Best Moment of 2025 For Every Prep Sports Team

As 2025 nears its end, it comes the time to reminisce about the best Prep sports moments over the past calendar year. From exciting moments such as winning the PCL Championship to taking on the best high school teams in each respective sport, The Prep has had its fair share of exciting matchups, incredible victories, and continuation of rivalries. So grab a snack and enjoy some of the best moments of every Prep sports team from the 2025 calendar year.

Basketball: A Visit to The Palestra and Coach Clark’s Hiring

It was a journey that took 7 years to fulfill. The Hawks’ varsity basketball team finished their 2025 PCL schedule with a staggering 13-1 record, before entering the PCL playoffs as the top seed. Jordan Ellerbee ‘25, Jaron McKie ‘25, Olin Chamberlain Jr. ‘25, Mekhi Robertson ‘27, and Will Lesovitz ‘26 shined as the starting five under then-Head Coach Jason Harrigan’s final season with the program. In the playoffs, after their well-earned playoff bye, the Hawks knocked off Archbishop Wood and then faced Father Judge at the University of Pennsylvania’s historic Palestra. Although the outcome was not what any Prep fan could have hoped for, the Hawks revealed a bright future for The Prep’s basketball program, and Hawks new-Head Coach Chris Clark ‘04 hopes to get it started.

Wrestling: A Few of the Best Wrestlers in Pennsylvania

The varsity wrestling team has had many incredible athletes in the program’s history, but the duo of Maxwell Roy ‘25 and John Boggs ‘27 was one of the best in the state. These two football stars were monsters on the wrestling mat. Roy was the second best wrestler in Pennsylvania and Boggs was the seventh in both of their respective weight classes. Roy’s incredible career with the program capped off with two major achievements: recording his 100th win and holding the most wins of all-time at The Prep.

Mountain Biking: The Program Wins Its First-Ever Team Podium 

After five years of the program’s existence as a varsity sport, the Prep’s varsity mountain biking team won its first team podium. A goal that has long been sought by the program, the team finished their season ranked at third place in the NJICL (New Jersey Interscholastic Cycling League)  and placed multiple times as a team. This incredible accomplishment showcased the team’s commitment to growth, both athletically and as a team. Now, the team has set a new precedent and built a reputation after this exceptional season, setting the tone for a successful season to hopefully follow, building to the program’s current successes.

Rugby: A Huge Comeback Win in Italy

Over spring break, the rugby varsity 15’s team travelled to Italy and competed in matches against Italian programs. But by far, the highlight of this trip occurred in monsoon-like conditions in Northern Italy. While taking on the Verona U-19 select side, the team was down by 12 points with less than five minutes left to play in the game. In an epic turn of events, the Prep’s varsity team rallied back, shocking the Verona program and marking an incredible moment for the team and their international tour.

Lacrosse: Battling Top-Ranked Programs and a Return to the PCL Chip

The Hawks’ lacrosse team had one of its best wins of all time during the 2025 season. The Prep battled Radnor High School on May 9th and both teams exchanged shots until the very end. Three clutch goals from attacker Luke Bieberbach ‘25 gave the Hawks a 7-6 win over Radnor. Radnor is consistently one of the best public school teams in the nation and the Prep’s win over the Radnor Raptors is a huge step forward for the future of an already rising program. The Prep also returned to the PCL championship but unfortunately lost 6-2 to LaSalle College High School. The 2025 season will be one of the most influential seasons for the future of St. Joe’s Prep’s lacrosse program.

Track and Field: A Nationally Recognized Performance

The Prep’s track team had a remarkable season, headlined by the 4x800 relay. The relay broke the school record multiple times, lowering the long standing time to 7 minutes and 45 seconds. The runners (Noah Popp ‘26, RJ Mallery ‘25, Brady Falcon ‘25, and Dan Gordon ‘25) swept the PCL championship, winning both indoor and outdoor. The relay finished the indoor season placing 3rd at Nike Indoor Nationals. Outdoors, the team placed 8th at the Penn Relays Championship of America race and 2nd at the Pennsylvania state championship meet, just .18 seconds off 1st. The team capped off an incredible season running yet another school record at New Balance Nationals. 

Cross Country: Coach Cockenberg ‘71 Celebrates His 50th Season

There are few people more legendary at The Prep than Coach Curt Cockenberg ‘71. A legend in every sense of the word, every single school record holder was trained by him. An inaugural inductee to the Prep’s Hall of Excellence, he now celebrates his 50th season as the head cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field coach. Coach Cockenburg has not slowed down at all, as his athletes have continued to break school records.

Crew: U17 Eight Takes Gold on the National Stage and Varsity Competes in Boston

After a long spring season, the Hawks’ crew team ventured down south for their annual journey to Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, FL for their national championship races. Coached by Head Coach John Fife, the U17 Eight took first place in their respective race, the only boat from The Prep to do so. Rowers (James Cullen, Steven Brown, Jack Hricko, John Michael DeLaurentiis, Gabriel Sohlich-Miller, Joseph Nolan, Quinn Bransfield, and Martin Boeckheler from the Class of 2027) and coxswain (David O’Connor ‘27) received gold medals for their amazing performance. Additionally, the team shipped up to Boston to compete in the 2025 Head of the Charles Regatta in the fall. The youth men's eight shined in the nationally-renowned event, as their race ended in second place finish, less than a second behind their competitors, St. Paul's, a crew from the U.K. that advanced to the semi-finals of last year's Henley Royal Regatta.

Hockey: Coach Van Kula’s Hiring as New Head Coach

The 2024-2025 Prep varsity hockey team finished with a 12-10-1 record. Over the offseason, the Hawks made a switch at head coach for the new season, and on May 5, 2025, the Prep officially announced that Charlie Van Kula ‘14 was officially the new head coach. Van Kula was a hockey player in the program during his years at The Prep. He was a walk-on goalie at Boston University and has been a referee for the Division I and III levels for the past few seasons. Van Kula has been a member of the Institutional Advancement Team since 2022 and the JV Gray hockey coach for the past three seasons. To start the season, the varsity squad jumped early to a 5-0 record and the team averaged three goals per game during that time. The new head coach now looks to lead the team to compete for the APAC Championship and the Flyers Cup.

Swimming and Diving: Placing at States and Beating Time Goals

After four and a half months of intense practice, the Hawks’ swimming and diving team continued on with their journey, placing at the PIAA State Championship races. The team finished in second place in total team points for the races and accomplished time goals as part of the process. The team’s commitment to success culminated in a way that reflected the hard work and dedication placed into the sport. Overall, the Hawks demonstrated persistence and resilience over the course of the season.

Squash: Qualifying for DVI Nationals for First Time 

Last year’s squash season was highlighted with back-to-back wins versus LaSalle. With a sweep in the season series, the Prep not only established a stronger presence in Philadelphia squash, but also qualified for Division VI Nationals for the first time. Moving up from Division VII the year before, the group competed against tougher teams than ever before. Though the team fell short in Nationals, the entire season revealed growth both for players individually and for the team as a whole.

Volleyball: Dueling with LaSalle and Celebrating Senior Leadership

The 2025 Prep Varsity Volleyball season showcased the talents of many seniors who have contributed to team success over the years. Senior varsity captain Fernando Nido ‘25 was one of the best players on the team and a PCL All-Catholic. In one of their two matchups against LaSalle, although the team lost 2-1, the team demonstrated resilience and determination, swiping the first set and taking an early lead. Despite the defeat, the team continued the rest of their season and enjoyed the company of their 2025 senior athletes.

Golf: Hoisting the Program’s 9th PCL Title

Entering the 2025 PCL Boys’ Golf Championship at Jeffersonville Golf Club, the Hawks’ golf team sought to end the PCL season on a successful note. As Head Coach Matt Brennan ‘87 led a walkthrough with his players of the course, he knew he gave his players all the knowledge they needed to reign victorious. The Hawks’ score of 305 bested the rival LaSalle Explorers by 8 strokes, securing new hardware for The Prep. Captain John Diamond ‘26 led the charge with his score of 73, Patrick Rode ‘27 and Greg Kriz ‘27 each notched a 76, and Griffin Coyle ‘26 finished with an 80. Coach Brennan is hopeful for a successful future as the team will see familiar faces next year.

Baseball: A Late Season Push to the Playoffs

Inconsistency was not The Prep’s friend throughout the season. However, in the final four PCL games of the season, the varsity team won three games out of four. ||| This late push led the team to secure the #7 seed, setting up a face-off against Cardinal O’Hara in the first round of the playoffs. The Prep started off on the wrong foot, as they allowed O’Hara to take the lead early. But, the incredible turnaround from Chris Grasso ‘27 on the mound and Eddie Dingle ‘25 to close out the game led the Prep to a playoff victory. While the Hawks would fall to Archbishop Wood in the quarterfinals, the core of the varsity baseball team proved that they can deliver in big moments.

Tennis: A Regroup and a Competitive Season in the PCL

The Hawks’ young team had a season that revealed signs of great success in years to come. The team accomplished great feats, such as having a regular-season win against future PCL Champions Devon Prep – along with 3rd place finishes for James McAleer ‘26 in District XII singles and the duo of Ethan Cosgrove ‘27 and James McAleer ‘26 in doubles. To top it off, the team’s freshman doubles duo (Jude DeAnnuntis ‘28 and Charlie Atkins ‘28) earned first team All-Catholic awards. With all of the team’s varsity starters returning, last season was a sign of great things to come for the squad. 

Football: A Trip to Florida and an Intense National Schedule

The Hawks’ 2025 national football schedule was unlike ever before. The Hawks endured Florida’s humidity and tropical weather during a dreary, national-televised matchup against American Heritage, broadcasted on ESPN2 (and WSJP). After a tough, heartbreaking loss, the Hawks took on DeMatha Catholic in Delaware in another unfortunate turn of events. Eventually, the Hawks played on familiar soil with back-to-back games at University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field, taking on nationally-ranked, top 5 St. Frances Academy and finally, Our Lady of Good Counsel. While the Hawks started off shaky with a 1-3 record, the team showcased their talented offense, stout defense, and electric special teams.

Soccer: A Breakthrough Season Leads to the PCL Semi-finals

The varsity soccer team was hot right out of the gun, boasting an incredible 7-0-2 record before their first loss to Penn Charter. The Hawks, who were led by second-year Head Coach John McIntyre, battled adversity and defeated some tough opponents en route to the playoffs. Some major regular season victories include a walk-off 2-1 OT win against Father Judge from a Will Powers ‘26 penalty kick and a shutout 2-0 victory over LaSalle. The Hawks took down Archbishop Wood in the playoffs before being eliminated by LaSalle. The end result was not favored by Prep fans, but the season showed resilience and excitement for the future.