Malvern Preparatory School | |
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Veritas, Unitas and Caritas
Truth, Unity and Love
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Address | |
418 South Warren Avenue Malvern, Pennsylvania, (Chester County), 19355-2707 United States |
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Information | |
Type | Private, All-Male |
Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic; Order of Saint Augustine |
Established | 1842 |
Opened | 1922 (present location) |
Founder | Augustinian Friars |
President | Rev. James Flynn, O.S.A. |
Director | Upper School - Steven Valyo Middle School - Ronald Algeo |
Head of school | Christian Talbot |
Grades | 6-12 |
Enrollment | 630 (2011) |
Average class size | 18 |
Student to teacher ratio | 8:1 |
Campus | Suburban |
Campus size | 103 acres (420,000 m2) |
Campus type | rural setting |
Color(s) | Navy Blue and Silver |
Slogan | Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow |
Athletics | 16 varsity sports |
Athletics conference | Inter-Academic League |
Mascot | Friar |
Team name | Friars |
Rival | St. Joseph's Prep |
Accreditation(s) | Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools[1] |
Newspaper | 'Black Friar Chronicle' |
Yearbook | 'Malvernian' |
Tuition | $26,000 (2011) |
Dean of Students | David Cambridge |
Upper School Admissions Director | William Gibson |
Middle School Admissions Director | John McEvoy |
Athletic Director | Kurt Ruch |
Website | www.malvernprep.org |
Malvern Preparatory School, commonly referred to as Malvern Prep, is an independent Catholic middle and high school for boys located in Malvern, Pennsylvania. It was started and is still run by Order of Saint Augustine. Malvern Prep is a member of the Inter-Academic League which also includes Episcopal Academy, Germantown Academy, Penn Charter, The Haverford School, and Chestnut Hill Academy.
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Malvern Prep was founded as a preparatory academy on the campus of Villanova University in 1842 at the Belle-Aire farm, which the Augustinian order purchased in January 1842. The academy was named "St. Nicholas of Tolentine Academy" in 1901.
In 1922, due to the expansion of Villanova's college program and increasing distinctions being made between the attendees of the academy and the college, it was decided to remove the academy from Villanova's campus. The Rosengarten family of Malvern sold a 143 acre (579,000 m²) part of its old farm between Warren Avenue and Paoli Pike to the Augustinians, and the academy became Malvern Preparatory School. The property included the site of the Paoli Massacre, a Revolutionary War battlefield that Malvern Prep owned until 2000, when it was purchased by the federal government. [1] Only two original buildings were suitable for classes and are still preserved; these are the original farmhouse (Austin Hall) and another farm building (the Friary, or Alber's Hall). Three new buildings were built in 1924 to house the need for more space. The first graduating class of Malvern Prep, who were almost all boarders, graduated in 1927.
Malvern Prep reached 200 students in 1953 and went through another construction phase, erecting six new buildings in the next eight years. Over the next twenty years, the number of boarders decreased, eventually to zero; the school is now entirely a day school. Malvern Prep has undergone several new constructions in recent years with a new art center named in honor of former president, Reverend David Duffy and a new outdoor athletic complex bearing the name of legendary former football coach Gamp Pellegrini. The school had erected a new indoor sports center (O'Neill Sports Center), a dining hall (Stewart Hall, which is actually a previously existing building, Villanova Hall), and several athletic fields in the early 2000s.
In 1956 Devon Preparatory School opened in Devon, PA. Throughout the years Malvern has consistently outscored Devon in terms of standardized testing, percentage of graduates attaining higher degrees and Malvern alumni earn an average of 18% more than graduates of Devon Prep.
The North American foundation of the order happened in 1796 when Irish friars arrived in Philadelphia. Michael Hurley was the first American to join the Order the following year. Friars established schools, a University and other works throughout the Americas, also including Villanova University in Philadelphia and Merrimack College. While this school was founded in 1842, by 1909 two Augustinian houses and a school had been established in Chicago, 1922 in San Diego, by 1925 a school in Ojai and Los Angeles; 1926 a school in Oklahoma; in 1947 Merrimack College; in 1953 a school in Pennsylvania; 1959 a school in New Jersey and in 1962 a school in Illinois.
Malvern, a member of the Inter-Ac League, participates in sixteen varsity sports: baseball, basketball, crew, cross country, football, golf, ice hockey, indoor track, lacrosse, soccer, squash, swimming & diving, tennis, water polo, wrestling and rugby. Malvern competes for the Heyward Cup with five other schools: Germantown Academy, Haverford School, Chestnut Hill Academy, William Penn Charter, and Episcopal Academy. Malvern last won the Heyward Cup in the 2010-11 academic year. Thus far in the 2011-2012 school year, Malvern Prep has won Inter-Ac championships in cross country, football and soccer while finishing 3rd in water polo.
Malvern Prep's football and basketball programs are two of the most successful in southeast Pennsylvania finishing consistently in the "Inquirer's Top Ten" and also being highly successful the Inter-Academic League each year. The football team is currently coached by Kevin Pellegrini, a 1990 graduate of Malvern while the basketball team is headed by 1989 graduate Jim Rullo.
Malvern's Ice Hockey team holds the most titles in the Varsity AAA Flyers Cup. Malvern won the Varsity AAA Flyers Cup five years in a row from 2001 to 2005 (8 total) and also in 1987, 1990, 1997. Malvern has also won the Pennsylvania Varsity AAA State Championship twice (1990 & 2004). Many of the players move on to play at Division I schools.
On January 4th, 2012, Malvern is scheduled to play LaSalle College High School at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after the NHL Winter Classic there between the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers.
Malvern, started a rugby team in the spring of 2010 playing in the Brandywine district of EPRU. The team learned how to play the game under head coach Dennis Melesky and Assistant Wayne DiMarco. Soon the team was hitting the pitch and playing experienced teams. The team ended up going a very impressive 6-1 on the season.
In 2006, Malvern Prep's Lacrosse team, being coached by John McEvoy went on to win the Pennsylvania State Lacrosse Championship, and boasts three All-Americans. Also, Malvern Prep's baseball team finished off the season by winning the Pennsylvania Independent School's tournament. The baseball team could not win the State championship because the Inter-Ac league is not part of the PIAA. The six senior baseball players are all moving on to play at the next level in college. The Cross Country team has won the Inter-Ac Championships the past 5 years including a perfect 15 points in 2005 (placed 1st through 5th).
In addition to being highly successful, Malvern's rowing team, under Coach Hoffman, has produced more Ivy League students than any other sport in the school's history.
In 2004, the varsity quad won its first SRA National title in addition to a USRowing National Youth Invitational Championship, Philadelphia City Championship, and a second place finish at the Sotesbury Cup. In the summer of 2004, the team elected to train together, and two of the members of its varsity quad, Pat Ryan and Justin Teti, went on to represent the United States at the Junior World Championships in Banyoles, Spain in the double event.
In 2005 the varsity quad won the Stotesbury Cup and repeated its victories at SRA Nationals and the USRowing Youth Invitational. Again the following summer, the team continued to train together and competed at the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta in England, where they advanced to the quarterfinals.
In 2007 the Malvern Varsity Quad won the triple crown, coming in first place at the Philadelphia City Championship, and again repeating victories at SRA Nationals and the Stotesbury Cup Regatta. They also traveled overseas to compete at the Henley Royal Regatta, and the varsity quad made it to the quarterfinals of the Fawley Challenge Cup Event.
In 2008 the Varsity Quad of Brandon Hanna, Mike Rawlings, Mike Bohs, and Mike Donohue went undefeated, won at Philadelphia City Championship, SRA Nationals, Stotesbury Cup, USRowing Youth Nationals, and have made it to the semifinals of the Fawley Challenge Cup before losing. With their successes, they also were selected to represent the United States at the Can Am Mex cup.
Malvern Prep has both an Upper School and a Middle School water polo team. Malvern participates in the Inter-Academic League and is consistently one of the top teams in the league. The program was started by Coach Jay Schiller who currently coaches the Upper School Team. The Middle School team consists of boys from grades 6-8 and also competes with teams from the Inter-Academic League.