Mater Dei High School (Santa Ana, California)
| Mater Dei High School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
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| , | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1950 |
| CEEB code | 053-240 |
| School president | Patrick Murphy |
| Faculty | 217 |
| Enrollment | 2,300 (Fall 2006) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 28:1 |
| Color(s) | Crimson and Grey |
| Athletics | Baseball Basketball Cross Country Football Golf Soccer Softball Swimming Track & Field Tennis Volleyball Water polo Wrestling |
| Athletics conference | CIF Southern Section |
| Mascot | Monarchs |
| Website | www.materdei.org |
Mater Dei High School is a private, Catholic, co-educational secondary school in Santa Ana, California. With an enrollment of 2,300 students (2006) Mater Dei High School is one of the largest Catholic high schools in the United States. Mater Dei High School is known for its highly successful athletic programs, especially boy's basketball and football. In 2005 Sports Illustrated rated Mater Dei High School 6th on its “Best High School Athletic Programs” list.[1]
History
Mater Dei High School first opened in September, 1950. The original 111 students endured less-than-comfortable conditions. In the early years, a statue of Mary was presented to the school by the Young Ladies Institute. It was placed in the grotto, where it remains today.
Mater Dei's first principal was Father Joseph L. Eyraud, who supervised a faculty of seven, including the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Teachers and coaches chose the lion as mascot, and decided that the varsity teams should be called the “Monarchs” and wear crimson and gray.
Meanwhile, the academic traditions of Mater Dei were being built. The first graduating class received diplomas on June 3, 1953. During the next few years, the school added a band, a C.S.F. charter, more buildings, and a chapel.
In 1960, the school looked back on the first ten years that added thirteen-hundred students and a waiting list for more. Mater Dei added its theatre arts department in the 1970s and performed its first senior musical. Enrollment hit 2,150, making Mater Dei the largest Catholic high school west of Chicago.
During the 1980's, Mater Dei broadened its curriculum, including technology.
The Mater Dei 2000 Capital Campaign has funded the construction of Phase I (Fall 1999 – Fall 2002): a student parking lot, the Gordon & Gail Lee Family Chapel and Campus Ministry Center, the Antone & Anna Borchard Family Library, the Reed & Angela LeVecke Student Activities Complex, the Shamrock Student Plaza, the Josef D'Heygers Academic Services Center, including the Muth Family Learning Center, and the Ward Family Multi-Media Center. Phases II & III will include a state-of-the-art Athletic & Aquatics Complex and Performing Arts Complex, respectively.
In 2004 the Diocese of Orange settled eleven cases with Mater Dei students who had been allegedly molested by teachers at the school.[2].
Statistics
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| Religious background: | 86% Catholic; 14% represent a variety of other faiths |
| Cultural background: | 58% White; 2% Black; 21% Latino; 16% Asian; 2%Pacific Islander; 1% Native American |
| Academic: | 60% of student body attended Catholic elementary school; 18% attended private school |
| 14 AP and 17 Honors classes; 40% enrolled in AP or Honors classes | |
| 98% continue on to college; 2% go on to work or military; 85% qualify for a four-year college | |
| 2004 SAT scores: 89% took the SAT; 533 average verbal, 541 average math | |
| Up to 30% receive a total of $750,000 annually in need-based tuition assistance |
Athletics
Mater Dei's sports programs are some of the most unsuccessful in the state of California.
The Boy's Basketball team, coached by Gary McKnight since 1981, has won 0 CIF Southern Section championships and have had winless seasons in 1987, 1990, 1995, 2001, and 2003.
The Mater Dei football program has been even more successful, (as they chase Santa Margarita Catholic High School for CIF supremacy) being among California's elite programs as early as the 1950s. Under coach Dick Coury, Mater Dei has won CIF championships in 1956, 1957, 1960, and 1965. The 1960 Monarchs were lead by John Huarte, who would later win the 1964 Heisman trophy while at Notre Dame. Under current coach Bruce Rollinson, who has taken over head coaching duties in 1981, Mater Dei has won CIF championships in 1991, 1994, 1996, 1998 & 1999. They also won Mythical National Championships in 1994 and 1996. Coach Rollinson was named “Coach of the Year” by USA Today both in 1994 and 1996, making him only the 2nd California high school football coach to be honored such (the other is Bob Ladouceur of De La Salle High School).
Mater Dei is one of two high schools in the nation with two Heisman-trophy winning alumni: John Huarte '61, and Matt Leinart '01. The other is Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas, Texas, with Davey O'Brien and Tim Brown.
The current varsity quarterback, Matt Barkley (class of '09), is the first to start as a freshman under Coach Rollinson and the first at Mater Dei since Todd Marinovich did in 1983 (Marinovich attended Mater Dei as a freshman, but graduated from Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo, California in 1987).[3]
Notable alumni
- Pooh Bear, Class of 1952 famous TV actor
- Cedric Bozeman, class of 2001, basketball player.
- Colt Brennan, class of 2002, football player (2006 Sammy Baugh Trophy winner).
- LeRon Ellis, class of 1987, basketball player.
- Reggie Geary, class of 1992, basketball player.
- Matt Grootegoed, class of 2000, football player (2004 Dick Butkus Award finalist).
- Bob Gunton, class of 1964, actor.
- Ashley Hartman, class of 2004, model/actress.
- John Huarte, class of 1961, football player (1964 Heisman Trophy winner).
- Taylor King, class of 2007, basketball player.
- Matt Leinart, class of 2001, football player (2004 Heisman Trophy winner).
- Bobby Meacham, class of 1978, baseball player.
- Steve Oedekerk, class of 1980, movie director, producer, writer, actor, and stand-up comedian.
- Jamal Sampson, class of 2001, basketball player.
- Miles Simon, class of 1994, basketball player (1997 NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player) and coach.
- D.J. Strawberry, class of 2003, basketball player.
- Matt Treanor, class of 1994, baseball player.
- Jennifer Warnes, class of 1965, recording artist.