November 2023 through April 2024.

Diane J. Marty, EdD, CFRE Vice President of Philanthropy & Engagement dmarty@rockhursths.edu; 816.363.2036 x538

Adrianne A. DeWeese, MPA CFRE Assistant Director of Philanthropy adeweese@rockhursths.edu; 816.363.2036 x536

Turner R. “Robbie” Haden ’09 Director of Communications & Branding rhaden@rockhursths.edu; 816.363.2036 x552

Moira Kelly Healy Director of Engagement mhealy@rockhursths.edu; 816.363.2036 x582

Timothy R. Reidy ’02 Archives Director & Faculty Member treidy@rockhursths.edu; 816.363.2036 x255

Sylvia M. Smith

Philanthropy & Engagement Supportive Services ssmith@rockhursths.edu; 816.363.2016 x588

Meredith L. Suarez Director of Alumni Engagement msuarez@rockhursths.edu; 816.363.2036 x537

Loretta Verbanic Gifts & Stewardship Specialist lverbanic@rockhursths.edu; 816.363.2036 x555

George J. Weir Director of Data & Analytics gweir@rockhursths.edu; 816.363.2036 x539

Correction from the Fall 2023 Rock News: On Page 19, recent graduates were identified in a photo, but some of their current colleges and universities were incorrectly listed. Eddie Kuklenski ’22 attends Indiana University, Caleb Teeven ’23 attends Boston College, Andrew Finn ’22 attends Trinity College, Brock Narciso ’23 attends Trinity College, and Patrick Franke ’22 attends Boston College.

A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT

“Love ought to manifest itself more in deeds, than in words.”

WORKING TOWARD HOPE IN A WORLD THAT OFTEN DOESN’T WANT TO LET THE LIGHT IN

With our school year theme focused on a Hope-Filled Future, imagine St. Ignatius would agree that “Hope ought to manifest itself more in deeds, than in words.”

And now, a reflection on the use of English language from your high school education:

“There has never been a time in all of human history that superlatives have been used with unparalleled frequency and impact.”

But hope is not some feel-good gift of God. Like scripture says: Faith, Hope, and Love will remain. When we think about our Faith and Love in our life, we recognize that those gifts also take our intentional effort. And so it is with Hope.

In a world of superlatives that don’t necessarily foster hope, being hopefilled and striving toward being hopefilled is an important intentional effort.

leaders Jesuit education strives to form. With our own humility and God’s help, may we continue to be a force for positive impact in the world, in as many different ways as are reflected in the variety of gifts God has bestowed upon us.

— St. Ignatius of Loyola

There, I did it. I shared an observation of the world today and its use of superlatives by doing what the world does.

Recently, I surfed the news. think it is important to keep abreast of current events. But I don’t really like to turn on the news, regardless of the station.

The news seems to be the land of superlatives. Doesn’t matter where you dial in. If everything everyone is saying is true, humanity is at a conjunction of an amazing number of extremes.

My comments here are not designed to speak to one segment of people or another, nor are they to deny that humanity and our world has problems. But problems are not new. Humanity is imperfect and sinful, and we don’t need to look too far to confirm that observation.

Juxtaposing our school year theme: Toward a Hope-Filled Future with the superlatives of doom and extremism in our world is quite a contrast.

Over the course of our school year this year, visiting alumni in and out of Kansas City, as well as observing the incredible accomplishments of our young Hawklets, there is a lot to be hopeful for, but maybe as importantly, the education and formation shines in how Hawklets generally engage the world. Rather than live in the world of superlatives, so many people seem to be able to identify that world and recognize its existence, but they articulate being builders of the Kingdom, not purveyors of doom. Hope in action. Hope in deeds.

My experience is educated, thoughtful, positive, hard-working, principled, faith-filled Hawklets – students and alumni – live below the superlatives. Or is it above them? They seem more interested in being part of the solution, even if they may not all agree on the best path forward, than being part of the problem of the uber-superlative.

And, the fabric of community and of society is strongest at the local level, where Hawklets soar. So impressive are the careers, families, civic service, faith, and witness of our alumni. Living in deeds the call to be “men for others.”

In a world of superlatives of doom and gloom, I’m grateful to our students and alumni for their witness to hope, to doing, and to being the kind of servant

St. Ignatius of Loyola offered the world a method of prayer and discernment to seek the light, to look for hope and to live in Christ. May God continue to guide our mission as we navigate between the extremes of a superlative world to the Truth, and Faith, and Love, and… Hope.

St. Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us.

God bless,

David J. Laughlin President, Rockhurst High School

Messages to the Rockhurst Alumni Community

Pat McInerney ’82 National Alumni Association President

FROM THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT:

Dear Rockhurst Alumni,

With another school year behind us and all eyes on the next one, hope this message finds each of you, and your families and loved ones, doing well. Our Rockhurst National Alumni Association has enjoyed a year of growth and connection with each other, the school, and our communities. am grateful to have worked this past year with the Board of Governors to build closer relationships, find more opportunities for connection, and focus on what’s next.

The past year has seen continued growth of our efforts to expand and include all Rockhurst graduates in our alumni network. With that goal in mind, our signature effort, RockConnect, has taken off to provide ways for alumni to connect personally, professionally, and to Rockhurst.

This fall will see the introduction of our pilot alumni-based Fantasy Football leagues! Whether you’re a seasoned fantasy player or new to the game, this will be a fantastic way to reconnect with fellow classmates, engage in friendly competition, and add new flavor and

fun to the upcoming football season. If you’re interested in joining or learning more, keep an eye out for details.

As you can see in the letter from Meredith Suarez, we have more things going on from coast to coast – and right here in Kansas City – than ever before. To make sure alumni of every age have opportunities to connect, we’re working to Collect & Connect – collecting quality contact information from all alumni so we’re able to connect and grow our universe of engaged alumni. If you haven’t recently or your contact info has changed, please take a minute to update it by scanning the QR code below.

Finally, we all know that “RDQ” truly means Rock Don’t Quit after four years of high school. Those of us lucky enough to serve on the Board see over and over the sustaining connections among alumni. As we grow our alumni family and work to make those connections happen, reach out, connect with us and each other, and help us build The Rock.

AMDG,

Pat McInerney ’82 National Alumni Association President

FROM THE DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT:

Dear Rockhurst Alumni, always get nostalgic as the school year comes to an end. Every school year is a commencement; one chapter closes, but a new story brims with possibility as new experiences, friendships, ideas, and renewed hope for the future await each young man who walks these hallowed halls on State Line Road.

This year, 231 young men join you in the alumni brotherhood. As they stand prepared to seize new opportunities, it’s a reminder that the Rockhurst brotherhood continues to grow and make a deep impact in Kansas City and throughout the world.

Because of your national presence, this spring we enjoyed reconnecting with you at alumni gatherings in Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Austin, Newport Beach, and Los Angeles. If you’re in the Seattle area this summer, join us on June 5, 2024 at Seattle Prep!

As we move into summer, we’re already thinking about our next alumni gatherings. As proud alumni you know that our most loyal brotherhood exists with our Golden Hawklets, alumni in the classes of 1973 or earlier. Starting this year and every year, Golden Hawklets are invited to all alumni reunion activities and a special event on October 9, 2024, during Alumni Reunion Week.

There is no greater impact than an investment in a young person’s future. We invite you to align your affinity for Rockhurst to help today’s Hawklets. Here’s how:

• Your generosity matters and helps more young men access a Rockhurst education. Make a gift in any amount by June 30 and be listed in our roster of alumni benefactors. Scan the QR code below to make your gift.

• Save the date for Alumni Reunion Week Oct. 9-12, 2024, celebrating class years ending in 4 and 9, and ALL Golden Hawklets.

• Connect with RockConnect Leverage your Rockhurst brotherhood and connect to jobs, internships, mentors, and new opportunities. Email rockconnect@rockhursths.edu

See you at The Rock!

In gratitude,

Meredith

L. Suarez Director of Alumni Engagement

Meredith L. Suarez Director of Alumni Engagement

Alumni Gather From Coast to Coast

The Rock Tour rolls on!

As covered in the fall edition of The Rock News, in October, Jim Scott Polsinelli ’88 and Doug Kramer ’89 hosted a Washington, D.C. event; Dave Nichols ’68 hosted a Fort Collins, CO event; Jonathan Bax ’93, Mike Euston ’01, and Charlie Rhoades ’98 hosted a Denver event; and in November, Rob Hess ’79, Marc Scrivo ’95, and Ben Neenan ’04 hosted a New York event.

Maintaining the momentum from those well-attended events, members of the President’s Office and Philanthropy & Engagement Team continued to help organize alumni gatherings across the country.

Kicking off the new year, Brooke & Kevin Kopp ’93 and Courtney & Mark Sonnenberg ’94 hosted a January gathering in Phoenix at the Paradise Valley Country Club.

“No matter where we’ve lived, Rockhurst is always close to my heart,” reflected Sonnenberg. “We have a text thread with a dozen or so classmates that keeps me up-to-speed on Kansas City and Rockhurst chatter. My nephew is graduating from Rockhurst this year. And although not at Rockhurst, we’re carrying on the Sonnenberg Family’s Jesuit legacy at Brophy College Prep with my two sons, Grant and Crews.”

The Sonnenberg and Kopp Families, which have been close for generations, are longtime advocates of Rockhurst and the notion that it is not just a fouryear experience.

“Anything we can do to help the Rockhurst community - we are in,” said Kopp. “Going to Rockhurst is more than simply graduating from a high school. It’s a fiber of your DNA. ‘Men for others’ and ‘AMDG’ are mantras that stay with you forever and are foundational life traits that you live and breathe.”

March included two gatherings in Texas: a Houston event hosted by Carol & John Kafka ’68 and Abby & Jason Lorfing ’97 at the Rainbow Lodge, and a Dallas event hosted by The Watts Family (Karen, Jim, William ’11, Andrew ’13, and Michael ’16) at the Dallas Petroleum Club.

As well, Vice President of Philanthropy & Engagement Dr. Diane Marty met individually with Laura & Stephen Caruso ’65, Bill Poland ’68, Larry Graham ’81, and Matthew Meiners ’02 and it’s very likely that alumni in that area can look forward to a future event.

In April, Rockhurst men in California joined together for events in Los Angeles and Newport Beach. The LA event was hosted by David White ’86 and Jeff Tanner ’00 at the Upper West Restaurant. The Newport event was hosted by Mike Trigg ’96 and Jason Sabaugh ’03 at the Newport Beach Country Club.

The connections made at these events were impactful, including to several young alumni who attended.

“Part of what made the events so special was the wide age range of the alumni and comparing stories and connecting with guys who have had so many similar experiences,” said

Collin Murphy ’22, a sophomore at Chapman University who attended both California events. “I left the events with a lot of numbers, contacts, and people asking me to reach out. It shows that Rockhurst people are willing to help Rockhurst people, and I plan on keeping in contact with a lot of these fellow alumni.”

Murphy noted the impressive reach of the Rockhurst alumni network and the positive impact it can have.

“Being in California can feel like deep waters to navigate, but knowing that there are people here from Kansas City and from Rockhurst that have been successful and are now willing to help me - that’s an immeasurable gift that these Rockhurst men are giving me.”

More out-of-town gatherings are in the works, including Seattle, San Diego, Chicagoland, Wichita, Nashville, and others. Contact Diane Marty, Vice President of Philanthropy & Engagement, to express your interest in hosting/co-hosting, or to inquire about a future event in your city.

dmarty@rockhursths.edu 816.363.2036 x538

Attendees at the Phoenix event on Jan. 31: Tom Keller ’81, David Alpough ’81, Robert Spurny ’74, Ray Sonnenberg ’65, Mark Sonnenberg ’94 (co-host), James Werth ’64, Brian Frey ’91, Steve Gound, Fr. Tom Pesci, SJ, David Frey ’93, Kevin Kopp ’93 (co-host), and President David Laughlin.

Attendees at the Houston event on March 5: Abby Lorfing (co-host), Patrick Reintjes ‘14, Jason Lorfing ‘97 (co-host), Scott Barton ‘07, Robbie Simons ‘10, Mark Schaefer ‘73, Steve Flavin ‘67, Bonnie Clark, Doug Mischlich ‘80, Carol & John Kafka ‘68 (cohosts), Julie Mischlich, Lynn Fladung, and Rick Fladung ‘71. Out of camera range: Dr. Diane Marty

Attendees at the Dallas event on March 8: Adam Hawn ’21, Fr. Tom Pesci, SJ, Denny Mulloy ’67, Brady McCanles ’18, Jim Conrow ’68, William Watts ’11, Andrew Watts ’13, Frank Rinaldo ’74, Robbie Thompson ’13, Jack Livers ’14, Stephen Putthoff ’65, Jordan Bastable ’03, Tom O’Leary ’10, Peter Rasmussen ’11, Kevin Weiss ’01, Bill Venable ’77, John Tepper ’74, Michael Watts ’16, and President David Laughlin. Out of camera view: Matt Davis ’86, Dr. Diane Marty. Not pictured: Anthony Fagan ’91, Jonathan Ediger ’14, Joseph Green ’17.

On May 1, ten

Michael Kuklenski ’20 (left) and Michael Donnellan ’20 (right) cheered on Wes Porter ’20 (middle) at the ACC Track & Field Championships on Feb. 24, 2024 in Boston. Porter, a standout runner at the University of Virginia, finished 7th in the men’s mile in a time of 4:00.88. Kuklenski is a student at Boston College and Donnellan is a student at MIT.

More than 25 members of the great Class of 1980 continued the tradition meeting at Jasper’s (JJ Mirabile ’80) for lunch over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Attendees at the Los Angeles event on April 3: Leger Taylor ‘22 (Chapman University), Patrick Coughlin ‘02, Collin Murphy ‘22, Fr. Tom Pesci, SJ, Tony Danaher ‘85, and cohosts David White ‘86 and Jeff Tanner ‘00. Photo by Dr. Diane Marty.

Rockhurst classmates are there for each other during many of life’s milestones. Zach Hulsing ’16 married Makenzie Richardson on Nov. 11, 2023 and his Rockhurst brothers from the great Class of 2016 were strong in numbers and support: (standing) Cole McLagan, Gregory Wiedeman, Timmy Wilkerson, Wil Boatman, William Reintjes, Frank Paris, Zander Hulsing, Dom Tutera, Aaron Lang, Conor Law, John Leisman, Henry Voysey, Max Marty, Luke Ryan, Thomas Mavec; (crouched) Joe Keavney, Ethan Murphy, Charlie Caprio. Out of camera view: Grant Hiss.

Attendees at the Newport Beach event on April 4: Collin Murphy ‘22, Fr. Tom Pesci, SJ, Bill Fitzpatrick ‘69, John Trotter ‘68, co-hosts Jason Sabaugh ‘03 and Mike Trigg ‘96, Kenyon Rasheed ‘88, Patrick Befort ‘04, and President David Laughlin. Not pictured: Dr. Diane Marty.

members of the 2004 baseball team that finished as State Runner-Up with a 26-3 record reunited for a celebration 20 years after their historic season. (Back row) Frank Allen ’05, Linds Prestia ’04, Mike Walczuk ’05, Kelly Quirk ’05, Derrick McKinney ’04; (front row) Zach Sheridan ’05, Brandon Doherty ’04, Ryan Bennett ’04, Mike Pernice ’05, Jeff Koons ’04, Coach Jim DeGraw.

Rockhurst men can be found far and wide across the United States.

All alumni, regardless of their current location, are encouraged to join the Rockhurst High School Alumni Association on LinkedIn for updates on RockConnect (Rockhurst’s professional connection network) and professional group opportunities. Scan the QR code below to join the group.

And - to be sure that we are able to reach you as we announce events in your area, scan below and update your contact information.

And encourage those in your alumni network to do the same!

Alumni clusters have been generally defined as a 50-mile radius surrounding major metropolitan areas (slightly larger where multiple cities are in relatively close proximity).

Kansas City boasts the largest alumni population with 8,887 Hawklets remaining near home.

Other major metro areas with significant numbers of alumni are listed to the right.

Reunion Week to Celebrate 4s, 9s, and All Golden Hawklets

Alumni Reunion Week is a longstanding tradition at Rockhurst High School and an opportunity for graduates to reconnect with their classmates, as well as Hawklets from different eras.

Individual classes are invited back every five years for the celebration, and 2024 will celebrate graduation classes ending in 4s and 9s.

As announced in March by Meredith Suarez, Director of Alumni Engagement, Golden Hawklets are alumni who graduated from Rockhurst 50 years ago or earlier. Beginning this year, Golden Hawklets (currently 1973 and earlier) are invited to activities

during Alumni Reunion Week every year, in addition to a special event just for these distinguished alumni.

Suarez wrote to alumni:

Our Golden Hawklets know that brotherhood is forever. So, why wait every five years to reconnect? Come home to The Rock this fall (and every year!) and relive the fun and friendship of alumni life.

Alumni Reunion Week is set for Oct. 9-12, 2024, on the campus of Rockhurst High School.

Scan the QR code to learn more about this year’s activities.

The great Class of 1973 gathered for its 50th Reunion last fall during Alumni Reunion Week. All class members are now considered Golden Hawklets – alumni who graduated 50 years ago or earlier.

SCAN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2024 ALUMNI REUNION WEEK.

Alumni Offer Time to Current Students

A special aspect of the Rockhurst High School education is not only learning from outstanding teachers, but to hear from motivated alumni. Each year, dozens of Rockhurst graduates of all eras return to help educate and inspire current Hawklets. With opportunities ranging from career advice to volunteerism to personal experiences, alumni can make lasting impacts on students.

Jerry Reardon ’69 and Jay Reardon ’76 visited students in AP World History class to share stories of their dad, Lt. Ed Reardon ’33, and his experiences in World War II. They showed and explained several German military items that Lt. Reardon brought back from the war. Rockhurst is grateful to possess a Reardon Military Collection in the school archives, managed by School Archivist and Social Studies Teacher, Coach Tim Reidy ’02

Ross Capps ’89 returned to The Rock in March to participate in the ongoing Alumni Speaker Series. A Criminalistics Lab Director, Capps spoke with Hawklets interested in Forensic Science. He shared the following advice: “When considering your career and advancing your education, do your research. Think about what you want to do and be well informed about the opportunities you pursue.”

Andrew Elmer ’03 and Shea McEnerney ’14, joined by Kyle Marsh, were also career panelists and gave insight on how they got started in the Architecture industry. Elmer is the Director of Sports and Recreation Architecture at HDR, McEnerney is

an Architectural Preservationist at PROSOCO, and Marsh is a Senior Associate at Populous.

Rockhurst’s Student Diversity Union asked Max Kaniger ’09 to serve as a guest speaker, sharing his impetus for working to build an equitable food system in Kansas City. He is the founder of Kanbe’s Markets, which is committed to fight food insecurity and eliminate food deserts in the KC Metro. Kanbe’s delivers more than 20,000 lbs. of food every month to areas in need of healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables. Kaniger was selected as the 2023 Emerging Hawklet Award recipient for his work in the community.

Young alumni stepped up when volunteers were asked to help with Rockhurst’s inaugural 4th Day Retreat in November. Several recent graduates served as panel members to share their post-Rockhurst experiences of “Living the 4th Day”, including Joey Stasi ’11, Chris Butler ’15, Ray Hamilton ’20, and Luke Hamilton ’21.

“For an alumnus, any chance to impart a little wisdom on current students that you have a connection with is an incredible opportunity,” said Stasi.

“You hope they pick up on it, but all we can ask for is an opportunity - and Rockhurst does a great job of offering that to alumni.”

A mental health professional, Tim Bianco ’11 shared his story of wanting to help others after going through his own personal struggle with anxiety. Bianco began his career as a Special Education Teacher. While teaching, he

felt a strong calling to counseling youth and decided to pursue a Master of Social Work at the University of Kansas. He now serves as a Mental Health Counselor with Johnson County Mental Health Center, helping guide children ages 4-18.

“Rockhurst is where parents send their son if they want to maximize their chances of achieving their Godgiven potential. For some young men at Rockhurst, their awareness of that potential is realized while in high school, for others it is realized later in life,” reflected Bianco. “I am one of the latter. Rockhurst instilled the values and principles that slowly burned inside of me, until I was ready to set the world on fire.”

1st Lt. Brady Bird ’15 spoke to Rockhurst students interested in Military careers. He graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Aerospace Engineering while also completing the Air Force ROTC Program, and was then selected to earn the role of Air Force Pilot. Lt. Bird is currently stationed in South Korea.

Sherlock Gong ’18 shared his postRockhurst journey with nearly 50 current students interested in careers in Mathematics. Gong continued his education with degrees in Honors Mathematics and Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, and then earned his Master of Science from Cambridge University. He is currently pursuing his PhD at the University of Washington (UW) studying Algebraic Geometry and Number Theory while teaching Calculus classes.

Jay Reardon ’76 (left) and Jerry Reardon ’69 (right) shared the Reardon WWII Military Collection of their father, Lt. Ed Reardon ’33, with students in AP World History Class. Their great-nephew Tommy Reardon ’26 (middle) was one of the students in class.

Max Kaniger ’09 and his company, Kanbe’s Markets, delivers more than 20,000 lbs. of fresh food to Kansas City’s food deserts every month. Knox Nail ’25 and the Student Diversity Union asked Kaniger to explain the food insecurity dilemma to Rockhurst students.

Henry Bosco ’25 facilitated the Alumni Career Panel discussion about Architecture. Guest speakers were Shea McEnerney ’14, Andrew Elmer ’03, and Kyle Marsh.

A Criminalists Lab Director, Ross Capps ’89 spoke to students about professions in Forensic Science.

Chris Butler ’15, Ray Hamilton ’20, Luke Hamilton ’21, and Joey Stasi ’11 volunteered as alumni panel members for the inaugural 4th Day Retreat for seniors.

Tim Bianco ’11 shared his personal experiences that led him to being a Mental Health Counselor in Kansas City; Manny Mascote ’25 moderated the discussion with students.

1st Lt. Brady Bird ’15 talked with students about his role as an Air Force Pilot. Jake Wier ’24 led this Alumni Career Panel conversation.

Sherlock Gong ’18 is pursuing his PhD in Algebraic Geometry and Number Theory at the University of Washington. Students listened to him share his educational journey focusing on Mathematics.

Record-Setting Spectacular Supports Hawklets

Records are meant to be broken!

So it’s not a surprise that the driving forces behind the Spectacular Auction have set yet another new fundraising benchmark!

The engine for those forces came in the form of four co-chair couples dedicated to the success of Spectacular and the financial impact it has on nearly half of all current families. They selected “Rock Don’t Quit” as the theme for 2024 – a testament to the constant perseverance of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and benefactors to ensure the continued tradition of excellence at Rockhurst.

Natalie & Kyle Hartman ’91, Adrienne & Chris Helvey, Annie & John Houlehan ’95, and Christy & Mike Poe committed countless hours over the last year working to outraise the 2023 event. The Hartmans and Poes were Legacy Co-Chairs for 2024 after helping lead the previous year’s auction that brought in more than $1.51 million. Having these Legacy Co-Chairs had helped lead to amazingly successful events both years.

“Spectacular 2023 was the first year Rockhurst implemented the Legacy Co-Chair concept with Shannon & Pat Lillis. That was such an incredible benefit to the new co-chairs and really

helped set our record-breaking year,” noted Christy Poe. “Mike and I wanted to continue that momentum for 2024 and were honored to co-chair a second year along with the Hartmans. To be a part of such a large-scale event and watching the Rockhurst community and families come together is inspiring and special.”

Starting, and never stopping, to push toward a new standard, the couples enlisted the help of the entire Rockhurst faithful to increase sponsorships, gift gathering participation, live auction donations, and event attendance. So on April 20, 2024, more than 650 guests gathered in the Loyola Center at Rockhurst High School in support of our Hawklets.

Led by ten unique and sought-after live auction items, the record was in sight. The Fund A Future portion raised an additional $240,000 toward tuition assistance, and the online auction produced a steady flow of revenue. By the final tally, the co-chairs’ goal had been accomplished: a new Spectacular mark of $1.61 million was set.

The fruits of their collective labor is present in the hallways and classrooms of Rockhurst. More than 40% of all

current families rely on financial aid in order for their sons to have the Rockhurst experience. The co-chairs were driven to help support those students and families and it’s more critical than ever for sustainable assistance as The Rock has made a promise to its families to meet 100% of verified financial need beginning in the 2024-25 academic year.

“Because we have one son we have just four years to be at Rockhurst, and we wanted to do what we could to help make a difference while we were here,” said Natalie Hartman. “It feels good knowing we had a small role in helping break the fundraising record, but it says more about the generosity of the Rockhurst community that supported Spectacular not only with their monetary donations, but with their time and efforts behind the scenes to make the evening spectacular.”

Don’t miss out on Spectacular next year – join our returning Legacy CoChairs the Houlehans and the Helveys (with others to be announced...)

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR APRIL 12, 2025!

SCAN TO WATCH THE FUND A FUTURE VIDEO TO SEE YOUR GIVING IN ACTION.

Many alumni attended Spectacular on April 20, including Mike Sonnenberg ’92, Billy Hodes ’92, Greg Kratofil ’92, and Ryan Holmes ’92. Hodes and Jimmy Connell ‘92 were lauded at the event for their efforts to create the Kelley Wilson Memorial BBQ and scholarship that continues to benefit multiple Hawklets annually. Cindy Wilson, Kelley (‘92)’s Mom, also joined the crowd at the event.

The co-chairs of the record-breaking 2024 Spectacular Auction: Christy & Mike Poe, Annie & John Houlehan ’95, Natalie & Kyle Hartman ’91, and Adrienne & Chris Helvey.

More than 650 guests enjoyed Spectacular 2024, including Shawn Creger, Erica Creger, Jeffery Anderson, Darby Brender, Nate Brender, Katie Komenda, Annie Anderson, and Matt Eckles.

Current students served as escorts for guests entering the event. Micah Moncrieffe ’26 welcomed Shelly & Konsta Myrick ’99.

Alumni Accomplishments

**Announcements included have been received since November 2023. Any future announcements can be sent to Robbie Haden ’09, Director of Communications & Branding, at rhaden@rockhursths.edu

Dr. John Gorton ’59 celebrated his 500th mile swimming in the community pool in Staples, MN. Dr. Gorton was a dentist in Staples for 46 years with his wife, Sally, They have five children and 13 grandchildren. He took 17 years to swim 350,000 lengths of the pool.

Greg Joseph ’64 caught up with Royals’ owner, John Sherman, at the team’s Spring Training home opener on Feb. 24, 2024 in Surprise, AZ. Sherman is a Rockhurst past parent and longtime benefactor. Joseph, a retired journalist and TV critic, used to write MLB features and profiles. He and his wife, Mary, reside in Sun City, AZ and have had Royals Spring Training tickets for 10 years.

Kevin Regan ’73 was once again named as one of the Top 50 Lawyers in the Kansas City area by Super Lawyers for 2023 and 2024. Regan is pleased to practice with his son, Charlie Regan ’06, at The Regan Law Firm, L.L.C. The firm is committed to providing top-notch trial skills and counsel. Regan continues to serve as a State Committee Member for the American College of Trial Lawyers and as a Trustee for the Missouri Bar Foundation.

Dr. Steve Reintjes ’75, CEO of North Kansas City Hospital, was featured in the Kansas City Business Journal for his work in maintaining the success of the municipally-owned hospital, which are noted as becoming increasingly rare. Since Dr. Reintjes became CEO in 2020, North Kansas CIty Hospital recorded four consecutive years of increasing revenue and profit margins, and reduced operating expenses.

Mike Brown ’75, George Guastello ’78, and Peter Mallouk ’88 were named to Kansas City Magazine’s “The Power List: The 50 Most Powerful People in KC” who are currently molding the destiny of Kansas City. Brown is the co-founder of Euronet and has served as CEO and Chairman of the company’s board since 1996. Guastello is Union Station’s President and CEO. Mallouk is the President of Creative Planning. Mallouk was also named the 2024 Executive of the Year by Ingram’s Magazine.

Jasper Mirabile, Jr. ’80 is the owner of Jasper’s Restaurant in Kansas City, which celebrated 70 years of business on April 1, 2024. The restaurant was started by Leonard and Josephine Mirabile, and their son, Jasper (Sr.) on 75th Street in Waldo in 1954. The restaurant moved to its current location on 103rd St. in 1998 along with its deli, Marco Polo’s, next door.

Michael Mayer ’82 joined The WellSky Foundation’s board. The organization focuses on helping those who struggle with housing, food insecurity, transportation, and isolation. Mayer is a devoted volunteer who is passionate about breaking down social and economic barriers to improve the well-being of others. Professionally, he is the Executive Managing Director at Cushman & Wakefield in Kansas City.

Joe Massman ’87 was named the 2024 Chief Operating Officer of the Year by Ingram’s Magazine. Massman is the COO of Kansas City University. Since his arrival at KCU in 2011, he’s been part of the leadership team driving significant growth, including the expansion of the campus on Independence Avenue and the development of a new campus in Joplin.

Kenyon Rasheed ’88 co-founded and launched EDGE3.ai, which works to use modern-day data and technology to assist today’s athletes navigate an increasingly more difficult landscape of decisions that impact their athletic journey. Michael Holmes ’85 joined EDGE3 as an advisor working with the ownership group to formulate a strategy to launch the data intelligence platform.

Matt Dehaemers ’91 was a featured artist part of the Parade of Hearts exhibit at Union Station. His heart creation, “Pathway to Healing” was the first of 101 hearts on display. In early-March, the public had the opportunity to write messages on small heart decals that covered the back of the piece, honoring those affected by the Kansas City parade shooting.

Chad LaSala ’92 was recognized as a 2023 NAI Global Top Producer. LaSala ranked in the top-50 producers worldwide within the NAI Global Network. He has been with NAI Heartland for more than 25 years. NAI Global is an international network of commercial real estate providers encompassing 375+ offices and 7,000 agents across the globe.

Bobby Olm-Shipman ’92, CEO of Saint Luke’s South and East Region, was elected 2024 Chair of the Kansas Hospital Association Board of Directors.

During his one-year term as board chair, Olm-Shipman will guide the 21-member governing board that oversees the organization’s strategic activities and lead the organization on crafting its 20252027 strategic plan.

Enrique Gutierrez ’98 is the owner of Teocalí restaurant in downtown Kansas City. He partnered with Appliance 911 to donate meals and raise money for victims and their families impacted by the Kansas City parade shooting. Gutierrez is also a member of the Rockhurst Alumni Association Board of Governors.

Conor Kelly ’99 worked with current Rockhurst parent, Matt Gunter, to create a new iteration of Routine Success. This platform helps neurodiverse children thrive in both home and school environments. The idea is to establish routines that provide structure and guidance, making it easier for individuals on the autism spectrum to navigate their daily lives. In early-April 2024, Kelly also joined Prime Capital Investment Advisors as an Equity Partner and Financial Advisor.

Kevin Ward ’00 was named the Midwest Section PGA’s Teacher and Coach of the Year. This honor is given in recognition to a PGA Golf Pro who has excelled at teaching the game of golf. Ward is the founder of The Golf Stable in Prairie Village, KS.

Joe Feierabend ’01 is a founding partner of Schirger Feierabend LLC, founded in January 2024. His practice focuses primarily in the areas of banking, business, insurance, and securities litigation. Previously, Feierabend was a partner at Miller Schirger, LLC for 14 years.

Matt Kopp ’01 was promoted to Senior Associate General Counsel at Northwestern University. He joined the Northwestern team in 2018. His principal areas of responsibility focus on transactional, corporate and contractual matters, including facilities, real estate, athletics, governance, finance, and general corporate counseling and advice.

Nick Paradise ’02 published his first novel, Angel Man, which profiles the life of his grandfather, Buzz Moens. With the help of his wife, Carol Ann Moens, Buzz created a tradition Paradise believes can quite literally change the world. Through stories of those who have been impacted in big and small ways by Buzz’s tradition, we learn that there is much good to be celebrated in the world, and with a little effort, we too can spread the kindness, positivity, hope, and love we all so desperately crave and deserve.

Dr. Hani El-Halawany ’03 was promoted to Director of Gastroenterology & Endoscopy at SSM Health in St. Louis. Dr. El-Halawany has worked for SSM Health since August 2020 after completing fellowships at Temple University, UMKC, and Carolinas Medical Center/ UNC-Charlotte.

Andrew Elmer ’03 joined HDR as its Director of Sports and Recreation for Architecture. Elmer leverages his 16 years of experience to grow the firm’s sports and recreation design practice and complement a team of multidisciplinary architects, interior designers, planners, and engineers. He previously held roles at HOK, HNTB, and Populous.

Nick Johnson ’03 was honored at the Kauffman Real World Learning “Get on the Bus” Partner Luncheon and Award Ceremony. He was one of the Venture Vanguard Award recipients, given to those who are creating innovative, realworld learning experiences in their school communities. Johnson is the Physical Education Teacher at Kipp Endeavor Academy in Kansas City.

Joe Calhoun ’04 started a new position as Vice President of Business Development at Midwest Trust Company. Calhoun is a Certified Financial Planner and for the past 12 years worked at Symphonic Financial Planning, including four years as the Director of Financial Planning.

James Chalmers ’04 was promoted to partner at the Moneta Group, a financial planning company. Chalmers has been with Moneta since 2015 and is a leader of the Sadler Harmon Chalmers Team.

Thomas Staab ’05 was named to KC Real Producers’ list of “40 Under 40 Realtors in Kansas City.” Staab has been a realtor with RE/MAX Premier Realty since 2014 and is a member of Staab Realty Group.

James O’Malley ’06 and his Business Intelligence Team joined a larger group from J.P. Morgan Asset Management to ring the opening bell at Nasdaq Exchange on Feb. 2, 2024. O’Malley is the Head of Advanced Analytics & Measurement of J.P. Morgan in New York.

PJ Thompson ’06 was one of seven professionals selected as “2024 Rising Stars” by The Independent. Thompson was named the Chief Financial Officer of Country Club Bank in December 2022, after serving as VP - Finance and Corporate Administration for three years.

Christopher Fiorello ’07 was published in the New Yorker’s Weekend Essay column on April 6, 2024. His piece is titled “The Day Ram Dass Died” and tells of the lessons that Fiorello learned from him. Fiorello is a freelance writer, editor, and strategist based in Santa Barbara, CA, helping companies working to remedy climate change.

Jack Euston ’08 joined HBF Healthcare Partners as its Director of Business Development. MBF is a leading middle-market healthcare private equity fund. Euston brought a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role, including nine years in investment and corporate banking at Citizens Financial Group in Chicago, New York, and Boston.

Nate Scheelhaase ’09 was hired by the Los Angeles Rams as the team’s Offensive Analyst/Pass game Specialist. Scheelhaase spent the last six seasons coaching at Iowa State University, and in 2023 was the Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach. In that time, ISU went from 114th in scoring offense to 70th.

Eric Korth ’12 was named to the “2023 Missouri and Kansas Rising Stars” list by Super Lawyers, an honor reserved for those lawyers who exhibit excellence in practice. Only 2.5% of attorneys in Missouri and Kansas receive this distinction. Korth has been an Associate Attorney at Norman and Graves, LLC since 2019.

Collin Thompson ’12 and Luke Eckley ’15 were named to Ingram’s Magazine’s list of “20 in Their Twenties.” Thompson is Vice President for Corporate Banking at Country Club Bank, where he is a third generation Thomspon working for the bank. Eckley is the Chief Revenue Officer for Apollo Insurance Group, which stands among the top-15 biggest independent insurance agencies in the region.

Cecil Keyes, Jr. ’13 is the new coowner of J’adore Home & Garden, a 25-year business in Brookside in Kansas City, MO. Keyes is also a Regional Real Estate Portfolio Manager with VillageMD.

Jackson Roberts ’15 will be continuing his education as a Resident Physician in Neurology at Mass General Brigham, preceded by a year as an Internal Medicine Intern at Massachusetts General Hospital. Roberts earned degrees in Neuroscience and Anthropology at Washington and Lee University before attending Columbia University’s Valegos College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he is currently a Doctor of Medicine candidate.

Oscar Scott ’16 signed a contract with the Corpus Christi Tritons professional arena football team in the American Indoor Football (AIF) League in November 2023. Scott played collegiate football as a linebacker at Bethany College before beginning his professional football career.

Reed Levi ’19 was one of 22 players across all of college football recognized as a member of the 2023 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team. The award is a culmination of Levi’s years of giving back to his Benedictine College teammates, his school, and his community.

Wes Porter ’20 was a member of the University of Virginia Men’s 4xMile relay that finished 2nd at the Penn Relays. Porter led off with a 3:59 leg as the Cavaliers ran the second fastest time in NCAA history (15:52.20) and the fourth fastest in world history in the event.

Evan Verhulst ’21, along with his threeman team, TSM, won the $2,000,000 Apex Legends Global Series World Championship. It was a week-long tournament consisting of 40 of the best e-sports teams in the world. Verhulst also received EA’s inaugural Positive Player Award among more than 120 nominees.

Brendan Zahner ’22 received the Spirit of Philanthropy - Youth Award at the National Philanthropy Day Celebration led by the Fundraising Professionals Greater Kansas City Chapter. Zahner was nominated by Harvesters Community Food Bank, noting: Brendan Zahner is an enthusiastic volunteer, turning challenges into opportunities. His project showcases his determination, leadership, and tangible impact.

Alumni Marriages

Alex Garza ’09 and Angela Mells

Ryan Rowley ’09 and Leah Siebert

Charlie Hutchison ’11 and Makayla Barton

Reed Levi ’19 and Marissa Manning

Births

Steve Phelps ’00 and Brooke, a daughter, Elizabeth Brielle

Michael Cleary ’02 and Caroline, a daughter, Charlotte Grace

David Wilson ’02 and Sheena, a son, Ward Christopher

Ryan Bennett ’04 and Risa, a daughter, Elin Sloane

Pat Laughlin ’04 and Carla, a son, Thomas Carl

Joe Tulipana ’08 and Maggie, a daughter, Georgia Katherine

James Dreiling ’09 and Allison, a son, Henry James

Robbie Haden ’09 and Ashley, a son, Charles Royen

Brendan Houlehan ’09 and Celeste, a son, Kieran Michael

Billy Linscott ’09 and Lindy, a son, William Harris III

Dr. Jeff Shuler ’09 and Bri, a daughter, Margot Marie

Preston Elder ’10 and Stephanie, a son, Louis Brewer

Chris Miller ’11 and Chandler, a daughter, Blakely Collins

Dan Tapko ’11 and Lauren, a daughter, Nora Jean

Eric Jurgeson ’12 and Catherine, a son, Owen Eli

Garrett Loehr ’13 and Carlee, a daughter, Camille Sonia

Andrew Miller ’16 and Abby, a son, Gabriel Joseph

In Memoriam

Deaths - Alumni

John Mikulic ’43

Hugh Nugent ’47

Robert Sheehy, Jr. ’49

Eugene Bambic ’50

George Miller ’52

Bob Switzer ’54

Neal Millert ’55

Fr. Michael Rice ’56

Raymond Hurley, Jr. ’57

Michael Bever ’59

James Fisher ’59

Robert Koehler ’59

Francis Kearny ’61

Bob Oxler ’63

Pat Pendergast ’64

Greg Harris ’65

Tim Murphy ’67

Timothy Hoyt ’68

Stephen Foster ’69

Mark Huppe ’71

Paul Tobin ’74

Bobby Burke ’75

Jerry Murphy ’76

Brian O’Rourke ’79

Chris Kelly ’80

Christopher Rhodes ’82

Kevin Miller ’83

Jim Stabler ’84

David Sifuentes ’89

Brain Smith-Vandergriff ’99

Patrick O’Brien ’03

Alexander Brammer ’07

Ryan Comiskey ’09

Cooper Kerns ’11

Deaths - Friends

David Beil

Mary Blaise

Mary Bolin

Anthony Bonavia

Veronica Bonino

María de Jesús Carillo Velázquez

Scott Charbonneau

Kent Crippin

Richard Doyle

Mark Dunmire

Betty Elliott

Larry Fitzgerald, Jr.

Sharon Reardon Flynn

Andrew Haddad

Jerry Healy, Jr.

Tim Hille

Anona Ishmael

Jane Keller

Rita Kopp

Regina Maloney

Elmer McCann

John McCann

Joan McGee

James McManus

Dr. Charles Moran

Patricia Neal

Ralph Reitz

Otto Rieke, Jr.

Bernard Schaefer

Donald Seifert

Nancy (Sonnenberg) Smith

Robert Sopyla

Ann Steinbacher

Mary Swetnam

Marianne Vespa

Gustav Wickman

A Word From the Principal

DEAR ROCKHURST COMMUNITY,

Let’s change the narrative. Your assistance is requested.

Some households in the wider Kansas City metropolitan area immediately dismiss Rockhurst as a possibility for their grade-school-aged son. Why?

So many current and former families and the many groups and individuals with whom we partner know well of the high-quality, college preparatory education and formation we offer each day in the Roman Catholic, Jesuit tradition.

For many folks in our region, the word Rockhurst is sometimes equated with unaffordable or too costly an investment.

So, again: Let’s change the narrative.

A newer advertising message saturating curated markets in our area carries the phrase:

For All Boys to Build Whole Men

This catchy soundbite evokes a new way of telling our compelling story, of sharing our narrative, namely:

Rockhurst will now meet up to 100% of exhibited financial need for any boy who qualifies academically for our school.

That’s really good news, and we could use your help in sharing that good news as often and as widely as possible.

What would it look like for you to share this new narrative with your coworkers,

fellow parishioners, neighbors, and friends? How might you phrase it?

Rockhurst is now affordable to all families, regardless of financial status.

Rockhurst is now offering new levels of financial aid – even up to 100% of tuition and fees – based on a household’s income and demonstrated need.

If you’re looking for further support in your elevator speech, you might add any of the following:

• The Rockhurst student body consists of students from 95 metro zip codes and 115 feeder schools

• We have 13 varsity sports with recent State and National Championships

• Rockhurst showcases over 40 clubs and activities including but not limited to a:

• Robotics team that ranks No. 72 –in the world – out of 3,474 teams worldwide, and that ranks No. 2 among participating Jesuit high schools worldwide

• State- and nationally-recognized Speech & Debate team

• Choir program annually showcased at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and that recently offered music for a week at Catholic Masses in the Italian cities of Assisi, Florence, and Rome, including at Saint Peter’s Basilica

• Robust instrumental music and theater programs

• New e-sports program

• Revitalized state-qualifying Scholar Bowl team

• New Lifting and Nutrition Club

• Four-year “Camino Ignaciano” formational curriculum and e-portfolio program that tracks students’ development in becoming “men for others”

With a commitment to relationship building and engagement that connect current students with alumni and other partners the world over, Rockhurst is truly a community where each student – from fourth generation legacies to young men whose parents work several jobs to make ends meet – can experience a sense of belonging and brotherhood in a rigorous academic environment in the Catholic, Jesuit tradition.

Will you join me in sharing this good news with those who deserve an opportunity to hear it?

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam,

Rev. Vincent Giacabazi, S.J. Principal, Rockhurst High School

School Announces Financial Aid Expansion

Rockhurst High School makes a premier education affordable for all families by announcing that it will increase financial aid to meet 100% of exhibited financial need.

A cornerstone of Rockhurst’s Jesuit mission is to ensure that a family’s financial circumstance is not an obstacle to an excellent private education for their son. Rockhurst is proud to announce a pioneering initiative that reflects the school’s unwavering commitment to making sure a Rockhurst High School education is affordable for every family.

Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, Rockhurst intends to meet 100% of the exhibited financial needs of qualifying families. To help make Rockhurst High School more affordable for all, financial assistance will increase to $3.1 million.

Through this enhanced initiative, Rockhurst will ensure talented and motivated young men of all financial backgrounds have the opportunity to experience the transformative power of a Rockhurst High School education.

“At Rockhurst High School, we know how to support a young man’s development to help him become the best version of himself during high school. Then he is prepared for higher

education and leadership beyond college,” noted President David Laughlin. We have amazing young men paired with a tremendous faculty and it is our Jesuit mission to help them grow as God intends. With gratitude to benefactors, we are now aspiring to live more fully into our Jesuit identity by working to admit young men based upon their ability to succeed in our program and not their family’s economic circumstances. In this way, we believe we act in fulfilling our Jesuit Catholic mission in service to our young men and families.”

The application and need-evaluation process takes into account a family’s exhibited need as determined through analysis by an independent, third-party agency, Financial Aid Independent Review (FAIR) in conjunction with the Rockhurst High School Financial Aid Office. If a young man is accepted to Rockhurst High School based on his academic profile, 100% of his family’s exhibited financial needs will be met.

“The increase in financial aid support allows us to expand access to a Rockhurst High School education and formation experience to any qualifying young man who desires to attend without concern regarding their economic circumstances,” said

Allen Roberson ’84, Vice President

of Administration/Chief Financial Officer.

“With the vision of President Laughlin, the leadership of our Board of Trustees, and the support of generous benefactors we are more able to fully ‘bridge the gap’ so that affordability is not a barrier.”

“As a Rockhurst High School alumnus, who would not otherwise have been able to attend Rockhurst without financial aid support, am both professionally and personally excited about the opportunities that this will bring to a multitude of students throughout the greater Kansas City area to experience the excellence of a Rockhurst High School education,” added Roberson.

FINANCIAL AID INCREASE

TO MEET 100% OF EXHIBITED FINANCIAL NEED.

Rockhurst High School announced that starting with the 2024-25 school year, it will meet 100% of the exhibited financial needs of qualifying families.

Rockhurst Honors

Dedication of Retirees

The entire Rockhurst community gathered together for the final time of the 2023-24 academic school year on April 25 to celebrate the annual Mass of Thanksgiving.

Part of this special service included honoring faculty/staff members retiring or leaving Rockhurst at the conclusion of the academic year, and those celebrating service milestones.

Six faculty/staff members retired after a combined 165 years of incredible service to Rockhurst High School.

and the team.

Mike Dierks ’91 (middle) was thanked by President David Laughlin and Fr. Vincent Giacabazi, SJ, for his 29 years of service to

Eric Berg retired following 43 years of service to Rockhurst. Berg joined the Rockhurst community in 1981 and since has become one of the most beloved staff members while also being one of the longest-tenured educators in the school’s history. For 39 years, Berg was a coach of the Football Hawklets and helped win eight State Championships while a Defensive Coordinator, working alongside greats like Coach Tony Severino and Coach John Morris ’74. Berg’s defensive units took on his identity as prepared, intense, passionate, and team-focused. With years of dedication to students as a school counselor and to his colleagues as the Chair of the Faculty Development Committee, Berg was eminently approachable as truly caring, actively listening, generous, heartfelt, and warm. He was also proud to have his two sons, Scott ’09 and Kevin ’12 graduate from The Rock.

Andy Hagedorn retired following 35 years of service to Rockhurst. After previous teaching stops in Kentucky and California, Hagedorn found his home on State Line Road in 1989. He was a legendary English teacher and served as the English Department Chair for many years. Over the last two decades, Hagedorn focused primarily on AP English to juniors and seniors. During his 25 year tenure, he graded – as a conservative estimate – tens of thousands of essays from thousands of students. Hagedorn also started the Rockhurst swim & dive program in 1991 and by 1999 had won six consecutive league titles before handing it to Coach Paul Winkeler; Rockhurst is now the winningest program in Missouri swim & dive history. Hagedorn’s impact on his students – both inside and outside the classroom – is demonstrated by the number of alumni with whom he remains in touch for years after they graduate, many returning enthusiastically and often to campus to visit him and talk about college, life, family, literature, and more.

Mike Dierks ’91 retired following 29 years of service to Rockhurst. An alumnus, Dierks returned to his alma mater and served in a myriad of roles in his nearly 30 years at The Rock. Those included Spanish teacher, Database Coordinator, Director of Alumni, cross country assistant and head coach, track & field assistant and head coach, Arts Department Chair, Journalism and Photography teacher, The Prep News (newspaper adviser),

Physical Education Department Chair, several internal committees, and 10 years as Athletic Director. Among his many accomplishments, Dierks guided The Prep News to becoming a State Champion and nationally-recognized student newspaper, and since taking over as cross country head coach in 1997, has built it into a top program in Missouri.

Paul Beirne retired following 23 years of service to Rockhurst. In his final school year, Beirne was the longestserving member of the Social Studies Department. He is the proud father of Matt (’14) and guardian of Boi Doumbia (’22) and Abdoulaye Kante. During his two-plus decades at Rockhurst, Beirne served as a teacher, basketball coach, football coach, golf coach, and member of the Faculty Development Committee.

Ron Huska retired following 18 years of service to Rockhurst. Starting his career at The Rock in 2006 working the grounds, his initial responsibility was taking care of the baseball field. After 12 years of undertaking many roles within the Facilities Division, he became Maintenance Supervisor in 2018. Huska recalls his favorite period of time working at the school was between 2009-12 while his son Jason (’12) attended and graduated from Rockhurst.

Carlos Sanchez-Carillo retired following 17 years of service to Rockhurst. He joined the Facilities Division of the school in September

of 2007 after moving from California, which he stated was the best decision for him and his family. Sanchez-Carillo was described by colleagues as a kind and gentle man greeting you with a smile every day, who was always busy with the work at hand.

For alumni and friends wishing to honor the impact any or all of these individuals may have had on your life of on that of someone you love, honor gifts can be made online, by mail, or over the phone.

www.rockhursths.edu/donate

9301 State Line Rd, Kansas City, MO 64114 (check made out to Rockhurst High School)

816.363.2036 x555.

President David Laughlin shared remarks about Eric Berg at the Mass of Thanksgiving. Berg retired from Rockhurst after serving the school community as a counselor for 43 years.

Andy Hagedorn (unable to attend the Mass of Thanksgiving) taught at Rockhurst for 35 years and started the Rockhurst Swim & Dive Program in 1991. He would return for practices in the fall (pictured) to support Coach Paul Winkeler

Rockhurst at the Mass of Thanksgiving on April 25.

The Rockhurst community honored Paul Beirne, Ron Huska, and Carlos Sanchez-Carillo for 23, 18, and 17 years, respectively, of service to The Rock.

“I believe the real testament to the strength of the Rockhurst community is seen in what happens after the Rockhurst ‘school’ experience is completed at graduation. I have seen at that point the Rockhurst ‘life’ experience takes place. It is the continuation of relationships that might have begun as freshman at The Rock, but have now continued beyond the confines of 9301 State Line Road to college, weddings, work opportunities, families, celebrating life’s wonderful and joyous moments, and also supporting each other through life’s difficulties and challenges. I have had the wonderful opportunity to see this first-hand over the years. Proverbs 18:24 sums it up well… ‘but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.’”

– Eric Berg

“My time at Rockhurst has truly been grace-filled, and what I have come to appreciate over the past three decades is that mastering content, learning self-discipline, and reaching for success are core elements of our school community. But the relationships built – including between teachers and students, students among themselves, coaches and student-athletes –are what make Rockhurst such a special and life-giving place.

I will cherish those memories and those relationships as I journey onward.”

– Mike Dierks ’91

“The key thing is helping students find what makes them come alive, find what the world needs, and find the intersection of those things and help them live that answer.”

— Tim Nendick ’08

Teacher Named an Icon of Education

Tim Nendick ’08 was one of eight educators recognized as a 2024 Icon of Education by Ingram’s Magazine in its February 2024 edition. Nendick returned to Rockhurst in 2015 as a Science teacher and soon helped establish an outstanding student-led robotics program. The following was taken from Ingram’s.

Long before he was building a championship-level robotics team at Rockhurst High School – before he was a student there, in fact – it was easy to see that Tim Nendick was wired differently.

After all, how many kids do you know have actually fabricated a trebuchet in their backyard? Succeeding as a student required hard work and sacrifice from his parents, he says.

“Both of my parents helped me learn to ask questions of myself and the world, helped me learn to overcome challenges and provide a place of safety and welcome as grew up.”

After carrying his Jesuit education to a higher level at Creighton University, Nendick boldly headed out, teaching halfway around the world at a Jesuit school in Kigali, Rwanda. “It is neat,” he says, “to see some of the same pedagogy and ideas half a world away, in a place often at right angles to Kansas City.”

He would return to Rockhurst to pay forward some of what he’d received in his youth. Some of that comes with the robotics team, which in 2022 won the Missouri regionals and advanced to the world championships.

Entering that competitive realm came as a revelation: “The scale of the program took me years to really understand,” he says. “Thousands of teams, 50 countries … seeing literally 100,000 students all trying to solve the same problem – it’s an experience that is so incredibly hope-filled.”

He pays tribute to a litany of instructors who challenged him and made learning

fun, traits he hopes to emulate with his young charges. There is value, he says, in the tangible, the authentic, the challenging.

“There’s nothing here that’s ‘given’ –the solutions to the problems don’t exist until the students solve them,” he says. “The parts that need to be built need to be thought of, then sketched, then designed – long before there’s aluminum chips and noise and all that – there’s students being faced with a novel problem and being invited to answer a really fundamental question ‘how do you fix it?’

Students need to prototype and build and – most important – fail in order to field a robot that is competitive. Much of our time is spent saying yes to an idea and finding a way to make it work.” Learning how to fix and program and interact with technology as it changes is fundamental, he says, and it’s a skill that’s not going to disappear.

“The key thing,” Nendick says, is helping students find what makes them come alive, find what the world needs, and find the intersection of those things and help them live that answer. … It’s critical that we continue to form the whole person, and make sure there are little corners of the school where a young person can throw themselves into community and questions, and experience the world for themselves. Having that open door, and gently encouraging students to walk through it—that’s the key job of the school.”

New Retreats Provide Time for Reflection

Rockhurst High School offers a robust retreat program through its Pastoral Department. These memorable experiences begin in a student’s first months at Rockhurst with the Freshman Retreat, and continue with the Sophomore Day of Reflection as part of the Sophomore Reflection Program.

All juniors attend the often life-changing Kairos Retreat, while select seniors lead the retreats. Seniors then have the opportunity to embark on the Cardoner Outdoors Retreat, introduced in 2016. This retreat creates a space for students to reconnect with God’s presence in nature.

The Pastoral Office decided to add a new mandatory retreat for seniors this year, called the Senior 4th Day Retreat. The goals for 4th Day are for each senior to be reminded of the hopes he had for himself after his Kairos and to start to see how his faith can be lived outside of the Rockhurst walls. The day is broken down into three movements: Where Am Now?, Gratitude/Growth, and Where Am Going?

“Now that all juniors are able to participate in the Kairos retreat, we felt that it was important to follow up and have something special during senior year to build off of that movement,”

noted Matt Nickson, Director of Pastoral Ministry. “As many know, the thrust of Kairos is about living out its graces, so Senior 4th Day is a pulse check. In addition to being a check-in for the guys, we also hope to bring some of the big decisions seniors face to prayer and hear from younger alumni who have been down this path recently.”

The other new experience was a biking excursion added to the existing Cardoner Outdoors Retreat, which had previously only offered canoeing.

“Retreats allow our students to pause, listen, and pray. While on the Cardoner retreats, students practice prayer traditions in the beauty of nature. By identifying pathways that lead them to God, our students will hopefully have an easier time staying connected to God as they find themselves in new environments with new people,” explained Alan Ratermann, Director of Ignatian Service and Cardoner Retreat leader.

Guided by teachers Jon Feder ’10 and Ratermann, four seniors participated in this journey: Brady Brown ’24, Aidan Latz ’24, Rylan Nowak ’24, and Joe Rudis ’24. On April 22, the group spent the day biking 25 miles from Lee’s Summit to the Truman Sports Complex

and back. Beginning with Mass outside with Fr. Vincent Giacabazi, SJ, the group then biked in silent prayer, meditated on psalms, and shared hopes for their futures.

“Retreats like this one allow for self reflection and self prayer. They are imperative, not just for spiritual growth, but for growth as a young adult,” said Rudis. “Rockhurst retreats don’t just build community and better relationships with our brothers, they also help foster stronger relationships with ourselves.”

Having these opportunities help the young men of Rockhurst to reflect and reset during these formative years of their lives.

“The retreats at Rockhurst are very important because they allow us to be open-minded and open to growth,” reflected Nowak. “My relationships with my friends, teachers, and God have grown tremendously over the years. The retreats allow us to just be free and express our feelings - it’s what makes the Rockhurst experience so memorable.”

Four seniors and two faculty members took part in a new offering of the Cardoner Outdoors Retreat, which included a 25-mile bike ride with Mass outdoors and time for prayer and meditation.

All members of the Class of 2024 participated in the inaugural 4th Day Retreat. They were assigned to one of six local diocesan parishes with classmates from their Kairos Retreats during junior year to reflect on their time at Rockhurst and their hopes for what’s ahead.

Jesubots Finish Among Top Robotics Teams in the World

Rockhurst’s Robotics Team, the Jesubots, won the Greater Kansas City Regional Competition in April and qualified for the FIRST Robotics World Championships in Houston

Earning a spot in this elite competition has become a standard for the program; this was Rockhurst’s third consecutive World Championships appearance, and fifth time since the program began in 2016. Heading into the competition, Rockhurst ranked 207th out of 3,474 teams worldwide.

The top 600 teams, about 17%, across the world qualify for the Houston event. There are more than 50,000 attendees and representatives from 50 countries.

Even among the best in the world, Rockhurst’s 15 team members were motivated to outperform their 207th ranking.

In this year’s competition, CRESCENDO, the Jesubots had their best performance at Worlds in program history. The game is themed around music and involves two alliances consisting of three teams each competing to perform various tasks, including shooting rings known as notes into goals, and hanging chains at the end of the match.

This year’s robot (named “fulcrum”) was completely designed, fabricated, programmed, and driven by Rockhurst students, and had the ability to throw 14” wide foam rings (notes) into a target that is more than six feet off the ground.

Its ability to consistently perform this task would determine this season’s success at the highest stage.

The last two years that Rockhurst competed at Worlds, the team was not picked by a higher-seeded team for an alliance to participate in the elimination tournament; only 192 teams have the opportunity to play at this level. But Hawklet team members noted that this season’s robot was the best that the Rockhurst program had ever produced, and heading to Houston they were very optimistic about being picked for the tournament.

“We were confident that we would be selected for an alliance, and after our matches, we were 100% percent sure we were going to be selected,” recalled Alex Manis ’26. “And once we were selected, we put in the effort to go farther than we had ever gone before.”

Rockhurst was indeed selected for an alliance. It included “Bear Metal” from Maple Valley, WA, “Nerd Herd” from Carson, CA, and the group’s fourth pick, which could alternate with any robot in the alliance for strategic or mechanical reasons, “The Lindblom Electric Eagles” from Chicago.

With their 8th-seeded alliance, the Jesubots kept winning matches, including three consecutive upsets over higher seeds. Their alliance eliminated the first-seeded one, which included the reigning World Champions, in an exciting 151-121 game. The group

finished 3rd in their division before losing to a Massachusetts/Netherlands alliance that won the division.

The Jesubots ended the season with a top-72 robot in the world, finishing among the top 2% of all teams.

“It was an amazing experience to be able to go into Worlds with a real hope of being competitive, and then actually going really far. It was quite gratifying,” said Kiernan Donohue ’24, a four-year Jesubot team member, and team lead for 2023-24.

Rockhurst High School is grateful for gifts made to the school to support the team’s travel to Worlds for a second year in a row. If you would like to support a particular event or program that was and/or remains meaningful to you or someone you love, you can make a gift designated to a particular program or event by scanning the QR code below (indicate your designation in the comments field) or contact a member of the Philanthropy & Engagement Department at 816.363.2036 x555.

MAKE A GIFT TO THE ROCK

Rockhurst Robotics packed up the team trailer and headed to Houston after qualifying for the World Championships for the third consecutive year. (L-R, standing) Eli Manis ’24, Brian Gillcrist ’27, Owen Lundstrom ’25, Henry Becker ’25, Owen Walsh ’25, Ben Caisley ’26, Antonio McGill ’26, Alex Manis ’26; (LR, kneeling) Mannix Palan ’26, Adrian Palan ’24, Kiernan Donohue ’24, Robby Evangelidis ’26, Scott Suter ’26, Landon Christopher ’26.

Owen Lundstrom ’24 and Kiernan Donohue ’24 make adjustments to the robotics before a competition round at Worlds.

Alex Manis ’26 and Mannix Palan ’26 carry the team’s robot, “fulcrum” to the arena in Houston.

Jesubot team members and their alliance partners finished in the top-72 at Worlds.

SENIORS RECEIVE STATE, NATIONAL RECOGNITION

SEVERAL HAWKLETS IN THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2024 DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES THROUGH THEIR CO-CURRICULAR SUCCESS, IN THE CLASSROOM AND ON THE PLAYING FIELDS DURING THEIR FINAL YEAR AT ROCKHURST HIGH SCHOOL.

Andrew Puthumana ’24, who was selected as the class’ Jesuit Schools Network (JSN) Award winner and graduation speaker, won a number of awards while at Rockhurst. A few honors stood out during his senior year.

Puthumana was selected to attend Missouri Boys State and won three awards (highlighted in the Fall 2023 Rock News); he was named one of 625 Semifinalists among 6,000 candidates in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program; and represented Rockhurst – and the entire state of Missouri as one of two student selections – at the U.S. Senate Youth Program in Washington, D.C.

Luke Fitzsimmons ’24 became the 20th Speech & Debate individual State Champion in Rockhurst history. He was the top performer in Informative Speaking, and is the first Hawklet to ever win in this event.

Angel Becerra ’24 was one of 60 high school seniors awarded a Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship. Students from all 50 states applied, representing more than 3,800 different high schools. Scholars are selected based on exceptional academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, service to others, and leadership. Becerra will attend Georgetown University in the fall.

Baka Kante ’24 was named a United Soccer Coaches All-American for the second consecutive season, becoming the first two-time All-American in Rock Soccer history.

Teddy Franke ’24 was a finalist for the SB Live Soccer National Player of the Year Award; one of just 20 candidates from across the country.

Andrew Sprauge ’24 was selected as a football All-American at offensive tackle and was invited to play in the AllAmerican Bowl on Jan. 6, 2024.

Luke McNamara ’24 broke the Missouri high school lacrosse record for career goals with 279. He is already in the top-25 nationally in career goals, and will likely finish his career in the top-15 with around 330 goals (still in-season at time of print).

Evan Crim ’24, Blake Francois ’24, John Holewinski ’24, and Gus Moseley ’24 were named Swim & Dive Academic All-Americans by earning varsity letters, achieving high cumulative GPAs, having strong attendance, and demonstrating leadership in the pool and classroom.

Academics & Co-curriculars

Throughout the school year, students in Rockhurst 45+ co-curricular offerings stand out among their competition. The following were all achieved since November 2023.

Ten members of Rockhurst’s Software Engineering Club participated in the K-State High School Programming Contest. One team of four Hawklets – Eli Manis ’24, Ian Morgan ’24, Brant Willis ’24, and Aldric Yang ’25 – placed 4th in the competition. Rockhurst also joined the CyberPatriot’s National Youth Cyber Defense Competition in 2023-24, thanks to the support of Greg Kratofil ’92, Frank Koranda ’96, and Jeff Smith ’97 Kevin Oyler ’11 also volunteered as the team mentor.

Rockhurst’s Model United Nations Team traveled to Canada for the University of Toronto Model United Nations Conference.There were 71 schools participating from Canada, the United States, and Trinidad and Tobago. Daniel Hiles ’24 was named Outstanding Delegate for his representation of Japan. Michael Redlich ’25 was named Outstanding Delegate for his representation of Sri Lanka. Solomon Naraine ’25 received an Honorable Mention for his representation of Cote d’Ivoire. Peyton Cunningham ’27 won Best Position Paper for his advocacy of Taiwan.

The Scholar Bowl Team won its District Tournament with All-District performances by Jeremy Smith ’26 and Kevin McConville ’25, and then defeated Smithville 2-1 in the State Quarterfinals to qualify for the State

Championship (Final Four) for the first time since the program was reactivated in 2021. At the Class 5 State Meet in Columbia, Rockhurst finished in 3rd Place out of 86 total teams that competed in the season.

The Mocklets, Rockhurst’s Mock Trial Team, won Districts and then both State Quarterfinal and Regional competitions to advance to the State Championship. The squad qualified for State for the third consecutive year, marking Rockhurst as one of the top16 teams in Missouri. The Mocklets had the toughest draw, and faced the event champions and runners-up in the preliminary round, but managed to finish 6th in the state in total points.

At the District Solo and Ensemble Music Festival, nine Hawklets soloists and three ensembles earned the top rating of Exemplary. Seven soloists and two ensembles earned Outstanding ratings. The Exemplary musicians then performed at the MSHSAA State Festival. Gold (top) ratings: Matthew Tafoya ’24 (bass clarinet), Jack Brackett ’25 (baritone), Ian Kennedy ’25 (alto saxophone), Jack Manning ’25 (tenor), Joshua Brown Hays ’26 (piano), Ted Henning ’26 (viola), Tyson Nguyen ’26 (piano), and the trombone trio of Kingston Del Cid ’25, Alex Manis ’26, and Ian Kabianga ’27. Silver ratings: Kingston Del Cid ’25 (trombone), George Kennedy ’26 (trombone), the percussion quartet of Charles Long ’24, Sam Mpinga ’24, Nino Pollina ’24, and Jax Walker ’24, and the percussion quintet of Joe Brandtonies ’25, Jabari

Cambridge ’25, William Draper ’25, Mario Trozzolo ’25, and Julian Weber ’26.

Rockhurst’s Choral Program had the opportunity and honor to perform at some amazing venues. Fortythree choir members traveled to Italy over Spring Break and performed at special Masses at St. Clair Basilica in Assisi, San Salvatore in Ognissanti in Florence, and Basilica Di San Saba, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola in Rome. More than 200 singers in Rockhurst’s four choirs performed their final concert of the year at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

Ten Hawklets were recognized for their writing and photography work at the Missouri Interscholastic Journalism Association’s JDay at the University of Missouri. All-Missouri: Charlie Porto ’25; Superior: Eli Rourke ’24 (2x), Ted Truebner ’25, Diego Salinas ’26; Excellent: Mitch Forbes ’24, Gus Moseley ’24, Jonathan Nash ’24, Bennett Thomas ’24, Soren Ursick ’25; Honorable Mention: Mitch Forbes ’24 (2x), Brady Batz ’25. Forbes was also named a member of the State Honor Roll for his work on the Prep News over the past two years paired with his overall academic excellence. Through the entire staff’s work, Prep News Online was also given a Superior rating for overall website.

Rockhurst Speech & Debate took 1st Place in overall Congress Sweepstakes at the NSDA District Tournament, with Daniel Hiles ’24 being District

Rockhurst’s Model United Nations Team participated in the University of Toronto Model United Nations Conference. (Front, L-R) Solomon Naraine ’25, Michael Redlich ’25, Daniel Hiles ’24, and Peyton Cunningham ’27 all received awards.

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Owen Nielsen ’25, Jack Brackett ’25, Solomon Naraine ’25, Max Zitariuk ’24, Nico Rodriguez Martinez ’24, Pete Mandacina ’25, Liam Dennis ’26, Connor Clune ’26, and Leo Engelke ’24.

Rockhurst singers had the opportunity to go to Italy over Spring Break to sing at some of the most beautiful venues in the world, including St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

The Mocklets advanced to

Mock Trial State Championship

the third straight year after winning the Regional competition: (L-R) Davis Long ’26, Aidan O’Donnell ’24,

Below: Brant Willis ’24, Aldric Yang ’25, Ian Morgan ’24, and Eli Manis ’24, members of the Software Engineering Club, placed 4th at the K-State High School Programming Contest.

The Scholar Bowl Team placed 3rd at State, the best finish since the program was reactivated in 2021: (L-R) Coach Alex Dobens ’08, Coach Leo Hirner, Shiv Patel ’26, Owen Vontz ’24, Jeremy Smith ’26, Manny Mascote ’25, Owen Nielsen ’25, Owen Lundstrom ’25, Kevin McConville ’25, and Cal Hughes ’25.

Champion in House Congressional Debate, as well as in International Extemporaneous Speaking earlier in the year. Nine students qualified for and competed in the MSHSAA State Championships. Luke Fitzsimmons ’24 was State Champion in Informative Speaking, Patrick Sanders ’25 and Will Fanning ’26 placed 3rd in Duo Interpretation, and Pete Mandacina ’25 placed 4th in Lincoln-Douglas Debate. The program also had seven qualifiers for the NSDA National Tournament over June 1621, 2024 in Des Moines: Graham Adamson ’24, Cal Burge ’24, Daniel Hiles ’24, Pete Mandacina ’25, Solomon Naraine ’25, Andrew Hayes ’26, and Liam Dennis ’26

Rockhurst’s Theatre Department and its cast of The Drowsy Chaperone earned three Blue Star Award nominations from Kansas City’s Starlight Theatre. The team was nominated for Outstanding Hair & Makeup Design, and two actresses were nominated for the Jimmy Awards (national awards) and Outstanding Performer in a Featured Role. Rockhurst cast and crew members under the direction of Anthony McMurray: Logan Cook

’24, Billy Murphy ’24, Trevor Murphy ’24, David Severns ’24, Michael Boersma ’25, Henry Bosco ’25, Lincoln Bunch ’25, Michael Denk ’25, Eric Hoff ’25, Maddox Hughes ’25, Owen Lundstrom ’25, Prosper Ott ’25, Sam Reintjes ’25, Cooper Riddle ’25, Aldric Yang ’25, Ben Caisley ’26, Robby Evangelidis ’26, Liam Griffiths ’26, Landon Hochstein ’26, Gideon Sheets ’26, Jeremy Smith ’26, Joshua Bamey ’27, Tristan Batobalani ’27, Peyton Cunningham ’27, Sam Robinson ’27, and Paxton Rojas ’27

Three seniors in the Class of 2024 were selected as the recipients of the annual senior awards at the All-School Awards Assembly on April 16, 2024. Thomas Coppinger ’24 received the Rockhurst Senior Class Award of Excellence and Achievement, recognizing the possession of qualities that all members of the senior class hopes others find in them, and classmates having experienced and benefited from his extraordinary devotion to the class and school. Andrew Puthumana ’24 received the Jesuit Schools Network Award, recognizing a senior who best

represents the ideals of the graduate of a Jesuit high school at the time time of gradation – generous with his talents, dedicated to the Gospel message, and devoted to the Christian ideals as enunciated by St. Ignatius Loyola. Brant Willis ’24 received the Carl G Kloster, SJ, “Special R” Award, recognizing a senior who embodies the spirit and tradition of Rockhurst and consistently puts the welfare of his fellow students above his own interests.

Two juniors in the Class of 2025 were presented with special honors at the annual Junior Leadership Mass on May 3, 2024. Jeb Koetting ’25 received the Thomas R. McGee, Sr Leadership Award, presented in recognition of outstanding leadership qualities demonstrated during junior year. Two of Thomas McGee’s grandsons, Chris Jury ’09 and Michael McGee ’09, presented the award to Koetting. Jack Brackett ’25 received the Joseph Patrick McCormick Memorial Award, presented to a member of the junior class who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, co-curricular involvement, service to school, and Christian values.

The Theatre Department earned three Blue Star Awards nominations from its production of The Drowsy Chaperone.

Junior Award winners in the Class of 2025, with Rev. Vincent Giacabazi, SJ, and President David Laughlin: Jeb Koetting ’25 and Jack Brackett ’25.

Alex Manis ’26, Kingston Del Cid ’25, Ian Kennedy ’25, Matthew Tafoya ’24, and Ted Henning ’26 were five of the Rockhurst instrumental musicians who received Gold ratings at the State Music Festival.

Senior Award winners in the Class of 2024: Thomas Coppinger ’24, Brant Willis ’24, and Andrew Puthumana ’24.

Thanks to the generosity of Rockhurst benefactors, more than 200 singers in the Choral Program’s four choirs performed at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts on April 28, 2024. They were joined on stage by a few RHS Choir alumni for a final song.

Members of the Journalism program received recognition from the Missouri Interscholastic Journalism Association: (L-R) Diego Salinas ’26, Ted Truebner ’25, Jonathan Nash ’24, Mitch Forbes ’24, Bennett Thomas ’24, Gus Moseley ’24, Brady Batz ’25, Soren Ursick ’25, and Charlie Porto ’25. Not pictured: Eli Rourke ’24.

The nine Speech & Debate State Qualifiers gathered for a photo before heading to the competition in Springfield: Daniel Hiles ’24, Will Fanning ’26, Patrick Sanders ’25, Pete Mandacina ’25, Cal Burge ’24, Graham Adamson ’24, Caleb Dawson ’24, Aidan O’Donnell ’24, and Luke Fitzsimmons ’24.

Athletics

At the time of print, the six spring sports (baseball, golf, lacrosse, tennis, track & field, volleyball) were entering their postseasons.

For recaps of each, visit www. rockhursths.edu/athletics and follow @GoHawklets on X/Twitter.

Rockhurst celebrated 26 senior student-athletes during two collegiate Signing Day ceremonies in the spring.

A third event for more Hawklets was held in May.

ROCKHURSTHS.EDU/ ATHLETICS

@GOHAWKLETS

X/TWITTER

FALL SPORTS

The cross country team won the District Championship and had all seven runners individually qualify for State by finishing in the top-30 for the first time in program history, and advanced to State as a team for the 17th consecutive season. The Hawklets placed 2nd at State with a Rockhurst-record four AllState runners: Henry Acorn ’25 (4th), Kai Somasegaran ’25 (8th), Andrew Davis ’25 (11th), and Justin Waldron ’25 (21st). All four were named to the All-Metro Team, and Acorn was a KCMO Runner of the Year Finalist. Head Coach Mike Dierks ’91 was named the KCMO Coach of the Year.

The Football Hawklets finished the season as the #2 ranked team in Missouri. Rock went 8-1 in the regular season, and then beat Lee’s Summit West and undefeated Lee’s Summit North, the #1 team in Missouri the time to win Districts for the first time since 2018. Rockhurst then defeated Nixa to advance to the State Semifinals against Liberty North, but lost a thrilling overtime game, 28-27, to finish the season 11-2. Thomas Coppinger ’24, Andrew Sprague ’24, Jack Bichelmeyer ’24, Mitch Forbes ’24, and Ethan Hansen ’24 were named All-State.

It was a special season for Rock Soccer, as the Hawklets earned the program’s first State three-peat. They did so in historic fashion, completing Rockhurst Soccer’s first-ever perfect season at 24-0-0. Rockhurst ended the postseason at 18-0-0 with a +67 goal differential and faced little adversity until the State Championship game. With five seconds remaining in a tied State Title matchup with Park Hill South, Teddy Franke ’24 scored the game-winner from outside of the box while being tackled. Rockhurst ended its season while ranked as the #1 team in the country, and was named the National Champions for the first time in program history. Franke, Baka Kante ’24 (MO Player of the Year), Henry Mullen ’24 (MO Defensive Player of the Year), Uchan Kohring ’25, Asende Welongo ’26, and Brooks Barrett ’24 were All-State. Head Coach Matt Darby ’00 was the Missouri Private School Coach of the Year.

For the fourth consecutive year, Rockhurst Swim & Dive stood atop the state podium. Coming off of the 2022 season when the AquaHawks blew away the rest of the competition and scored a State-record 422 points, the 2023 State Meet would be much closer. Rockhurst was tied with SLUH and just 13 points ahead of Park Hill South heading into the final event, the

For the first time in program history, Rock Soccer was named National Champions after going 24-0-0 and winning a third consecutive State Title.

The Cross Country Hawklets had all seven runners individually qualify for State, and finished 2nd at the State Meet.

Rockhurst’s fall sports head coaches showed off their hardware from the 2023 seasons: Coach Paul Winkeler (swim & dive State Champions), Coach Mike Dierks ’91 (cross country State Runner-Up), Coach Matt Darby ’00 (soccer State & National Champions), and Coach Kelly Donohoe (District Champions and #2 State ranking).

The AquaHawks won the program’s 15th State Championship, making Rockhurst the winningest school in Missouri swim & dive history.

400 Free. The AquaHawks relied on their four best swimmers who won by nearly four seconds to capture the relay title, as well as the team title. Andy Baklanov ’25 (100 Backstroke State Champ, 2nd in 100 Butterfly, 2nd in 200 IM), Evan Crim ’25 (2nd in 100 Back), and Blake Francois ’24 (3rd in 100 Back) were individual All-Americans. The 200 Medley and 400 Freestyle Relays were also State Champions and All-Americans. Rockhurst has now won 15 State Championships, the most in Missouri swim & dive history.

WINTER SPORTS

The Basketball Hawklets finished the regular season at 17-7, earning the #2 seed in the District Tournament and going on to win the program’s first District Title since 2018. Rockhurst defeated #1 Lee’s Summit West in the District Championship in double overtime before losing in the State Quarterfinals to Central (Springfield), ending the season at 20-8. Kevin Sullivan ’26 was selected to the All-District Team after averaging 10.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. Head Coach Billy Thomas was named the District Co-Coach of the Year.

The wrestling team showed the results of continued improvement over the last few years, and earned a winning dual record of 5-4. The top performers all season, Robert Purcell ’24 (31-15) and Anthony Totta ’25 (39-13) both placed 3rd at Districts and earned State qualifications, becoming the first Rock wrestlers to advance to State 2020. Both picked up wins in the State Tournament before being eliminated. The team will graduate just two wrestlers and plans to build on its success in 2023-24.

Coach Paul Winkeler, Rockhurst Swim & Dive Head Coach, was named the NFHS 2022-23 National Coach of the Year for boys swim & dive. There is only one recipient in the country each year for this honor.

Coach Wink was recognized for leading the AquaHawks to a Missouri-record 422 points at the State Meet in 2022. The team also won in 2023, tallying 15 State Titles since 2005 under the leadership of Coach Wink, who took over the program in 1999 and has coached during two stints (1999-2014, 2018-current).

“This award reaches far beyond me and my work as a coach. There are so many people who have contributed to our program who have helped build it to where it is today,” remarked Coach Winkeler. “I’m excited for our student-athletes, their families, the alumni of the community, and the entire Rockhurst community. I feel so much gratitude for each and every individual.”

In Coach Wink’s 22 seasons as head coach, Rockhurst Swim & Dive has had 79 AllAmericans, 77 Academic All-Americans, 44 individual/relay State Champions, and currently holds nine state records.

Two wrestlers, Robert Purcell ’24 and Anthony Totta ’24, both finished 4th at Districts and qualified for the State Championship Meet.

Coach Paul Winkeler was honored with the NFHS 2022-23 National Coach of the Year for boys swim & dive.

The basketball team won the District Championship in double overtime and advanced to the State Quarterfinals for the first time since 2018.

Rockhurst Football won its first District Championship since 2018, going 11-2 on the season and ending the season ranked #2 in Missouri.