Academy of Holy Angels

For the school in Demarest, New Jersey, see Academy of the Holy Angels.

The Academy of Holy Angels (AHA) is a Catholic, coeducational high school located in Richfield, Minnesota. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Holy Angels educates more than 620 students each year in grades nine through twelve from around the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

History

The Academy of Holy Angels was founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph on September 15, 1931, when the newly constructed building was opened.^[1] The initial enrollment of 107 students in grades 1-12 grew to 182 by the end of the 1931-1932 school year. The original grounds included a formal English garden in the courtyard, tennis courts, a 9 hole golf course, and an ice skating rink during the winter.

The school was accredited in 1932, and that same year the school had its first graduating class of 13 members. In 1935 the Alumnae Association was established with most of its efforts directed toward communication, reunions, special events for alumni and the annual alumni phonathon. By 1943, Holy Angels had discontinued its grade school but continued to offer Kindergarten until 1946, when St.Peter's Church next door opened is parish elementary school. The 1952-1953 school year was the last year for boarders to live at Holy Angels, and 1953 marked the beginning of Holy Angels solely as a day school.

In September 1972, the Academy became a coeducational school. The class of 1976 was the first full four-year co-ed class. Because the school was now co-ed, the Angies became the co*Stars and varsity athletics began. Today the athletic program has grown to 33 teams representing 18 varsity sports for both girls and boys. In 1989 a middle school and theater school were established. In 1996, to enhance the campus and revenues, Holy Angels built the StarDome; a $2 million, year-round athletic facility (the first high school in the United States to have a facility of this type). The complex includes bleachers, a concession building and a playing field for Holy Angels sports and activities. The playing surface consists of Field Turf and features a removable dome to make the field playable during the winter months. The field is uncovered during the summer.

In 1998 Holy Angels was named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education. That same year, the last group of 8th graders graduated middle school. The school chose to focus instead on just educating high school students. But, despite this closing, the high school was still growing, expanding their classroom space by 15%. In 2003 Holy Angels purchased the 26-acre (110,000 m²) campus from its founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, at a substantial discount. In that same year, they built and dedicated a new 70,000-square-foot (6,500 m²) addition that included a Convocation Center and classrooms.

Athletics

The Academy of Holy Angels is in the Tri-Metro Conference, which is part of the Minnesota State High School League

The unofficial mascot of Holy Angels is Shiner the Angel.

In 2005, both the boys and girls hockey teams won the state championship, the first time in Minnesota that the boys and girls hockey championships were from the same school.

Notable alumni

• Larry Fitzgerald, professional football player, Arizona Cardinals, 2004–present.
• Kathleen A. Blatz, retired Minnesota Supreme Court Justice, 1996–2006 (Chief Justice 1998–2006)
• Bishop Paul Sirba, Bishop of the Diocese of Duluth
• Troy Bell, a professional basketball player^[2]
• Kelly Carlson, actress^[3]
• Joseph Cure, ice hockey player and actor (Miracle)^[4]
• Susan King, professional basketball player in the WNBA^[5]
• T. R. Knight, actor, Grey's Anatomy
• Paul Thissen, Minnesota State Representative
• Emily Carlson, anchor/reporter
• Paul Peterson, musician
• Matt Kirby, musician, Quietdrive
• Gavin Kaysen, internationally-known chef
• Jack Hillen, Professional Ice Hockey Player - Defenseman, New York Islanders, Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals (2008–present)
• Tyler Duckworth, Castmate on Real World Key West, 2011 Challenge: Rivals Champion^[6]

Collegiate athletes

Football

• John Stocco, football quarterback, University of Wisconsin (2003–2006)
• Marcus Fitzgerald, football wide receiver, Marshall University (2004–2007) and younger brother of Larry Fitzgerald

Ice hockey

• Jimmy Kilpatrick, hockey forward, Colorado College (2004–2008)
• Tyler Howells, hockey defenseman, Michigan State (2003–2007)
• Mike Carman, hockey forward, University of Minnesota (2006–2010)
• Chase Polacek, hockey right wing/center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2007–present)
• Ryan Reilly, hockey forward, University of Minnesota (2012–present)
• Connor Reilly, hockey forward, University of Minnesota (2012–present)

Baseball

• Joe Loftus, baseball outfielder, Vanderbilt University (2008–2011)
• Mark Tatera, baseball utility, University of Minnesota (2011–2014), via Duke University (2010–2011)
• Lucas Long, baseball pitcher, University of San Diego (2013–2014), via Dakota County Technical College (2012–2013), via University of Arizona (2012–2013)

Soccer

• Olivia Schultz, soccer midfielder, University of Minnesota (2011–2014), via University of San Diego (2011–2012)

• Vivien Schultz, soccer midfielder, Loyola University Chicago (2015–Current)

Attended, but not alumni

• Erik Johnson (transferred to US National Team Development Program), hockey defenseman, Colorado Avalanche, 2006 NHL 1st overall draft pick by the St. Louis Blues. 2010 USA Olympian and Silver Medalist
• Larry Fitzgerald (transferred to Valley Forge Military Academy), a professional football player in the NFL.^[7]
• Christopher William Smith (transferred to public school), convicted spammer, notorious internet drug kingpin.
• Mike Reilly, (transferred to Shattuck-St. Mary's), hockey forward, University of Minnesota (2012–2015)

See also

• List of high schools in Minnesota

References

External links

• Official website

Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Ordinaries Bishops Joseph Crétin Thomas Grace Archbishops John Ireland Austin Dowling John Gregory Murray William O. Brady Leo Binz John Roach Harry Joseph Flynn John Clayton Nienstedt Coadjutor Archbishop Leo Christopher Byrne Auxiliary Bishops John Jeremiah Lawler James J. Byrne Leonard Philip Cowley Gerald Francis O'Keefe James P. Shannon John Robert Roach Raymond Alphonse Lucker Paul Vincent Dudley John Francis Kinney William Henry Bullock James Richard Ham Robert James Carlson Joseph Charron Lawrence Harold Welsh Frederick F. Campbell Richard Pates Lee A. Piché Andrew H. Cozzens Churches Cathedrals Cathedral of Saint Paul Basilica of Saint Mary Parishes Guardian Angels Church, Chaska Saint Peter's Church, Mendota Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Minneapolis Church of Saint Stephen, Minneapolis Church of St. Wenceslaus, New Prague Church of Saint Mary, New Trier Church of St. Michael, St. Michael Church of the Assumption, St. Paul Church of St. Agnes, St. Paul Church of St. Bernard, St. Paul Church of St. Casimir, St. Paul Saint Mary's Church of the Purification, Shakopee Church of the Annunciation, Webster Township Church of the Most Holy Trinity, Wheatland Township Historic Church of St. Hubertus, Chanhassen Chapel Our Lady of Victory Chapel Education Higher Education St. Catherine University University of St. Thomas Seminaries St. John Vianney College Seminary Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity High Schools Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield Benilde-St. Margaret's, St. Louis Park Bethlehem Academy, Faribault Chesterton Academy, Edina Convent of the Visitation, Mendota Heights Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Minneapolis DeLaSalle High School, Minneapolis Hill-Murray School, Maplewood Holy Family Catholic High School, Victoria Providence Academy, Plymouth Saint Agnes High School, St. Paul Saint Thomas Academy, Mendota Heights Totino-Grace High School, Fridley Priests Joseph Francis Busch Peter F. Christensen Alexander Christie James Louis Connolly Timothy J. Corbett James Albert Duffy Hilary Baumann Hacker Patrick Richard Heffron James Keane John M. LeVoir James McGolrick Thomas O'Gorman James O'Reilly Francis Joseph Schenk Alphonse James Schladweiler John Shanley Paul Sirba John Stariha Thomas Anthony Welch Catholicism Portal