Rockhurst High School serves the greater Kansas City area by educating Ignatian leaders, “men for others”, in the Roman Catholic, Jesuit college preparatory tradition.
In the spirit of Saint Ignatius Loyola, its goal is the formation of the whole person within a diverse and disciplined environment, as one who is open to growth, strives for academic excellence, is religious, loving, and committed to justice through service.
Mission Vision
Rockhurst High School will be sought out and recognized for its ability to educate “men for others”. Rockhurst High School will, in the Jesuit tradition, foster lifelong friendships based on enduring principles and Ignatian values. It will be nationally and locally recognized as the best value-added education because of its success in developing community leaders for an increasingly diverse world.
VISIT THE HONOR ROLL OF DONORS
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Dear Rockhurst Community,
I n reflecting upon our past school year, it is humbling to consider the achievements of our young men. In academics, service, Faith, athletics, the Arts, robotics, Speech & Debate, and in spirit (this is a list that could keep going!), our young men showcased a standard of excellence that is without comparison in our region. Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on leading the school this past year!
When I think about the formula of success and my desire to express gratitude to all who supported us, two concepts come to mind: opportunity and personal responsibility.
As the Class of 2024 gathered for the last time before graduation in the Rose Theater last May, I offered a moment for them to reflect on three things:
President David Laughlin presented Rory Browne McClain ’24 and all graduating members of the great Class of 2024 with Rockhurst High School diplomas at the Commencement Exercises on May 19, 2024, at Municipal Auditorium.
their worst moment at Rockhurst; their best moment at Rockhurst; and the fact that no one among us achieves anything by ourselves. Spending some time on that final item, I invited us to all consider just how connected our success is to one another and to God.
We are blessed with parents who entrust us with the gift of their sons. Those young men come to us with an abundance of talent and formation as freshmen. And then, walking alongside our terrific teachers, moderators, counselors, coaches, pastoral staff, and administration, they develop themselves in ways both imaginable and unimaginable. The result is the week after week after week reality of their achievement that truly leaves me spontaneously praying the motto of the Society of Jesus – “for the greater glory of God”. In these boys, and those who form them, it is easy to see what might be passed over: God. And, their achievement is dedicated to the glory of God, from whom all good things come.
As benefactors who support the choice of parents, you ignite the momentum. Thank you for providing these young men the opportunity, whether by scholarship assistance, funding of particular programs for success, or by helping the school with particular initiatives. Your support means these young men have the opportunity that is Rockhurst!
And then, to achieve the many wonderful things they do, they showcase personal responsibility on a daily basis, where the big outcome may not yet be known in these smallest details, but whereby the end results take place. Aristotle reportedly noted: “We are what we repeatedly do.” Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.
Fundamental to Aristotle’s reflection is another consideration of the moral life: immediate gratification versus delayed gratification and how our actions in the right order contribute to the “greater good”. We live in a world of immediate everything. It’s not properly ordered at times. It’s no surprise that the discipline required to delay gratification is counter-cultural. We are so concerned with being happy and filling our lives with material things that we’ve lessened important longer-term disciplines like: study; reflection; prayer; religious practice; working through disappointment and failure; discussion; listening; discernment; analysis; synthesis; and ultimately much philosophical thinking. We just don’t have time in the race to feed immediate gratification!
But the combination of opportunity offered by our families and benefactors and personal responsibility stewarded by our educators, finds our young men exhibiting tremendous discipline for a greater good. The results are abundant! Greater Glory to God.
And, one defining aspect of a Hawklet’s formation of his personal responsibility is that it is not all about him. Success and excellence? Yes! Did they do it on their own? No! Starting with God, then family, then friends, then teachers, coaches, and so many who have gone before us to give us the content of our very studies, there are so many people who have made all of us that which we have become. So, the personal responsibility of a Rockhurst Hawklet recalls that, as Fr. Greg Boyle, SJ says: “We belong to each other.”
And the personal responsibility formation of Jesuit education, in invoking phrases like “men for others”, aspires to make sure that as we
consider our connectedness to the other and offer thanks for what has been given to us, we look to the less fortunate, the underserved, the vulnerable, and we feel and act with personal responsibility as Christ would and as Christ taught us with parables like the Good Samaritan.
You enable our mission. Our mission is to serve our students to become whom God has inspired them to be. Their mission is nothing short of changing the world through opportunity and personal responsibility, which looks to our connectedness in the Holy Spirit to one another, and aspires to make the whole world as God envisioned it in God’s love for us.
Thank you for the gift of your support for Rockhurst High School and the young men we serve. Please know we hold you in our daily prayers and Mass remembrances. May each page of this President’s Report be a reflection to God’s greater glory through the possibility, the miracle, that is Rockhurst High School.
God bless,
David J. Laughlin President, Rockhurst High School
CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE
I t is my honor and pleasure to serve as Chair of the Board of Trustees.
I am a grateful and appreciative graduate (’88) of Rockhurst; a parent; and a nephew and a grandson of Rockhurst alumni. Like so many who serve Rockhurst, with the added gifts of perspective and time, I realize just how formational and influential my experience at Rockhurst proved to be throughout my life. It is why I now serve.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I sincerely thank you for your continued support of Rockhurst High School. We are truly blessed to be a part of this community with such a strong tradition, and to have an extraordinary executive team and faculty led by David Laughlin, President, and Rev. Vincent Giacabazi, SJ, Principal, upon which to build our future.
Rockhurst continues to serve very effectively its mission of forming young men of strong character rooted in
David Staker ’88, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, welcomed his son Joseph ’23 to the Rockhurst alumni community during the great Class of 2023 graduation ceremony. His other son, Matthew ’22, graduated the year before.
Ignatian identity in the Catholic, Jesuit tradition of service to others. We have five Jesuits in service at Rockhurst and the Ignatian Spirituality Center continues to expand its programming to serve students, faculty, and the community. Last fall, the school renewed its six-year sponsorship agreement with the Provincial Superior of the Jesuits of the United States Central and Southern Provision confirming Rockhurst as a Jesuit apostolate at a mass celebrated by The Very Reverend Thomas Greene, SJ, the Provincial Superior of the Jesuits of the United State Central and Southern Province.
The Board of Trustees, together with our President, David Laughlin, the President’s Advisory Committee, and various constituents, also continue to work on a long-range strategic plan aligned with key pillars of our vision including our Catholic, Jesuit identity, formation of the whole person, excellence and innovation, and community engagement. Among the Plan’s key strategic initiatives are:
I. Increasing financial aid to meet 100% of exhibited financial need to remove barriers and ensure that a family’s financial circumstances are not an obstacle to a Rockhurst education;
II. developing and retaining the highest quality, missionfocused faculty and staff;
III. enriching the student experience with greater emphasis on individualized care, practical skills courses and experiences outside the classroom; and
IV. facilities enhancements.
Toward these strategic initiatives, President Laughlin announced last year that Visionary Investments of more than $15.5 million had already been committed to support the strategic plan. These visionary investments are, of course, in addition to the approximately $5 million in annual fundraising that is required simply to meet our fiscal operating budget. Your generous contributions in support of Rockhurst enable us to continue serving our mission and enriching the lives of young men in the Kansas City area who go on to serve others here and throughout the world – thank you!
As you likely know, this past year, by so many measures, was among the most remarkable and successful in Rockhurst history. The academic, athletic and co-curricular achievements – to which we’ve become (perhaps, unfairly) accustomed – speak for themselves. To be sure, they are reflective of the consistently strong desire and drive for excellence to which the young men, faculty, and families of Rockhurst commit themselves. We set another fundraising benchmark in 2024 with a record-setting Spectacular Auction and have set bold targets once again for scholarship grants and financial aid for the forthcoming academic year.
None of this happens, of course, without the commitment and dedication of Rockhurst’s devoted faculty and staff working to ensure students have opportunities, resources, and tools and are challenged to be their very best. While the achievements and outcomes are impressive, what has struck me most has been the authenticity, care, compassion, attention, and intention that are put forth every day by the leadership, faculty, and staff that enable the results to happen. There is an experience, event, program, class, retreat, practice, performance, etc. from sun-up to sun-down every
day...the calendar is unreal. And it all happens, all the time, for the sake of the students...and, behind it, there is a teacher, coach, mentor, staff member, or volunteer giving of his or her time to enrich the lives of the students. The resonating appreciation and value for the retiring faculty at graduation this past year, some of whom gave much of their lives, and their families lives’ to Rockhurst, was palpable. I’ve seen first-hand the difference a Rockhurst teacher can make in the life of a student – it’s different; it’s what makes Rockhurst different; and it’s priceless.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the entire Rockhurst community, please join me in congratulating and thanking President Laughlin, Principal Giacabazi, and the entire faculty and staff for an outstanding year.
In closing, I consider it a blessing to serve Rockhurst and a gift to work alongside so many talented, thoughtful, and committed people. I’m truly humbled by the extraordinary generosity of so many who contribute so meaningfully to support our students and Rockhurst in so many diverse and varying ways...thank you!
Sincerely grateful,
David M. Staker ’88 Chairman of the Board of Trustees
ROCKHURST HIGH SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
2023-24
“The thing I’ll miss most about Rockhurst is the people. Each person in the building has something to offer, be it an unforgettable life lesson, simple acceptance, or genuine friendship.”
-Adrian Palan ’24 Avila University
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
David M. Staker ’88
Chairman
Terrence D. Anderson ’02
Gregory J. Fendler ’94
Michael L. Garrett
Amy D. Holewinski
Rev. Jeffrey C. Johnson, SJ
Gerald A. Kelly, Jr. ’73
Gregory M. Kratofil ’92
David J. Laughlin
Shannon M. Lillis
Patrick A. McInerney ’82
Rev. Gerald E. Menard, SJ
Dr. Gregory F. Muehlebach ’80
Ivan L. Nugent ’99
Rev. Ronald R. O’Dwyer, SJ, EdD
Courtney A. O’Farrell
Anita P. Paredes
Stephen D. Penn
Jeffrey J. Simon
Michael B. Trigg ’96
Rev. Derrick J. Weingartner, SJ
NATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Patrick A. McInerney ’82
President
Spencer H. Hardwick ’07
President-Elect
Blaise A. Gassman ’16
Enrique I. Gutierrez ’98
James H. Maggard ’04
Andrew J. Miller ’16
Ivan L. Nugent ’99
John R. Oades ’67
Nicholas J. Porto ’96
Todd A. Schieffer ’90
James C. Shay, III ’11
Henry J. Thomas ’06
James T. Van Dyke ’05
LEADERSHIP TEAM
David J. Laughlin
President
Michael A. Comiskey ’03
Director of Admissions
John B. DeGraffenreid
Director of Facility Management
Rev. Vincent A. Giacabazi, SJ
Principal
Kelly A. Herdlick
Executive Assistant to the President
Dr. Diane J. Marty, EdD, CFRE
Vice President of Philanthropy & Engagement
Allen K. Roberson ’84
Vice President of Administration
PHILANTHROPY & ENGAGEMENT OFFICE
Dr. Diane J. Marty, EdD, CFRE Vice President of Philanthropy & Engagement
Adrianne A. DeWeese, MPA, CFRE
Assistant Director of Philanthropy
Turner R. “Robbie” Haden ’09 Director of Communications & Branding
Moira Kelly Healy Director of Engagement
Timothy R. Reidy ’02 Archives Director and Faculty Member
Sylvia Medina Smith Philanthropy & Engagement Supportive Services
Meredith L. Suarez Director of Alumni Engagement
Loretta Verbanic Gifts & Stewardship Specialist
George J. Weir Director of Data & Analytics
SPECTACULAR 2024 CO-CHAIR COUPLES
Natalie and Kyle Hartman ’91 (Legacy Co-Chair Couple)
Christy and Mike Poe (Legacy Co-Chair Couple)
Adrienne and Chris Helvey
Annie and John Houlehan ’95
PARENTS’ CLUB LEADERSHIP
Dianne Smith-Misemer President
Rockhurst High School also thanks Joanne Comiskey and Nancy Czinege for their incredible dedication to the Philanthropy and Engagement Office and the school as a whole. They have continually dedicated their time and talent to the betterment of the young men of Rockhurst and their families.
TOWARD A HOPEFILLED FUTURE
Dear Rockhurst Community,
M
ost of us have heard 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
So often, we then go on to talk about love. And that’s fine.
But what about hope?
When I was a child, each summer, my family would pack up our station wagon to visit family in Idaho. Our station wagon had fake wood paneling on the outside. I never really understood why you’d put wood paneling on the outside of a car and I certainly didn’t understand why you’d put FAKE wood paneling. Ah, but I digress.
As we planned and then started our trip, each year I was filled with amazing hope for the weeks ahead. Seeing my grandmother. Working with my cousins on my aunt and uncle’s farm. Well, I called it working, but I got to drive tractors, cultivate crops, assist in cattle drives. For my cousins, it was the work of the American farmer. But I guess for me, it was fun. And, every summer I looked forward to these adventures with hope for what would be.
Yesterday’s hope is still found in my warm memories of all the wonder of those days. Even all these years later, I can still taste and feel the hope of that journey.
“journeying toward hope with young people”. Their discerned priority is hope!
In February of 2019, the Society of Jesus identified four Universal Apostolic Preferences for their works around the world. Consider this from their web page: “We ask our schools, and universities and those who work in parishes to help in the faith development of young people and creatively adapt the Spiritual Exercises so that young people can personally know Jesus in ever deeper ways and follow Him more closely.”
Hope is a powerful gift. Hope allows us to look beyond the present circumstances, regardless of their context, and see the beautiful, the amazing, the good. Hope has inspired martyrs. Hope has fueled great acts of justice and reconciliation and healing. Hope has been an engine to inspire invention, creation, passion, and welcomed the “new” time and again. Operating in hpe means we exist in a perpetual drive for the possible.
Especially in the most desperate of circumstances, hope can carry us forward through loss, grief, pain, and the hardest of times.
As Christians, our hope in the Resurrection accompanies us through earthly death.
President David Laughlin announced the 2023-24 school year theme on July 1, 2023.
Think about this: when the Jesuits discerned their top “preferences” for all of their works around the world, one of the four was about
I don’t know about you, but each day of each week, a part of my mind’s reflections lives in what I hope for. Now, sometimes that hope may be more self-centered than the hope of Christian discipleship, but without
prompting, I find myself hoping for many good things for myself, my family, our school, and the world. Every. Single. Day. It seems to come from within, a gift of the heart and mind given to me by God.
What about you? When you take the time to reflect upon your movement through the days, do you find yourself drifting into hope? Like love and faith, hope just exists as a part of our creation as children of a loving God.
Hope fostered in prayer can grow. Each day, we pray the Examen and invite everyone in our community to consider how they can live into the grace of hope in their daily lives.
Rockhurst High School exists to fulfill our mission for the young men we serve. Presently, journeying with them in hope is a priority. Like trees just outside of our Sacred Heart Chapel that reach for the sustaining sunlight, so, too, is our hope in Jesus central to all we do.
And, that’s really important because the world that young people are growing up in is presenting complexities into their lives at younger and younger ages and those complexities can put hope at risk. Those complexities can be dour and ominous when young people consider their future.
There are messages of doom that seem to surround us such that our media age would convey that we are among the worst of times. Young people are being exposed to aspects of our world at younger and younger ages that prior generations were sheltered from until they reached the age of reason. Consider just a few concepts:
Political polarization; economic gaps impacting people’s ability for a livable wage; environmental doom and gloom; the sexualization of the human person seemingly evermore; the loss of the practice of faith across many religious traditions; moral relativism that seeks the subjective as superior to the objective; digital engagement replacing human interaction; the view of the human person only in the context of economic commodity; our consumption of news and information; there are many others...
These things don’t seem very hopeful, whether you are a child in Kansas City or Rio De Janeiro or Dusseldorf or Mumbai or Nairobi. In fact, for young people, the daunting nature of the world can seem hopeless, with algorithms reinforcing the negative content if only you just let them in the device held in your hand.
But all of these bullet points above only speak to temporary circumstances of our human condition. And yet, faith, hope, and love remain. And with love being the greatest, faith and hope remain very important gifts to be fostered.
Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ, penned a famous poem in 1877 that rings so very true 146 years later. He recognized that despite the fact that generations have “trod” before us and difficulties have been present, God’s world renews itself in hope. Hopkins reminds us that the God of Creation has shined His light through the darkness of temporary human conditions.
And this hope is the focus of our 2023-2024 School Year Theme:
Toward a Hope-Filled Future God’s Grandeur
“The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod? Generations have trod, have trod, have trod; And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil; And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod. And for all this, nature is never spent; There lives the dearest freshness deep down things; And though the last lights off the black West went Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs—Because the Holy Ghost over the bent World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.”
May hope fill our upcoming year at Rockhurst and may the lasting gifts of faith, hope, and love carry us in our work to journey with these good young men of Rockhurst High School
May God bless you & those you love.
In Christ,
David J. Laughlin President, Rockhurst High School July 1, 2023
PHILANTHROPY & ENGAGEMENT MESSAGE
To Our Rockhurst Extended Family,
In a year with the theme Toward A Hope-Filled Future, we were fortunate to carry out our work in the Philanthropy & Engagement (P&E) Department knowing that everything we do is strategically engineered to provide hope-filled futures: not just for current Hawklets, but for their families and also for our alumni, past parents, grandparents, and friends. Because a significant part of the Rockhurst Experience is knowing – trusting – that across four years at The Rock, we will raise Hawklets through education and formation that they may learn and grow during their time here…in order that from here, they will soar.
Dr. Diane Marty, Vice President, Philanthropy & Engagement
By engaging alumni and families (past and present, covering multiple generations!) we continue to enrich the education and formation provided to today’s Hawklets and alumni toward their hope-filled futures:
• Alumni interacted with students in many ways in the 2024-25 Academic Year - both virtually and in person through classrooms, retreats, and mentoring opportunities: including through RockConnect, an initiative by the Alumni Board of Governors to formalize and activate the alumni network for mentoring, internships, and job opportunities and Compañeros – a mentoring opportunity stemming from RockConnect specifically for Hurtado Scholars graduates begun in May.
• Kansas City area parents, alumni, and friends participated in any variety of more than 51 events offered through the P&E Department and/or the President’s Office and/or the Pastoral Department, including socials for parents to “get to know the parents of their son’s new best friend” and parent programming ranging from creating care packages for Hawklets off to college to Screen Sanity (a program presenting tips and tools for raising youth in a digital age); to spiritual experiences like the Ignatian Speaker Series and the Grandparents and Mother/Son Masses & Brunches.
• Outreach to alumni beyond the metro region included:
{ A robust Alumni Reunion Week featuring celebrations honoring those graduating in class years ending in 3 and 7, including the Golden Jubilee 50th Reunion of the Class of 1973 and the 55th Reunion of the Class of 1968; plus
{ Reunions outside of Kansas City including visits by the school to Washington, DC; Fort Collins and Denver, CO; New York, NY; Phoenix, AZ; Houston, Austin, and Dallas, TX; Newport Beach and Los Angeles, CA; and Seattle, WA between October and June that involved nearly 150 “men for others” reconnecting with the Rockhurst network in their own outside-ofKansas-City backyards.
And certainly the philanthropy work we do helps fuel hope-filled futures through the generosity of nearly 3,000 benefactors that raised nearly $7.2 million to fund operations and scholarships at The Rock, including these highlights:
• A transformative $1.4 million gift received from Rosemary Kilker in honor of her husband Bob Kilker ’39 to name the Kilker Learning Commons and to create an invested fund whose earnings –in Mrs. Kilker’s own words – are to be used “to further the education of the boys entrusted to your care because of my belief that education is the bedrock of a lifetime of opportunity and success.”
• Record-setting fundraising records for gross revenues ($1,617,580) for the 2024 Spectacular Auction Rock Don’t Quit led by a fourcouple Chair team (Natalie & Kyle Hartman ’91; Adrienne and Chris Helvey; Annie & John Houlehan ’95; and Christy & Mike Poe) as well as an all-time high for overall combined revenues raised to support the Eyrie (Annual) Fund, Spectacular, and Invested Funds ($7,181,341) without campaign or special initiative dollars included.
We began the year by setting forth a mission for the P&E Department that “through our work, we are all for one (each individual student and alumnus) so that he may be one for all.” We ended the year buoyed by the successes highlighted here, throughout this 2023-24 President’s Report, and celebrated during the past year which haven’t been specifically enumerated.
As this publication goes to print, we have already begun the 2024-25 Academic Year, energized by an emerging strategic plan; a newentering freshman class; and a crop of 2024 graduates embarking on the next chapter of their hopefilled futures.
With gratitude for all that our alumni, families, and friends have already done for Hawklets and their families, we hope that you will continue to lend your support – and invite others to join you! – in every way that you are able for the year yet ahead.
AMDG
Diane Marty, EdD, CFRE
Vice
President,
Philanthropy &
Engagement
Proud Alumni Parent (Max ’16, George ’18)
“I am most thankful for the lifelong friendships that I created at Rockhurst. The school became a second home to me and the community feels like a family.”
-Lucas Redd ’24 Saint Louis University
Freshmen in Rockhurst’s Class of 2027 were welcomed to the school community for the 2023-24 school year. Nearly 40% of all freshman families relied on financial aid to make their Rockhurst experience possible.
FINANCIAL AID FIGURES
$2.7M 41% IN FINANCIAL AID AWARDED RECEIVED IN FINANCIAL AID
CHARITABLE GIVING TO ROCKHURST
2,904
6,593
Eyrie Fund Gifts Received by Category
$22,792
$1,249,551
$228,771
$223,882
$1,014,774
$48,941
Alumni Reunion Week
Eyrie Fund: Unrestricted Gifts
Eyrie Fund: Designated Gifts
Tuition Assistance Gifts
Hurtado Scholars Program Gifts
Eyrie Fund: Designated Gifts Received
Sponsorships
“The things we learn inside Rockhurst help build us to shine outside of it. Through our hard work we are able to say that we go to Rockhurst High School with a sense of pride behind it. Not many high school students can say the same.”
-Thomas Coppinger ’24 Texas Christian University
“Rockhurst is everything and more that I heard about growing up as a kid. I owe everything to the school and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience for the last four years of my life.”
-Michael Torlina ’24 Dordt University
JULY 2023
Rockhurst High School introduced a new leadership opportunity to upperclassmen in the summer of 2022, called the Ignatian Leadership Formation (ILF) Program.
The purpose and mission of the program, kicked off by a two-day summer retreat, is to identify, strengthen, and give purpose to the student leaders of Rockhurst. The program focuses on Ignatian tools for servant leadership and a followup program that invites students to utilize those tools to discern their own pathway to leadership success.
The program is led by Beth Van Dyke, who also serves as the Assistant Director of Admissions, aided by Matt Nickson and Ryan McAnany ’12 of the Pastoral Department. There is also a steering committee of six faculty/staff members who help guide the students.
Based upon the Spiritual Exercises and the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm, the ILF Program aims to be rooted in the four pillars of the Ignatian Cycle of Leadership: awareness, reflection, discernment, and action, with the ultimate goal being the awakening of young men who are contemplatives in action
Rising juniors and seniors are invited to participate in the program based on faculty/staff recommendations. In the ILF’s inaugural year, 26 juniors and 48 seniors accepted those invitations.
Elliott Korentager ’24 (left) and Caleb Truelove ’24 (right) sat on the Al Davis, Jr. Field and shared some of their goals heading into their senior year at Rockhurst.
Students Grow Through Ignatian Leadership Formation Program
Following a successful start, the program grew in its second year.
There were 120 upperclassmen who committed themselves to the program for the 2023-24 school year, which began with the ILF Retreat over July 27-28. Eighty retreatants who were able to attend the July retreat spent time drafting their three S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) Goals for the year in the areas of personal development and leadership, and were asked to reach out to a faculty/ staff member who they regularly interact with to get additional feedback on their goals and their leadership qualities as a whole.
“Brainstorming S.M.A.R.T. Goals for the school year and outlining the steps necessary to achieve those goals was an experience that stood out to me,” reflected Bill Hayes ’25, who will participate in the ILF Program again as a rising senior. “It was impactful because it gave me a guide for how to succeed during my junior year and achieve my personal goal of praying to God every night.”
All students, including the additional 40 who were unable to attend the retreat, continued to progress in their leadership values by meeting every month during lunch cohorts to discuss the Ignatian Cycle of Leadership and how they are utilizing it in their lives both inside and outside of Rockhurst. The adult leaders have placed an emphasis on
meeting more regularly and offering more interactive experiences to keep the students engaged.
“Since the program’s inception we have worked closely with our faculty and staff who oversee student leaders in various capacities to build a program that not only focuses on leadership development, but ties it directly to the values and ethics of Ignatian Spirituality,” noted Van Dyke. “Last year we expanded the program to include monthly cohort meetings that address the Ignatian Leadership Cycle. We also had panelists and guest speakers come in to speak to the group. The end goal is to build leaders with strong moral and ethical commitments to the programs in which they are acting as leaders.”
Nearly all of the students in the Class of 2025 who participated in the ILF Program as juniors have opted to do so again as seniors.
“My hope for the 2024 retreat is that I get to grow closer to my community and step up to become a senior leader for the underclassmen,” said Manny Mascote ’25, a two-year program participant. “I hope to set an example of what it means to be a ‘man for others’ and to show what service looks like as a Rockhurst student.”
Fr. Danny Tesvich, SJ, celebrated Mass in the Pesci Atrium with Ignatian Leadership Formation Program retreatants on July 27, 2023.
Retreat attendees enjoyed collaborative activities to help develop their leadership skills.
AUGUST 2023
Upperclassmen Welcome Class of 2027 to School Community
F or an incoming high school freshman, walking into a school of nearly 900 boys for the first time can be daunting. But here at Rockhurst High School, he doesn’t do it alone.
Members of the Class of 2027 gathered together for the first time on August 14, 2023, for Freshman Orientation, two days before the first day of classes. Their parents were invited to join them for the Freshman and Freshman Parent Mass in the Rose Theater to start the day.
But before they even made it to the theater doors, Rockhurst sophomores, juniors, and seniors were there to welcome the newest students. These volunteers are called Rockhurst Brothers, and they sacrifice their final day of summer break to the betterment of the school community. They offered high-fives and words of encouragement as these Hawklets officially entered Rockhurst and celebrated Mass as a group.
“Legacy Lives On” was the spirit shirt theme selected for the 2023-24 school year. Rockhurst Brothers sat on the Rose Theater stage while freshmen listened to how they are now an important part of the school’s 114-year legacy.
“For the past several years, Rockhurst has undertaken the decision to bookend our students’ and families’ Rockhurst experience with the Holy Sacrifice of Mass,” said Fr. Vincent Giacabazi, SJ, principal. “That is, a Mass to begin their time at Rockhurst and the final baccalaureate Mass when graduation occurs, all with family gathered together to worship our one true God. And having the upperclassman Rockhurst Brothers present augments our sense of connectivity in brotherhood and in our common pursuit of Rockhurst’s Mission.”
More than 40 Rockhurst Brothers then stayed on campus for the remainder of the day, teaching the freshmen the school’s cheers and chants, pointing them in the right direction of classrooms and spaces, and making sure they felt welcome at 9301 State Line Road.
These upperclassmen understand that many of the freshmen may be the only one from their 8th grade class who attended Rockhurst, so they might not know any of their new classmates.
“I volunteered at Freshman Orientation because I remember walking in on my first day full of nerves, and seeing welcoming faces lifted some of the load of stress off of my plate. So I was hoping to do that same thing for some of the incoming freshmen,” said Sam Komenda ’25.
Rockhurst students pride themselves on viewing each other as part of a whole community and not siloed individuals of a particular grade.
“The Rockhurst Brothers program shows that we truly care for our underclassmen and their accomplishment of making it to Rockhurst,” said Carter Middleton ’25. “It also shows that we are a true brotherhood in
our actions, and not just our words. At Rockhurst, we celebrate the accomplishments of every student and group, regardless of how big or small it may seem.”
Getting through that first day on campus, although perhaps scary at the time, was an accomplishment for the freshmen and set up a memorable year on campus for 201 members of the Class of 2027.
“Orientation was great, as my leaders were amazing juniors who always answered my questions. When I first got on campus I was intimidated due to the many different academic and co-curricular offerings for students, but I learned to use those to my advantage and help me with my studies,” reflected Tristan Batobalani ’27. “I met so many people and stepped out of my comfort zone, and everywhere I turned there was a new path. Freshman year couldn’t have been better anywhere else.”
Students appreciate the ample opportunities to build friendships at Rockhurst outside of the classroom.
“I thought that it would be hard to make friends in a high school as big as Rockhurst. But I was happily proven wrong when I joined the cross country team and got a part in the musical,” said Josh Barney ’27. “Meeting classmates through co-curricular activities is what really brightened my year.”
Rockhurst Brothers, upperclassmen who volunteer at Freshman Orientation to make sure the freshmen feel welcome, were ready to greet members of the Class of 2027 and their parents on August 14, 2023.
Freshmen listened to Rockhurst Brothers as they explained how activity period works, and the many academic and co-curricular activities that are offered during this time.
SEPTEMBER 2023
Heading into September, Rockhurst High School confirmed its commitment to the Society of Jesus and its mission of educating Ignatian leaders as “men for others” for the greater glory of God.
At the first all-school Mass of the school year, Rockhurst High School welcomed more than 20 Jesuits from across the country along with Bishop James Johnston of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, to celebrate the Mass of the Holy Spirit
The Very Reverend Thomas Greene, SJ, the Provincial Superior of the Jesuits of the United States Central and Southern Province, renewed the
official sponsorship of Rockhurst as a Jesuit and Roman Catholic high school. This occurs every six or so years. President David Laughlin and David Staker ’88, Chairman of the Board of Rockhurst, signed the renewal on behalf of the school.
Making the morning even more special, the Rockhurst community also witnessed the profession of final vows of Rockhurst Principal Rev. Vincent Giacabazi, SJ
“I had a choice of date and location for the final vows, and intentionally selected the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit at Rockhurst so that the students, faculty, and staff could be
present,” reflected Fr. Giacabazi. “I am very grateful to almighty God and for the faith that was handed on to me by my parents, loved ones, friends, and Catholic education throughout my life. To be fully incorporated in the Society of Jesus is a tremendous consolation for me.”
Following a year of Alumni Service Corps (ASC) volunteer service at Rockhurst in 2004-05, he joined the novitiate of the Society of Jesus. He professed his perpetual vows in 2007, and then was ordained a priest in 2015. At the Mass of the Holy Spirit, Rockhurst celebrated Fr. Giacabazi’s 18 amazing years serving
Jesuits from across the country attended the Mass of the Holy Spirit to celebrate Fr. Vincent Giacabazi, SJ, making his final vows.
Provincial Renews Rockhurst’s Jesuit Sponsorship
the Society of Jesus – and more than 10 years serving Rockhurst. He has worked as principal of Rockhurst since 2019, and prior to that he taught Sophomore Scripture, directed the Freshman Retreat, and chaired the Theology Department. A leader in Jesuit secondary education, Fr. Giacabazi currently serves on the Board of Members of Rockhurst High School, the Board of Trustees of Jesuit High School in Tampa, the Board of Directors of Creighton Preparatory School, and previously served on the Board of Trustees of Rockhurst High School.
Fr. Vincent Giacabazi, SJ, made his final vows surrounded by the support of the Rockhurst community.
President Laughlin watched as The Very Reverend Thomas Greene, SJ, David Staker ’88, and Rev. Derrick Weingartner, SJ, renewed the sponsorship of Rockhurst as a Jesuit high school.
OCTOBER 2023
CyberPatriot, the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, has been in existence since 2009, but it is still relatively new to Rockhurst High School students. The program was introduced to Rockhurst in 2020 and the Hawklets have since worked to catch up to more established teams; the progress really began in 2022 with the implementation of training sessions.
The CyberPatriot education program was created by the Air & Space Forces Association to inspire K-12 students toward careers in cybersecurity or other STEM
disciplines. CyberPatriot is the nation’s largest cyber defense competition that puts teams of middle and high school students in the position of newly-hired IT professionals tasked with managing the network of a small company. Through a series of online competition rounds, teams are given a set of virtual operating systems and are tasked with finding and fixing cybersecurity vulnerabilities while maintaining critical services.
Fifteen members of the Software Engineering Club, led by Computer Science teacher J.W. Clark ’00, constructed Rockhurst’s 2023-24
CyberPatriot Team, which participated in three events throughout the year. Team members also entered the EnterpriseKC High School Cybersecurity Challenge in October, which included competitions and connecting with industry professionals and student peers, as well as the Kansas State University High School Programming Contest in November. The Hawklet team of Eli Manis ’24, Ian Morgan ’24, Brant Willis ’24, and Aldric Yang ’25 placed 4th among 30 teams.
Rockhurst’s participation in these events was possible through the
Rockhurst students participated in the CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition.
Community Support Leads to Software Engineering Program Opportunities
financial support and leadership of Greg Kratofil ’92, Frank Koranda ’96, and Jeff Smith ’97, all attorneys with Polsinelli Law Firm.
“Through our work at Polsinelli we see daily that technology is a critical aspect of business,” Kratofil said. “Exposure to technology resources and opportunities like the CyberPatriot Competition can inspire future innovation, but also introduces Rockhurst students to potential professional networks that will benefit them in the future.”
Alumni support for the program also came in the form of a volunteer mentor in Kevin Oyler ’11. Oyler is a cybersecurity professional who holds a CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional), the premier certification for security practitioners.
“I knew Rockhurst students were as dedicated and hard-working as they come, and I wanted to help Rockhurst gain success in the CyberPatriot program knowing that they could become contenders at the state and national level,” noted Oyler. “Rockhurst always preached the idea of being a ‘man for others’ and I felt that offering my unique career knowledge might be the best way I can give back to the community that taught me so much.”
Having Oyler as a resource was a huge boost to the students intent on growing their knowledge of the industry.
“Working with Mr. Oyler gave us a better understanding of advanced cybersecurity topics, as well as other real-world applications of advanced cybersecurity,” said Yang.
In CyberPatriot, schools are allowed to have multiple teams of between two and six members. At the end of Round 1 in November, Rockhurst’s top team was ranked in the top-half of the 2,092 teams competing nationally in the Open Division. In Missouri, the team ranked 6th out of 21 teams. The State Round was held in December and the top team of Hawklets finished 3rd in Missouri’s Gold Division. The final competition round was in July 2024.
Based on overall performance, CyberPatriot teams are divided into one of three tiers: Platinum (top-30%), Gold (middle 40%), and Silver (bottom 30%). Rockhurst finished the season in the Gold Tier.
Team members noted that goals for the 2024-25 season include expanding the team membership, qualifying for the Semifinal Round of the competition, and placing in the Platinum Tier, which Rockhurst has yet to accomplish.
Brant Willis ’24, Aldric Yang ’25, Ian Morgan ’24, and Eli Manis ’24 placed 4th at the Kansas State University High School Programming Contest.
Kevin Oyler ’11 served as a volunteer mentor to Aldric Yang ’25 and Owen Nielsen ’25 and the rest of the Software Engineering Club. Oyler is a cybersecurity professional.
Hawklet teammates celebrated with Teddy Franke ’24 (middle) after he scored the State Championship-winning goal with five seconds remaining against Park Hill South. Photo credit: Ben Vessa | Metro Sports STL.
Rock Soccer stood united during the National Anthem prior to an 8-0 home win over Blue Valley.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Missouri Class 4
State Champions
Rockhurst teams also won championships in swim & dive and lacrosse, and eight of the 13 sports finished in the top-eight at State! See Pages 58-59 for recaps of each sport.
Rockhurst won its first National Championship in program
NOVEMBER 2023
Soccer Hawklets Capture National Championship
With the final seconds of regulation ticking down in a 1-1 tie, overtime looked to be all but inevitable.
Everything was on the line for the Soccer Hawklets on a frigid night on Nov. 18, 2023, at the World Wide Technology Soccer Park in Fenton, MO, as Rockhurst pushed to win its 24th and final match of the season.
The Rock, led by Head Coach Matt Darby ’00, owned a perfect record of 23-0-0 and held the No. 1 ranking in
the country according to the United Soccer Coaches Association, after starting the season at No. 5 nationally.
On top of that, Rockhurst was looking to complete its first State Title threepeat in program history.
In the 80th and final minute before the game against Park Hill South would head to overtime to decide the top team in Missouri, and potentially in the country, the ball stayed near midfield
Team captains Brooks Barrett ’24, Teddy Franke ’24, Henry Mullen ’24, and Baka Kante ’24 were all selected to the 2023 All-State Team, and were all members of the State Championship teams in 2021, 2022, and 2023. They showed off their collection of rings at the soccer ring ceremony on March 26, 2024.
as neither team wanted to concede a late scoring opportunity. That was until with 15 seconds left, Frank Robinson ’24 sent a ball high into the cold St. Louis air toward the back line of South’s defense.
There were four defenders and the goalkeeper ready to clear the ball and end regulation. There was one Hawklet with a different idea.
Uchan Kohring ’25 fearlessly went after the ball as it bounced into the 18-yard box with 9 seconds left. Surrounded by the five Panthers, Kohring was falling to the ground after colliding with the keeper but was able to make a right-footed touch toward the back of the box. Seemingly coming out of nowhere at full speed, Teddy Franke ’24 kicked his final ball in a Hawklet uniform.
That shot would go down in Rockhurst history.
Franke, a three-year starter who was one of 20 players selected as a 2023 SB Live National Player of the Year Finalist, blasted the ball from 17 yards out through a crowded box as a defender made a desperate sliding tackle attempt. Franke went flying through the air as the ball caught the back of the net with five seconds remaining. The moment seemed even more improbable four weeks prior, when Franke suffered an ankle injury that was feared to end his senior season.
But, thanks in large part to Rockhurst’s athletic trainer Paul McGannon ’72, Franke was able to return to the lineup for the Final Four.
“When I got injured I knew that our team would be just fine, but it was crucial to stay positive even though I knew I could only just watch from the bench,” reflected Franke, who will continue life as a student-athlete at Bellarmine University. “Everyone on the team played a huge role, from the starters all the way to the managers –each person on the team knew what role they had to do in order to be National Champions. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to score the game-winning goal.”
While Franke was the hero of that game, Rockhurst had a lineup loaded with talented players that concocted the historic season. A balanced offensive scoring attack and stifling defense led to a plus goal differential of 93 in 24 matches. The defense, anchored by Missouri Defensive Player of the Year Henry Mullen ’24, recorded more shutouts (14) than goals allowed (13).
Baka Kante ’24 was the catalyst on offense. From his midfield position, Kante scored 18 goals and tallied 21 assists. He was named the MO Soccer Coaches Player of the Year as well as the Gatorade Missouri Player of the Year, and also became the first two-time All-American selection in Rockhurst Soccer history. Kante was a four-year letterman and three-year starter who appeared in all 97 varsity games over his four seasons at Rockhurst, with the team going a combined 87-7-3 and winning three State Championships.
“From my freshman year at Rockhurst I had influences around me who taught me that I need to be ready for any
given moment. With help from those players and coaches I became more hungry to serve my team to the best of my abilities,” said Kante, who will play at the University of Virginia.
Kante, Mullen, Franke, and Kohring were all named 1st Team All-State players, and Asende Welongo ’26 was a 2nd Team forward and Brooks Barrett ’24 was an Honorable Mention defender.
Coach Darby was the Missouri Coach of the Year, and after five seasons leading the Hawklets holds a record of 103-14-3 with the three State Titles.
“I’ll remember this team for how extremely well these young men handled the pressure all year long,” noted Coach Darby. “We never focused on anything more than doing our best and having fun on a daily basis. Many high school students would have let the pressure of a three-peat and undefeated season get to them… but from game one to game twenty-four, they played with composure and joy!”
DECEMBER 2023
Live the Fourth. That is the lasting motto of the Kairos Retreat. Attendees are challenged to remember the experiences and feelings they shared during the impactful four-day retreat as they continue life at Rockhurst and beyond.
Kairos is the third mandatory retreat in Rockhurst High School’s 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 then attend the often life-changing Kairos Retreat, while select seniors lead the retreats.
The Pastoral Office added a new mandatory retreat for seniors, called the Senior 4th Day Retreat. All seniors go to one of six local parishes and are grouped with their same classmates from their Kairos Retreat during junior year. The day is broken down into three movements: Where Am I Right Now?, Gratitude For Who I Am/Growth, and Where Do I Want To Go?
The day included writing letters to themselves thinking back on their
time at Rockhurst, individual and small group reflections, team-building activities, and a celebration of Mass.
Young alumni were asked to attend part of the retreat to serve as panelists for the Where Do I Want To Go? section, offering advice during this important stage of their lives as they prepare to go off to college.
“I volunteered because I had great respect for the school when I was a student, and I have even more respect now that I understand everything that it provides its students,” reflected Joey Stasi ’11. “Any chance you have to impart a bit of wisdom onto guys
Chris Miller ’11 and Kenneth Maldonado ’20 spoke to seniors in the Class of 2024 about their own experiences in life after Rockhurst as young alumni.
Kairos Program Expands With 4th Day Retreat
that you feel close to is an incredible opportunity for an alumnus, whether the students pick up on it in the moment or not. All we can ask for is the opportunity, and that’s something Rockhurst does a great job of offering alumni.”
This new retreat was intentionally planned immediately prior to the seniors’ final semester at Rockhurst.
“There were two goals of the retreat: first, for each student to be reminded of the hopes he had for himself after Kairo; and second, to start to see how his faith can be lived outside of the Rockhurst walls,” shared Matt Nickson, Director of Pastoral Ministry. “There were many elements that were very well received from the day, in particular, hearing the alumni perspective and being assured that, although their impending college decisions seem so massive, there are many paths to success for them. God will be with them.”
Members of the Class of 2024 were proud to serve as the inaugural group for the 4th Day Retreat and will remember fondly the retreats over their four years.
“Retreats at Rockhurst allow for self reflection and self prayer. They are imperative, not just for spiritual growth, but for growth as a young adult,” said Joseph Rudis ’24. “Rockhurst retreats don’t just build community and better relationships with our brothers, they also help foster stronger relationships with ourselves.”
Chris Butler ’15, Ray Hamilton ’20, Luke Hamilton ’21, and Joey Stasi ’11 volunteered as alumni panels for the inaugural 4th Day Retreat.
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.
JANUARY 2024
ALLfor to build whole men. boys
School Announces Financial Aid Expansion
FOR ALL BOYS. TO BUILD WHOLE MEN.
Rockhurst High School introduced this phrase at the beginning of 2024 while announcing that the school is making 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.
In the 2024-25 school year, Rockhurst will 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 Business 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, I 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.
FEBRUARY 2024
Since the 1970s, Rockhurst High School students have utilized “friendly” competition between grade levels to support charitable organizations local and abroad.
Mission Week continues to be an annual highlight of the Rockhurst experience.
Each grade selects an organization as the recipient of its generosity. Freshmen supported Jesuit Refugee Services; sophomores supported Ronald McDonald House International; juniors supported Habitat For Humanity - Appalachia; and seniors supported Carmalite Convent in San Andrés Itzapa, Guatemala.
The week kicked off with an all-school prayer service centered around the history of Mission Week and Student Government Association (SGA) representatives explaining why each charity was chosen. Following the prayer service, all students were assigned to a classroom where every senior gave a short presentation to the underclassmen reflecting on the completion of his Senior Service Project a few weeks prior. Class of 2024 members described the agencies they assisted, their expectations going in, how they served others, and how they will continue living out the mission of being a “man for others.”
That idea of being selfless to benefit others carried through the week.
While the goal is for students to donate money with the Jesuit mindset of “to give and not to count the cost” as written in the Prayer For Generosity, there are also some wacky activities and competitions that lead to important fundraising.
Some of these included a dodgeball tournament, orange chicken tasting contest, casino night, volleyball matches against St. Teresa’s Academy and Notre Dame de Sion, trivia night, and the student vs. faculty basketball game.
The 2024 Mission Week also marked the reemergence of The Battle of the Bands, which had disappeared from the week’s schedule more than a decade ago due to lack of band interest. It returned with five Rockhurst-based bands competing in front of a crowded McGee Hall at Rockhurst.
As always, Mission Week was capped off by the board game - a series of competitions between grade levels played out by bizarre costumedonned student board pieces. Events included a vegan hot dog eating contest (Friday during Lent), JUG numbers race, college football trivia, haircut showcase, sumo wrestling, tug-of-war, and Wii boxing.
The seniors won per usual, but all four grades were proud to combine for more than $20,000 raised for their missions.
Seniors rolled the dice en route to winning the Mission Week Board Game.
The winner of the dodgeball tournament was the sophomore team of Jaxton Torline, Davion Yarbrough, Levi Mason, Bobby Buckley, and Henry Dold.
Students Combine Fun and Fundraising During Mission Week
At the Mission Week Prayer Service, Jack Creger ’25 shared why the junior class would be supporting Ronald McDonald House International.
Students competed in a vegan hot dog race as one of the board game competitions.
Coach Laurence Brown and Jack Bichelmeyer ’24 took the opening tip-off in the annual student vs. faculty basketball game.
MARCH 2024
Co-Curricular Success Leads to National, International Experiences
Rockhurst High School offers more than 60 co-curricular activities for student involvement (encouraged, and expected).
Along with the social aspect of these teams, clubs, and activities, many also include a competitive aspect. Hawklets enjoy competing and performing, and they work hard to stand out.
The Jesubots, Rockhurst’s Robotics Team, won the Greater Kansas City
Regional Competition and qualified for the FIRST Robotics World Championships in Houston for the third consecutive season.
Fifteen team members traveled to Houston with the goal of outperforming Rockhurst’s 207th world ranking (out of 3,474 teams). The Jesubots finished third in their division, ending the season with a top-72 robot in the world, finishing among the top 2% of all teams worldwide.
Choir is the largest non-athletic co-curricular activity at Rockhurst. More than 200 students make up the school’s four choirs: Freshman, Advanced, Chamber, and Concert. Forty-three Hawklet singers had the opportunity to travel to Italy over spring break to perform 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.
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.
Rockhurst was one of 71 schools to enter the University of Toronto Model United Nations Conference. Of the twelve team members who competed, four received recognition for their work as delegates for their respective countries.
The Speech & Debate Team consistently produces state- and nationally-recognized competitors, and this year was no different. Eight students qualified for the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) National Tournament in Des Moines, IA, and 11 Hawklets also qualified for the National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL) Grand National Tournament in Chicago. Five
of Rockhurst’s competitors at NCFL Nationals placed in the top-48 of their categories.
The Mocklets, Rockhurst’s Mock Trial Team, qualified for the State Tournament for the third straight year, marking Rockhurst as one of the top-16 teams in Missouri. The squad went to St. Louis to take on the other best schools in the state, and the Mocklets finished 6th in total points scored.
Ten students in Journalism classes were honored for their writing and photography work at the Missouri Interscholastic Journalism Association’s JDay at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Members of the Choir Program spent spring break in Italy performing at world-renowned basilicas and churches. Pictured with the Rock singers: Fr. Principal Vincent Giacabazi, SJ, (far left) and Dr. Kevin Coker, choir director (upper right).
Model United Nations team members competed in the University of Toronto Model UN Conference.
The Mock Trial Team placed 6th in Missouri at the State Tournament.
Rockhurst’s Robotics Team, The Jesubots, placed in the top-72 at the World Championships in Houston.
Eleven Speech & Debate Hawklets qualified for the National Catholic Forensic League Grand National Tournament in Chicago.
The 2024 Spectacular Auction set a new record by raising more than $1.61 million to benefit the 41% of all Rockhurst families that relied on financial assistance for the 2023-24 year.
Rockhurst thanks its co-chairs for their incredible effort and leadership: Natalie & Kyle Hartman ’91, Christy & MIke Poe, Annie & John Houlehan ’95, and Adrienne & Chris Helvey.
than
The record-breaking Spectacular Auction was spearheaded by the co-chair couples: Natalie & Kyle Hartman ’91, Christy & Mike Poe, Annie & John Houlehan ’95, and Adrienne & Chris Helvey.
Rockhurst students served as red carpet escorts for guests entering the event. Spectacular raised more
$1.61 million to support the young men of Rockhurst and their families.
Juniors and Seniors Recognized for Outstanding Leadership
The entire Rockhurst community of 1,000 students, teachers, coaches, and staff members gathered for the All-School Awards Assembly on April 16, 2024. While more than 100 students were recognized with academic and service awards, three members of the Class of 2024 became the focus of the celebration as they were surprised with the annual Senior Awards.
Thomas Coppinger ’24 was honored with the Rockhurst Senior Class Award of Excellence & Achievement. Selected by fellow classmates, the award is presented to a senior in “recognizing possession of qualities that we hope others find in us, and having experienced
and benefited from his extraordinary devotion to our class and to our school.”
“I’m thankful for my parents and all the other teachers, coaches, and mentors that have instilled so much character in me. To me, the most important thing about this award was that it was voted on by my classmates,” shared Coppinger, who will attend Texas Christian University as a student-athlete. “It means the people I’m around every day respect me, and it speaks to the way I try to treat people. It’s truly an honor to have received the award so many great Rockhurst men before me have received, and winning awards such as this one motivates me to continue
being a ‘man for others’ because this shows it doesn’t go unnoticed.”
Brant Willis ’24 accepted the Carl G. Kloster, SJ, Award, which was originally known as the Special R Award. It goes to a senior who embodies the spirit and tradition of Rockhurst and is a young man who consistently puts the welfare of his fellow students above his own interests. He is distinguished by his work ethic, excellence in conduct, and outstanding devotion to the school through service to classmates.
“The Senior Award was a surprising but appreciated recognition of my growth at Rockhurst. I attended a different school for my freshman year, where I put my head down and went through my classes without getting very involved,” reflected Willis, who will attend the University of Virginia. “However, when I came to Rockhurst, I put in a lot more effort to find friends, connect with my teachers, and enter leadership positions. Though I didn’t expect to be rewarded in this way, I was happy that the faculty at Rockhurst recognized me because they gave so much to me over my three years.”
Andrew Puthumana ’24 was selected for the Jesuit Schools Network (JSN) Award. This is given to a member of the graduating class in each of the 60 Jesuit Secondary member schools in the United States and Central America. It is presented to a deserving senior who best represents the ideals of the graduate
The winners of the annual Senior Class Awards, pictured with President David Laughlin (left) and Principal Fr. Vincent Giacabazi, SJ, were (left to right) Thomas Coppinger ’24, Brant Willis ’24, and Andrew Puthumana ’24.
at the time of graduation; one who is generous with his talents, dedicated to the Gospel message, and devoted to the Christian ideals as enunciated by St. Ignatius Loyola. Puthumana was also chosen to serve as the Commencement Speaker.
“This award was the culmination of four indescribably incredible years at Rockhurst, and I’m so very thankful for the formation into the person I’ve become due to every experience I’ve had with my peers, the faculty, or anyone else that has helped me along the way,” noted Puthumana, who will attend Columbia University in the City of New York. “To receive this award was not only a vote of confidence from a community that means the world to me, but also made me realize how much I’ll miss Rockhurst. I look forward to living out the ideals of the grad at grad engraved on that plaque I received, and I cannot express in adequate words how honored and thankful I am to receive this award as a member of the great Class of 2024.”
Two weeks later, the juniors in the Class of 2025 were promoted to the leaders of the school at the Junior Leadership Mass and Ring Ceremony. All rising seniors and their parents gathered in the Rose Theater for Mass followed by the bestowing of a class ring or pin to each Hawklet.
Two students were then surprised with the annual Junior Leadership Awards. 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, Michael McGee ’09 and Chris Jury ’09, presented the award to Koetting.
“The McGee award meant so much because it has been held in this school for many years and is represented by others before me. I am very privileged to be considered as a leader in our Class of 2025 and among Rockhurst as a whole,” said Koetting. “There is no better place than Rockhurst and to be a representative at such a special place is something in which I take great pride.”
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.
“Receiving the McCormick Award meant a lot to me because it exemplified the profound impact that Rockhurst role models have had on my life. Prior to Freshman year, I never planned on getting overlyinvolved in high school, particularly in activities such as Choir, Mock Trial, and the Freshman Retreat,” remarked Brackett. “Yet, because of the servant leadership that upperclassmen and faculty have shown these past few years, I have felt inspired to step up and take initiative outside my comfort zone.”
“With this award and the Junior Leadership Ceremony, the torch has officially been passed to our class, the Class of 2025. Now, we are the role models in this school, and it is up to us to inspire the next generation of Rockhurst leaders.”
Jack Brackett ’25 received the Joseph Patrick McCormick Memorial Award and was recognized at the Junior Leadership Awards Ceremony with his parents, Nate & Maureen Brackett.
Jeb Koetting ’25 (middle right) was selected for the Thomas R. McGee, Sr. Leadership Award, presented by two of Thomas McGee’s grandsons, Michael McGee ’09 (left) and Chris Jury ’09 (right) along with President David Laughlin (middle left).
MAY 2024
Class of 2024 Joins Alumni Ranks With Own Legacy
“F our years ago we entered Rockhurst with doubt, hesitation, and anxiety… But as seniors, we had a chance to build back tradition; to leave behind an improved Rockhurst for future generations; to make a legacy of our own.”
Andrew Puthumana ’24 shared these words with his classmates in the great Class of 2024 and their families at Rockhurst High School’s 108th Commencement Exercises
held on May 19, 2024, at Municipal Auditorium. He did so while holding up the class’ chosen spirit shirt for the year, which included the current and past iterations of the Hawklet mascot with the words “Legacy Lives On”.
“We wished to impart a message that conveyed the rich history and tradition of our school alongside our class’ new mission to write our own story despite the hand that we were initially dealt.”
This group, a graduating class of 231 members, entered Rockhurst at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Puthumana joked that he didn’t even see all his classmates’ faces until midway through his sophomore year.
“Now, standing here four years later and seeing how much we have put into our school, I can proudly proclaim that the Class of 2024 has left an indelible legacy at Rockhurst unlike any class before it.”
William Rebman ’24 was all smiles after becoming an alumnus of Rockhurst High School.
SCAN TO WATCH THE COMMENCEMENT SPEECH FROM ANDREW PUTHUMANA ’24
He went on to highlight some of the class’ achievements: nine National Merit Finalists, four U.S. Presidential Scholars, Robotics captains leading the team to a top-72 finish at the World Championships, a soccer National Championship, donating more than 15,000 service hours, and creating new retreat programs.
“Most of all, we exemplified that it is not our beginning that defines our legacy, but how far we have come. The very traditions of Rockhurst High School were at stake with our class, and we prevailed because we understood that legacy must live on,” Puthumana remarked. “But our story is not over yet. Though our time as Rockhurst students formally comes to an end today, it is imperative to remember the fact that leaving a legacy is not something that ever ends. We will continue writing our class’ legacy for the rest of our lives.”
Puthumana will attend Columbia University in the City of New York, one of 72 colleges across the country welcoming Class of 2024 graduates, as well as Hawklets attending schools in Madrid, Spain and Rome, Italy. Some landing spots include Georgetown University, University of Notre Dame, University of Virginia, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Purdue University, Virginia Institute of Technology, and Washington University in St. Louis.
Rockhurst’s National Alumni Association now boasts a total of 15,601 members, connected by a brotherhood that spans nearly 11 decades.
The great Class of 2024 celebrated the 108th Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement of Rockhurst High School on May 19, 2024.
Andrew Puthumana ’24 was selected as the commencement speaker for the great Class of 2024. He reflected on the class’ entrance into Rockhurst during the pandemic to leaving its own legacy on the school.
During the recessional of the Commencement Exercises, Dominion Yarbrough ‘24 acknowledged his family for their love and support during his four years at Rockhurst.
JUNE 2024
Hurtado Scholars Program Changes Lives
“Primeramente, quiero agradecer a mis padres por todo su amabilidad, apoyo, y especialmente, su amor. Todo lo que he logrado es gracias a ustedes. Mis logros son sus logros. Mis premios son sus premios. Y aunque nunca pudieron terminar la escuela, mi diploma es su diploma. A si que, con todo el amor en el mundo, los amo.”
Angel Becerra ’24 shared these words on June 13, 2024, at the annual Hurtado Scholars Program celebration, at which more than 150 program supporters gathered to recognize the many accomplishments of the Scholars, and commit to the continued success of the program.
“Firstly, I want to thank my parents for all their kindness, support, and especially, their love. Everything I have achieved is thanks to you. My accomplishments are your accomplishments. My awards are your awards. And even though you were never able to finish school, my diploma is your diploma. So, with all the love in the world, I love you.”
Impressive words from an impressive young man.
Becerra entered the Hurtado Scholars Program as a rising 6th grader in 2017, and seven years later is a Rockhurst High School graduate headed off to Georgetown University
Supported by his parents, Rogelio Becerra and Maria Santos, Angel Becerra ’24 received the Hurtado Scholar Program’s annual Green Truck Award. He will attend Georgetown University this fall on a full scholarship. Scan the QR code to watch Angel’s remarks about the Hurtado Scholars Program.
on a full scholarship after being selected as one of 60 students (out of more than 3,800) nationwide for a Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship. He credits much of his success to being a Hurtado Scholar, and was honored with The Green Truck Award, given to a program graduate who made the most of his time at Rockhurst upon his high school graduation through his commitment to the values and skills he learned while a Hurtado Scholar.
Since its inception in 2012 and the first cohort of rising 6th graders in 2013, the Hurtado Scholars Program has served 129 young men and their families. This year also
Axel Garcia-Soto ’28, along with his mother Zulma Soto, received The White Van Award. He will be a freshman at Rockhurst in the fall.
Twelve Hurtado Scholars graduated from the middle school program on May 28, 2024. Eleven have since matriculated at The Rock.
marked a special milestone, as AJ Lopez ’20 became the first Hurtado college graduate after he earned his degree from Northwest Missouri State University in the spring.
Two weeks prior to the 2024 celebration, 12 Scholars graduated from the middle school program and 11 will enter Rockhurst as part of the Class of 2028. Among them is Axel Garcia-Soto ’28, who received The White Van Award, given to a Scholar who has exemplified the pillars (Academic, Leadership, Spiritual and Faith Formation, and Social
Development) of the Hurtado Scholars Program upon the completion of his 8th grade year.
Also receiving recognition at the celebration were two longtime supporters of the program, Anita and Bob Paredes ’93. They were honored with The Fire That Kindles Other Fires Award for their selfless dedication to and support of the young men who benefit from the program.
“We’ve proudly supported the effort to ensure Rockhurst’s student body
not only reflects the demographics of Kansas City as a whole, but that the young men of the Hurtado Scholars Program are set up for academic and co-curricular success,” remarked Anita Paredes at the June event. “To the Scholars who are here with us this evening: we’re proud of you. We know the extra work that you have put into your studies, into meeting new people, and into trying new things. Keep working hard, and have some fun along the way.”
Aided by the support of benefactors like the Paredes Family, the boys in
Anita and Bob Paredes ’93, flanked by sons Xavier ’19 and Tomás ’25, received The Fire That Kindles Other Fires Award for their impact on the Hurtado Scholars Program.
the Hurtado Scholars Program grow academically, spiritually, and socially over their three years, and then develop into “men for others” while at Rockhurst. They are given the tools to be successful in college and beyond.
And they do not forget about the life-changing opportunity they had as Hurtado Scholars.
Scholars remain close with each other after their days as Hawklets have ended; and they also stay in contact with the program leaders and teachers, including Fr. Bill Sheaham,
SJ, Marvin Grilliot, Anthony Re, Vanessa Wiegman, Brandon Jones, Dan Shaver, Laurie Prater, and many more.
Fifteen Hurtado graduates from Rockhurst’s great Classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022 reunited in early June for a dinner with Fr. Sheahan, Mr. Grilliot, Mr. Jones, and Mr. Re. They shared life updates and plenty of fond and funny memories of their middle school years as Scholars.
Now in its 12th year, the Hurtado Scholars Program remains stronger
than ever, evidenced by receiving more than $1 million in donor support in 2023-24.
Fifteen Hurtado and Rockhurst graduates from the great Classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022 reunited for a dinner with past and present Hurtado directors and teachers.
ROCKHURST RECAP 2023-24
Rockhurst’s nine National Merit Semifinalists and Finalists in the Class of 2024, pictured between Fr. Principal Vincent Giacabazi, SJ, and President David Laughlin: Caleb Dawson, Cole Southard, Eli Manis, Brant Willis, Cielo Tschantret, Ian Morgan, Trevor Murphy, Andrew Puthumana, and Joe Hudak.
Academics
• Nine seniors were selected as National Merit Semifinalists and Finalists; five were selected as National Merit Commended Students
• Nineteen seniors earned AP Scholar designation; eight seniors earned AP Scholar with Honor designation; six seniors earned AP Scholar with Distinction designation.
• Four seniors were named candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program
• Four AquaHawk seniors were named Academic All-Americans; one Lacrosse Hawklet was named Academic All-American; 16 Football Hawklets were named Academic All-State; 13 Track & Field Hawklets were named Academic All-State; seven Cross Country Hawklets were
named Academic All-State; seven Baseball Hawklets were named Academic All-State; six Volleyball Hawklets named Academic All-State; the Rockhurst Wrestling team received the MSHSAA Outstanding Scholastic Achievement Award
• Five members of the Speech & Debate Team were named Academic All-Americans.
Five seniors were named National Merit Commended Students. Pictured between President David Laughlin and Fr. Principal Vincent Giacabazi, SJ,: Adrian Palan, Mark Robel, David Severns, Owen Vontz, and Liam Ver Meer.
Co-Curriculars
• The Rockhurst Choir Program was one of six high school programs selected to perform at the 2024 Missouri Music Educators Association (MMEA) Convention. Forty-three choir members traveled to Italy over Spring Break and performed at special Masses at Saint Clare 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.
• Fourteen students in the Choir Program auditioned for the Kansas City Metro All-District Choir. More than 450 singers across KC auditioned, and eight Hawklets were selected to perform at the All-District Choir Festival. Jack
Brackett ’25 and Soren Ursick ’25 were then selected to the MissouriAll-State Choir, an honor given to only 24 singers out of the original 450+.
• Matthew Tafoya ’24, Kingston Del Cid ’25, Ian Kennedy ’25, Ted Henning ’26, and Alex Manis ’26 earned spots in the All-District Band, All-District Jazz Band, or the All-District Orchestra. They were also five of the 10 Rockhurst musicians who earned Gold Ratings at the State Music Festival.
• Rockhurst Speech & Debate took 1st Place in overall Congress Sweepstakes at the NSDA District Tournament, with Daniel Hiles ’24
being District 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, and seven qualified for the NSDA National Tournament.
• 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. Patrick Sanders ’25 and Will Fanning ’26 placed 3rd at State in Duo Interpretation, and Pete Mandacina ’25 placed 4th in Lincoln-Douglas Debate.
Rockhurst thanks its numerous donors who supported specific co-curricular programming. Thirteen donors provided $9,700 for Robotics; 11 donors provided $10,300 for the Choral Department; three donors provided $14,600 for the Theatre Department.
The Choir Program performed its spring concert at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. The Freshman Choir, Advanced Choir, Chamber Singers, and Concert Choir were joined on stage by a few Rockhurst Choir alumni for the final two songs.
• 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 top-16 teams in Missouri. The Mocklets had the toughest draw, and faced the event champions and runnersup in the preliminary round, but managed to finish 6th in the state in total points.
• Ten Hawklets in the Journalism program were recognized for their writing and photography work at the Missouri Interscholastic Journalism Association’s JDay at the University of Missouri. Through the entire staff’s work, Prep News Online was also given a Superior rating for overall website.
• 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.
• Andrew Puthumana ’24 was selected to attend Missouri Boys State, and also won three prestigious honors: Commerce Leader of the Week, Citizen of the Week, and Boys Nation Senator. He also 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.
• 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.
• Solomon Naraine ’25 was among 16 high school students nationwide selected as finalists to compete in the 2023 Great Communicator Debate Series (GCDS) National Championship held at The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA.
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.
Community Service
• Seniors in the great Class of 2024 continued the 50-year tradition of Senior Service Projects, volunteering 2-1/2 weeks at one of 45 local agencies; 58 seniors completed their service in Guatemala.
• All freshmen completed four Freshman Days for Others, serving various organizations in the Kansas City area.
• Each member of the junior class participated in the Junior Community Days Program, spending one day at Unity Village for guided team activities and one day visiting one of six local nursing
homes for one-on-one and small group conversations with residents. Our thanks to an anonymous family and The David and Janis Larson Foundation for making this programming possible.
• Fifty-two rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors offered a week of their summer break to attend a Total Ignatian Experience (TIE) service trip in Kansas City, Tennessee, or Tijuana.
• The soccer, swim & dive, wrestling, and baseball teams each planned their own days of community service.
• The Harvest Food Drive raised more than 19,000 lbs. of canned goods, which equated to 21.85 lbs. donated per student, which led to a grant of $15,000 to Rockhurst for their efforts through the Great Ignatian Challenge
• Students raised more than $20,000 during Mission Week for charitable organizations of each grade level’s choosing.
• For the third year in a row, Gio DePalma ’24 and Anthony Totta ’25 organized a St. Joseph’s Table, with all food donations being donated to the Wyandotte Pregnancy Center.
“Rockhurst is on the frontline of modern-day education, ensuring that our young generation of boys is ready for what modern-day life has to offer.”
-Payne Ferguson ’24 Kansas State University
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
At the MSHSAA Speech & Debate State Championships, Patrick Sanders ’25 and Will Fanning ’26 placed 3rd in Duo Interpretation, Luke Fitzsimmons ’24 was State Champion in Informative Speaking, and Pete Mandacina ’25 placed 4th in Lincoln-Douglas Debate.
Mascote ’25, Owen Nielsen ’25, Owen Lundstrom ’25, Kevin McConville ’25, and Cal Hughes ’25.
HAWKLET ATHLETICS 2023-24
Fall Sports
CROSS COUNTRY
• State Runner-Up
• District Champion
• All-State & All-District:
Henry Acorn ’25
Andrew Davis ’25
Kai Somasegaran ’25
Justin Waldron ’25
• All-District:
Danny Gajewski ’24
Hudson Tsevis ’24
Bill Hayes ’25
FOOTBALL
• State Semifinalist
• District Champion
• 11-2 record
• #2 ranked team in Missouri
• All-American
Andrew Sprague ’24
• All-State & All-District:
Thomas Coppinger ’24 (1st Team)
Andrew Sprague ’24 (1st Team)
Jack Bichelmeyer ’24 (3rd Team)
Mitch Forbes ’24 (3rd Team)
Ethan Hansen ’24 (3rd Team)
• All-District:
Myles Carson ’24
Trey Gunnoe ’24
Vince Jacoby ’24
Logan Kuechler ’24
Micah Oder ’24
Aidan Ryan ’24
Vince White ’24
Jeb Koetting ’25
Jack Manning ’25
SOCCER
• National Champion
• State Champion
• District Champion
• 24-0-0 record
• All-American
Baka Kante ’24
• National Player of the Year Finalist
Teddy Franke ’24
• All-Central Region
Baka Kante ’24
Uchan Kohring ’25
• Gatorade Player of the Year
Baka Kante ’24
• All-State & All-Region (Districts 5-6)
Baka Kante ’24 (1st Team, Player of the Year)
Henry Mullen ’24 (1st Team,
Defensive Player of the Year)
Teddy Franke ’24 (1st Team)
Uchan Kohring ’25 (1st Team)
Asende Welongo ’26 (2nd Team)
Brooks Barrett ’24 (Hon. Men.)
SWIM & DIVE
• State Champion
• Individual State Champion
Andy Baklanov ’25
• Relay State Champion
Evan Crim ’24
Blake Francois ’24
Jude Sojka ’24
Andy Baklanov ’25
Logan Frank ’25
• All-American & All-State
Evan Crim ’24
Blake Francois ’24
Jude Sojka ’24
Andy Baklanov ’25
Logan Frank ’25
• All-State
Charlie Penner ’24
Peter Claxton ’25
Joseph Douglas ’25
Charlie Huber ’25
Soren Ursick ’25
Josh Battison ’26
Beau Harmon ’26
Donnie Evangelidis ’27
Winter Sports Spring Sports
BASKETBALL
• State Quarterfinalist
• District Champion
• 20-8 record
• All-District
Kevin Sullivan ’26 (1st Team)
HOCKEY (CLUB)
• MAHSHL Quarterfinalist
• 8-13-1 record
• 1st Team All-Conference
Hayes Holmes ’24
Tracey Jarvis ’24
Michael Torlina ’24
• 2nd Team All-Conference
Brooks Rohlf ’24
WRESTLING
• 12th Place at Districts
• 5-4 dual record
• State Qualifiers & All-District
Robert Purcell ’24
Anthony Totta ’25
BASEBALL
• District Semifinalist
• 10-23 record
• All-District:
Evan Hartner ’24
Lucas Redd ’24
GOLF
• 4th Place at State
• District Champion
• All-State & All-District
Alex Hogan ’24
• All-District
Nick Hartman ’24
Blake Hartner ’25
Henry Mayor ’27
LACROSSE
• LAKC Champion
• Ranked #4 in Midwest Region
• 17-2 record
• All-American & All-Metro
Luke McNamara ’24
• All-Metro
Jack Bichelmeyer ’24 (1st Team)
Colin Komenda ’24 (1st Team)
Charlie Gormsen ’24 (1st Team)
Gentry Curtis ’26 (1st Team)
Reid Moshier ’24 (2nd Team)
Mack Renko ’24 (2nd Team)
Billy Eckles ’24 (2nd Team)
Draden Torline ’26 (2nd Team)
Hayes Holmes ’24 (Hon. Men.)
Thomas Homant ’24 (Hon. Men.)
TENNIS
• 3rd Place at State
• District Champion
• Singles State Champion
Bobby King ’25
TRACK & FIELD
• 4th Place at State
• Individual State Champion, All-American, & All-State
Leo Faulkner ’24
Henry Acorn ’25
Andrew Davis ’25
• Relay State Champion, All-American, & All-State
Henry Acorn ’25
Andrew Davis ’25
Bill Hayes ’25
Jake Bond ’26
• All-State
Wyatt Hemphill ’25
• All-District
Luke Lewellen ’24
Hudson Tsevis ’24
Brayden Worstell ’25
Jamal Johnson ’26
VOLLEYBALL
• District Runner-Up
• 22-6 record
• All-Conference & All-District
Will Campbell ’25 (1st Team)
Mason Kastel ’25 (1st Team)
Henry Olson ’25 (2nd Team)
• All-District
Gabe Moore ’26 (2nd Team)
Joey Bonino ’25 (Hon. Men.)
Cooper Nickle ’26 (Hon. Men.)
Rockhurst thanks 32 families and companies that provided $47,500 in support of The Rock’s athletic programs through Athletic Sponsorships in 2023-24. Their gifts supported the athletic programming provided to all Hawklet student-athletes.
For the
in
first time
program history, Rockhurst Cross Country had all seven runners earn individual State Meet qualifications by placing in the top-30 at Districts. The Hawklets were District Champs and then State Runner-Up after four runners placed in the top-21 at State, the most All-State honorees ever for The Rock.
The football team won its first District Championship since 2018 after upsetting #1 ranked and undefeated Lee’s Summit North. Rockhurst advanced to the State Semifinals, but lost a thrilling game in overtime to Liberty North to end the season 11-2 and the #2 team in Missouri.
Hawklet Track & Field placed 4th at State, which was the team’s best finish since 1976. Rockhurst runners won four events: 4x800 relay (7:42.06), 400m (Leo Faulkner ’24, 47.59)), 800m (Andrew Davis ’25, 1:52.38)), and 1600m (Henry Acorn ’25, 4:06.31); all were new school records.
Rock Lacrosse claimed the LAKC Championship for the fourth straight year, going 12-0 in league play. The Hawklets finished the season ranked #4 in the Midwest Region.
Rockhurst Tennis finished 3rd at State, led by Bobby King ’25, who became the seventh singles State Champion in Rockhurst history.
The AquaHawks won their fourth consecutive State Championship, and now own a Missouri-record 15 titles, all since 2004.
Golf won another District Championship and then earned a 4th Place trophy at the State Meet, the program’s 36th top-four State finish since 1974.
“The brotherhood found at Rockhurst created some of the best memories for me, and I am incredibly thankful for the chance to go to Rockhurst. The Catholic education, competitive academics, and bond between classmates has opened a multitude of opportunities to help me grow as as an individual and as a ‘man for others.’”
