The Catholic High School Athletic Association or CHSAA is a high school athletic association made up of Catholic high schools based in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester. It is the largest Catholic high school athletic league in the United States.
The NYCHSAA is divided into three sections.
New York's Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) was formed in March 1927. The Catholic schools in the city from approximately 1908 to 1922 competed along with their grammar school counterparts in baseball and track, but no larger organization arose from the competition. The Catholic secondary schools of the city remained largely unorganized, while their counterparts in such cities as Chicago and Philadelphia had been organized into leagues for years. Finally, in 1927, the Southern Branch of the New York Catholic High Schools’ Athletic Association organized league competition with an outdoor track meet held at Fordham University on May 26, 1927. The charter members of the league were Fordham Prep, All Hallows, LaSalle Academy, Regis, St. Ann’s, and Xavier High, all in Manhattan; and Brooklyn Prep, Bishop Loughlin, Brooklyn Cathedral, St. John’s Prep, and St. Francis Prep; all in Brooklyn.
In 1928, the CHSAA introduced indoor track, basketball, and baseball to the program, and in 1929 added cross country and ice hockey. In 1930, swimming was added to the program. The basketball winner would compete with the three other sectional winners in the state for the right to compete in the Loyola National Catholic Basketball tournament in Chicago. A.G. Spalding & Co. contributed two silver loving cups for the baseball and football competition. The first team winning the league title in baseball or football three times would receive permanent possession of the cup.
Listed below are former CHSAA students who are/were involved in professional or college athletics.
All Hallows Gaels
Olden Polynice (1983) – Former NBA player
Archbishop Molloy Stanners:
Xavier Rescigno (1930) – Former Major League baseball player.
Lou Carnesecca (1943) – St. John's University basketball coach
Tommy Kearns (1954) – Former NBA Player
York Larese (1956) – Former NBA Player
Tom Farrell (1962) – Bronze medalist in the 800 metres run at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City
Jim Larranaga (1967) – College men's basketball coach at George Mason University
Kevin Joyce (1969) – NBA player and Captain of the 1972 USA Olympic Basketball Team
Brian Winters (1970) – Former NBA All-Star and Coach
Vitas Gerulaitis (1971) – Former professional tennis player & winner of the 1977 Australian Open
Edward Kurpiel (1971) – Former Major League Baseball player
Kenny Smith (1983) – Former NBA All-Star and two-time NBA Champion and current television sports host and analyst who hit the buzzer-beating tying 3-pointer to send Game 1 of the 1995 NBA Finals into overtime, where the Rockets would eventually win.
Robert Werdann (1988) – Former NBA Player
Kenny Anderson (1989) – Former NBA All-Star and three-time parade All-American, the first prep to achieve that feat since Lew Alcindor. Held the New York State High School Scoring Record for 18 years, with 2,621 points.
Mike Jerzembeck (1991) – Former Major League Pitcher
Uka Agbai (1999) – Assistant Men's Basketball coach at Northeastern University
Sundiata Gaines (2005) - NBA Player
Archbishop Stepinac Crusaders:
Marty Conlon (1986) – 10 year NBA career with Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics.
Art White (1968) – 4th round draft pick of Milwaukee Bucks, played professionally in Belgium.
Bob Hyland (1963) – 1st round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 1967. Played 11 seasons in the NFL. Super Bowl IIChampion under Vince Lombardi.
Eric Ogbogu (1994) – NCAA Hula Bowl MVP at Maryland. Drafted in 1998 by New York Jets. Curren national spokesperson for Under Armour.
Brian Sweeney (1992) – MLB pitcher for the San Diego Padres
Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School Lions:
Ronald Holmberg (1956) - Professional Tennis Player
Mark Jackson (1983) – NBA Player
Devin Ebanks (2007) - NBA Player
Doron Lamb - NBA Player
JayVaughn Pinkston (2010) McDonald's All American Villanova University- Basketball
Cardinal Hayes Cardinals:
Jamal Mashburn (1990) – NBA Player
Will Colon (2001) – NFL Player
Jimmy Black (1981) – University of North Carolina Tar Heels and New Jersey Nets
Stalin Colinet (1992) - NFL Player
Gerry Ward - NBA
Dermie O'Connell - NBA
Kevin Loughery - NBA
Brooklyn Preparatory School Eagles:
John Dockery – New York Jets
Kenny Charles – NBA
Chaminade Flyers:
Joe Mullaney (1943) – Collegiate and professional basketball coach
Al Groh (1962) – former New York Jets head coach and current head coach of the University of Virginia
Gene Larkin (1980) – first baseman for the Minnesota Twins who drove in the winning run in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series
John Paul Foschi (2000) – tight end for the Oakland Raiders
John Lannan (2002) – MLB pitcher for the Washington Nationals
Christ the King Royals:
Jayson Williams (1986) – Former NBA Player
Allen Watson (1989) – Former MLB Player
Steve Karsay (1990) – Former MLB Player
Khalid Reeves (1991) – Former NBA Player
Derrick Phelps (1991) – Former NBA Player
Erick Barkley (1996) – NBA Player
Speedy Claxton (1996) – NBA Player
Chamique Holdsclaw (1996) – Former WNBA Player
Lamar Odom (1995) – NBA Player
Sue Bird (1999) – WNBA Player
Omar Cook (2000) – NBA Player
Fordham Prep Rams:
Frankie Frisch (1916) – MLB Hall of Famer, also known as "The Fordham Flash," he is third all-time on the list for Series hits, behind Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle and just ahead of Joe DiMaggio.
Johnny Murphy (1925) – former New York Yankees pitcher who appeared in a total of 8 World Series games, pitched 16.1 innings, and had an E.R.A. of 1.10.
George Stirnwiess (1936) – former second baseman for the New York Yankees who also was the American League batting champion in 1945.
Vin Scully (1944) – baseball announcer in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Radio Hall of Fame, American Sportscasters Hall of Fame. He has been broadcasting Dodger games, first in Brooklyn and then in Los Angeles, since 1950.
Donnie Walsh (1957) – former coach and basketball executive; front office advisor for Indiana Pacers
Robert Hackett (1977) – silver medalist in swimming at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal
Holy Cross High School Knights:
Kevin Ogletree – Detroit Lions
Iona Prep Gaels:
Dick Ambrose (1971) – Former NFL Player
John Mara (1972) – Co-owner of the New York Giants
Rob Spence (1978) – former Offensive Coordinator at several US universities
Brian Slocum (1999) – MLB player, pitches for the Cleveland Indians
Kellenberg Memorial High School
Jon Harris (1992) - Former NFL Player
La Salle Academy Cardinals:
John Roche (1968) – Former NBA Player
John Candelaria (1988) – Former MLB Player
Ron Artest (1998) – NBA Player
Nazareth Regional High School Kingsmen:
Mike Dunleavy, Sr. (1972) – former NBA player, NBA Head Coach
Power Memorial Academy Panthers:
Brendan Malone (1960) - assistant coach Detroit Pistons
Dick Bavetta (1958) - NBA Referee, 30+ years
Lew Alcindor (1966) – NBA Hall of Famer, 6 NBA Championships
Len Elmore (1970) – former NBA player
Matt Centrowitz (1973) – US Olympic runner, 1976 & 1980
Joe Mullen (1975) – NHL Hall of Famer, 3 Stanley Cup Championships
Brian Mullen (1980) – former NHL player
Mario Elie (1981) – former NBA player, 3 NBA Championships
Rice Raiders:
Kemba Walker (2008) – NBA player
Salesian Eagles:
Eric Mobley (1989) – NBA Player. 1st round draft pick of 1994 NBA Draft.
St. Francis Prep Terriers:
Vince Lombardi (1932) – NFL Hall of Famer
Joe Torre (1959) – New York Yankees manager
Mike Cavataio (2007) College Basketball at St. John's University
Marco Battaglia (1991) NFL Tight End from 1996–2003
Dan Henning (1960) Miami Dolphins Offensive Coordinator,former Head Football Coach of Boston College, creator of the Wildcat formation
St. Raymond's Ravens:
Julius Hodge (1996) – NBA Player
Allan Ray (1996) – NBA Player
Kareem Reid (1994) - Arkansas Razorbacks' all-time leader in assists.
Xaverian Clippers:
Chris Mullin (1981) – NBA Hall of Famer, All-Star and member of the Original Dream Team
Rich Aurilia (1989) – MLB player
Chris Taft (2003) – NBA player
Xavier Knights/Cadets:
Frank McGuire (1933) – College Basketball Coach, member Basketball Hall of Fame
George Kaftan (1945) – NBA Player
Michael Petri (2002) – USA Rugby
