St. Thomas Aquinas High School (Kansas)

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Saint Thomas Aquinas High School
The Seal of Saint Thomas Aquinas High School.png
Saint Thomas Aquinas high school building.png
Location
St. Thomas Aquinas High School (Kansas)
11411 Pflumm Road

Overland Park
,
Kansas
66215

United States
Coordinates 38°55′20″N94°44′24″W / 38.92222°N 94.74000°W / 38.92222; -94.74000
Information
Type Private, Coeducational
MottoAmor Vincit Omnia
(Love Conquers All)
Religious affiliation Roman Catholic
Established1988
School district Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
PresidentBrian Schenck
PrincipalCraig Moss
ChaplainFather Colm Larkin
Grades 9-12
Enrollment918
ColorsNavy Blue   and Old Gold  
Athletics conferenceEastern Kansas League [1]
Nickname The Saints
Accreditation Cognia (education) [2]
NewspaperThe Shield
YearbookMedallion
Website stasaints.net

Saint Thomas Aquinas High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Overland Park, Kansas, United States, serving students in grades 9-12. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. The current chaplain is Fr. Colm Larkin; the president is Brian Schenck, and the principal is Craig Moss; vice-principals are Kara DiCarlo and Dr. Lori Greeson. Saint Thomas Aquinas is one of several private high schools located in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The school colors are navy blue and old gold.

Contents

The school was established in 1988 in order to accommodate the growing Roman Catholic population in south Johnson County, Kansas. It is the successor to St. Joseph/Aquinas High School, which was located in the present-day Early Education Center on the campus of Joseph Catholic Church in Shawnee, Kansas.

Saint Thomas Aquinas is a member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association and offers a variety of sports programs. Athletic teams compete in the 5A division (Football competed in 4A for the 2022 and 2023 seasons [3] and again in the 2026 and 2027 seasons [4] ) and are known as the "Saints". Extracurricular activities are also offered in the form of performing arts, student media, student council, clubs, and club sports. [5]

History

St. Joseph and Aquinas High School

St. Joseph high school opened in 1931 (first graduating class in 1934) as a co-educational parish high school for St. Joseph Roman Catholic parish in Shawnee, Kansas. In 1980, responsibility for the high school was expanded from just St. Joseph parish to the entire Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. To reflect this, the name was changed to "Aquinas High School," after Thomas Aquinas, patron saint of Catholic schools. The Shawnee campus could accommodate about two hundred students. [6]

Saint Thomas Aquinas High School

The Archdiocese takeover included plans to open a new larger building on land adjacent to Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, about 6.5 miles south and one mile west of the Shawnee campus. The new building, which could accommodate more than one thousand students, was open for the 1988-89 school year. The name was expanded from "Aquinas High School" to "Saint Thomas Aquinas High School" at the new building, as well as a new athletic nickname and mascot: "The Saints." [6]

The Shawnee high school building was returned to St. Joseph parish, which uses the gymnasium and stadium for its primary school and for CYO competitions, and operates the St. Joseph Early Education Center in other parts of the building. [7]

Building expansions

Major expansions to the current campus began after only three years, in 1991, with the addition of a stadium, theater and performing arts wing, air conditioning in classrooms, and a second classroom building. The second building was originally referred to as "SMC" because it housed the Johnson County offices of Saint Mary College, which held classes in the building at night. [8]

In 2002, an "Auxiliary Gym" was added to the main building to allow more athletic practices and events to occur simultaneously. [8]

In 2017, the new "Innovation Lab" makerspace and Engineering classroom and an adjacent hallway attaching the former SMC building to the main building were added. Administration and counseling offices moved over to the offices in the former St. Mary's space, making room for new classrooms in the main building. Safety and comfort were improved, as one no longer needed to go outside to get to these classrooms and offices. [8]

Also built in 2017 were a new strength and training facility, and better access to the Auxiliary Gym via a new hallway. [8]

In 2024, the school debuted its first track on campus, surrounding a second artificial turf field. They also expanded the school building creating a 2D Art classroom, 3D Art classroom, Band classroom, Theatre classroom and dressing rooms, and a large multipurpose room. [9] This expansion allowed transformation of old spaces into a new Nursing Lab, Presentation Room, Theatre Green Room, and maintenance storage space. [10]

Academics

Saint Thomas Aquinas High School was designated a Blue Ribbon School in 2012. National Blue Ribbon Schools seal.svg
Saint Thomas Aquinas High School was designated a Blue Ribbon School in 2012.

In 2012, Saint Thomas Aquinas was awarded the Blue Ribbon Award for excellence in education by the US Department of Education. [12]

For the 2008–09 and 2009-2010 school years, Saint Thomas Aquinas was recognized by the Kansas State Board of Education for achieving excellence in reading, writing and mathematics. [13]

Beginning in 2011, 27 credits are now required for graduation. [14]

In 2024, to coincide with new academic spaces, Saint Thomas Aquinas adjusted graduation requirements to allow students more opportunities to take additional Health Sciences (Nursing, OT, etc), Business, and STEM classes. [15]

Extracurricular activities

Non-athletic programs

Choir Program

Saint Thomas Aquinas has a total of five choirs. The Swingin' Saints (Mixed Show Choir), Saintsations (Girls Show Choir), girls chorale, concert choir, and chamber choir. Concert choir, chamber, and chorale have received multiple "One" ratings at the KSHSAA Large Group Contest. [16] The two show choirs compete at competitions in Kansas [17] , Missouri [18] , Iowa, [19] and Nebraska [20] .

Debate/Forensics

The school offers debate and forensics programs for students. The Saints debate team won KSHSAA state championships in 2006, 2008 and 2011. [21]

Athletics

Saint Thomas Aquinas athletic teams are known as The Saints. They compete in the Eastern Kansas League (EKL), and are members of the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA). The Saints are, in 2025-26, classified by KSHSAA as a 5A school. The EKL consists of 4A, 5A, and 6A schools.

The Saints have won two National Championships (Boys Soccer, 1994 and 2009), 135 KSHSAA State Championships (as of Fall 2025), more than 56 State Championship Runners-up, and more than 265 League, District, Regional, and Sub-State Championships. That includes a record eight KSHSAA State championships during the 2006–2007 school year. [22]

Soccer

The Saints have won a combined 36 State Championships in Boys and Girls Soccer, which includes eight straight State titles for boys from 2003 to 2010 and seven straight state titles for the girls from 2010 to 2016. Additionally, the boys' team won National Championship in 1994 and 2009 according to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. [23] [24] After winning the National Championship in 2009, head coach Craig Ewing was honored as the national boys coach of the year for private and parochial schools by the NSCCAA. [25] Ewing had twice previously been selected as the NSCAA's girls soccer coach of the year. [25] Coach Ewing will be inducted into the United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) Hall of Fame in January 2026. [26]

Cross Country

The Saints Girls Cross Country team repeated as State Champs in 2009. STA State Champs09.png
The Saints Girls Cross Country team repeated as State Champs in 2009.

The Saints Cross Country program has been a state championship contender since its very first season. The girls team placed second at the 1988 4A championship and second in 5A in 1991. [27]

During the 2000, 2001, and 2002 seasons, The Saints competed in the 6A division (the largest class in KSHSAA). In 2002, Saints Boys Cross Country placed 3rd at the 6A state championship, but the team would have been the state champions had they been in the 5A division. The Saints returned to competing the 5A division the following season. [27]

In 2006, both teams won the state title. The Saints have repeated the state sweep in 2008, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018. [27]

The 2013 Saints girls team set an unbreakable record at the championship with a perfect score of 15 as all five Saints runners finished in the top five spots. [27]

In 2015 the boys set the state meet record with a score of 22 points. Saints runners took the top four spots. [27]

The Saints boys won seven straight state titles from 2014 to 2020, and the girls won six state titles from 2012 to 2016 and in 2018. [27]

Golf

The Saints girls Golf team were the first Saints to win a KSHSAA championship, in the fall of 1992. They won again in 1996 and 1997. The Saints won in 2002, placed second in 2003 and 2004, then won six consecutive championships from 2007 to 2012 and have had multiple individual champions as well. The girls golf team won the school's 100th state championship in 2017, then repeated in 2018. [27]

The boys' golf team placed second seven times from 1995 to 2006. The Saints finally won in 2007, repeated in 2008, won again in 2011, 2016, 2017 and has also produced individual state champions. [28]

Football

The school alumni undertook an ambitious effort to raise $500,000 to replace the football field's turf in 2022. Aquinas' head football coach is Randy Dreiling, who came to Aquinas in 2013 after successfully coaching the Hutchinson High School Salthawks. [29]

State championships

State championships [27]
SeasonSportTitlesYears won
FallBoys soccer171992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2020
Boys cross country121994, 1996, 2006, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Girls cross country102004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
Girls golf131992, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019
Girls volleyball101995, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2014, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024, 2025
Football32018, 2023, 2024
Girls tennis22008, 2009
Cheer12022
WinterWrestling22005, 2007
Girls basketball122001, 2004, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025
Debate32006, 2008, 2011
Scholars Bowl 21992, 2003
SpringBoys golf62007, 2008, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2018
Girls soccer201993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Boys track and field32003, 2016, 2017
Girls track and field52006, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2021
Baseball52007, 2014, 2016, 2024, 2025
Softball31997, 2008, 2025
Boys tennis22011, 2012
Girls swimming and diving22010, 2018
Forensics12006
Total135

Exchange programs

The school has an exchange program with Yonago High School in Yonago, Japan. [30]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ Eastern Kansas League. "Eastern Kansas League" . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  2. ↑ Cognia. "Cognia Accreditation Registry" . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Power move: St. Thomas Aquinas drops to Class 4A for football in 2022-23" . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Football Classifications and Enrollments-Descending Order 2026 & 2027" (PDF). Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Student Life".
  6. 1 2 "Our History" . Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  7. ↑ "History" . Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Capital Projects Historical Overview" . Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  9. ↑ "St. Thomas Aquinas High School" . Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  10. ↑ "We Are Called capital campaign" . Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Blue Ribbon Schools" (English). Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  12. ↑ "2012 National Blue Ribbon Schools All Public and Private" (PDF). p. 11. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  13. ↑ "2008-09 Standard of Excellence" (English). Retrieved February 18, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Graduation Requirements". Archived from the original (English) on July 18, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2009.
  15. ↑ "New Graduation Requirements" (English). Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  16. ↑ "2021 State Large Group Music Festivals - Division I Rankings" (English). Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Blue Valley Tiger Takedown 2025".
  18. ↑ "Webb City Showcase 2025".
  19. ↑ "Lewis Central Clash of the Titans 2020".
  20. ↑ "Omaha Westside Competition Of Excellence 2024".
  21. ↑ "State Debate Champions" (English). Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  22. ↑ "School Championships" (English). Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  23. ↑ National Soccer Coaches Association of America June 13, 2006
  24. ↑ "That was one fine '09". Archived from the original (English) on January 5, 2011. Retrieved February 18, 2010.
  25. 1 2 "St. Thomas Aquinas soccer coach Craig Ewing receives national honor" (English). Retrieved February 18, 2010.[ dead link ]
  26. ↑ "Ewing, Miller, Sampson, and Waldrum Named to 2026 Hall of Fame Class".
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "KSHSAA Gallery of Champions - Search: "Overland Park-St. Thomas Aquinas" - "All Activities"".
  28. ↑ "SM East, St. Thomas Aquinas win boys golf state titles". kansascity. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  29. ↑ Informer Staff. "Randy Dreiling resigns as Hutchinson head football coach". DerbyInformer.com. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  30. ↑ Esfeld, Jill Ragard. "The Japanese Connection" (Archive)
  31. ↑ "Angelo Allegri - 2022-23 - Men's Basketball". Eastern Washington University Athletics.
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