Reunion of Champions
This coming school year marks a significant milestone for St. Joseph’s Academy - the 50th anniversary of our remarkable 1st state championship.
This incredible legacy began with the 1974-75 Basketball Team, which launched five decades of winning teams. Notably, SJA holds the highest number of state championships among all-girls schools in the State of Missouri at 65 to date! To celebrate this historic occasion, we are hosting a "Reunion of Champions." The celebration event will be held during Angel Fest on October 12, 2024, beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Please feel free to bring your families to celebrate with you! And be sure to arrive early to receive your commemorative Reunion of Champions player/coach gift. The day promises to be memorable and filled with fun, camaraderie, and the opportunity to reconnect with former teammates and coaches.
Here is an outline of the event during Angel Fest:
- Breakfast Reception and brief program: 10:00 a.m., Sr. Mary de Paul Room.
- The program will feature Alumnae athlete and former coach interviews
- Recognition of all state championship teams, athletes, and coaches: 11:30 a.m., SJA Outdoor Theater stage
- Champion Group Photo: approximately Noon.
Our athletic history and success are deeply rooted in our legacy and mission of educating young women in faith, knowledge, and respect for self and others....on and off the field and court. We are honored to recognize our Alumnae and coaches who have won state championships and greatly impacted our school's proud athletic heritage.
Online registration has now closed. Walk-ins are welcome! Please join us at the event on Saturday. Please note, you will not have a pre-printed nametag as a walk-in.
Questions? Please contact Nora Minton at nminton@sja1840.org.
Celebrating Fifty Years of a Winning Tradition
By Jeanne Wilson, ‘75
Next February marks the 50th Anniversary of St. Joe’s first State Championship – the 1975 Missouri Class 2A Girls Basketball State title. The Angels, coached by St. Joe alum Kathy Wellington Boles, ‘67, handily defeated Marceline 54-28 in front of a crowd of 4,000 at Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman) in Kirksville. The win capped the team’s perfect 24-0 season and extended their undefeated streak to 39-0 over two years. Take it from one who was in the stands, winning that first State Championship was nothing short of thrilling!
1975 was the first year that St. Joe entered the post season competition, itself only in its third year. The following year the Angels returned to take second. In 1988, the 1975 team was in the first class of inductees to the new Missouri Basketball Hall of Fame, along with all other undefeated State Championship teams up to that point. That first title set the course for a glorious legacy of State wins that continues to this day.
- Laying the Foundation
- Title IX
- Growing the Program in the Seventies and Eighties
- The Folkl Era
- An Explosion of State Titles
- “Best High School Athletic Program in the State of Missouri”
- Field Hockey, Lacrosse, and More (of the Same) Success
- A Formula for Success
Laying the Foundation
Title IX
Growing the Program in the Seventies and Eighties
The Folkl Era
An Explosion of State Titles
“Best High School Athletic Program in the State of Missouri”
Field Hockey, Lacrosse, and More (of the Same) Success
A Formula for Success