View source for Reitz Memorial High School

{{Short description|Catholic high school in Indiana, US}}
{{Distinguish|FJ Reitz High School}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{third-party|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox school
| name             = Reitz Memorial High School
| native_name      = Memorial
| image            = Reitz Memorial High School.jpg
| streetaddress    = 1500 East Lincoln Avenue
| city             = [[Evansville, Indiana|Evansville]]
| state            = [[Indiana]]
| zipcode          = 47714
| country          = [[United States]]
| coordinates      = {{coord|37|58|14|N|87|32|12|W|type:edu_region:US-IN|display=inline,title}}
| religion         = [[Roman Catholic]]
| oversight        = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Evansville|Diocese of Evansville]]
| founder          = Francis Joseph Reitz
| president        = Josh Reising
| principal        = Aaron Schmitt
| chaplain         = Zach Etienne
| teaching_staff   = 
| ratio            = 
| type             = [[Private school|Private]], [[Coeducational]]
| tuition          = $4,200–$6,600
| grades           = 9 – 12
| conference       = [[Southern Indiana Athletic Conference]]
| accreditation    = [[North Central Association of Colleges and Schools]]<ref name="NCA-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement">{{cite web|url=http://www.advanc-ed.org/oasis2/u/par/accreditation/summary?institutionId=23349|title=NCA-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement|access-date=2009-06-23|author=NCA-CASI}}</ref>
| rival            = 
| patron           = St. Joseph
| nickname         = Tigers
| colors           = {{color box|#0000CD}} Royal Blue<br>{{color box|white}} White
| yearbook         = The Review
| publication      = 
| newspaper        = The View
| established      = 1925
| status           = 
| closed           = 
| enrollment       = 664 <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&State=18&County=Vanderburgh&NumOfStudentsRange=more&IncGrade=-1&LoGrade=-1&HiGrade=-1&ID=00422306|title = Search for Private Schools - School Detail for REITZ MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL}}</ref>
| enrollment_as_of = 2019-20
| footnotes        = 
| picture          = 
| homepage         = {{URL|http://www.reitzmemorial.org}}
}}
'''Reitz Memorial High School''' or simply '''Memorial High School''' (MHS) is an inter-parochial [[Catholic school|Catholic]] high school on the east side of [[Evansville, Indiana]], United States. It sits on land bought with money donated by [[Francis Joseph Reitz]] in 1922 in memory of his parents, John Augustus and Gertrude Reitz. The school officially opened its doors on January 5, 1925. It is part of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Evansville|Diocese of Evansville]].

==History==
In 1922 [[Francis Joseph Reitz]] pledged one million dollars for the school to be built, for which he was presented with the insignia of Knight and Knight Commander of the Order of Pius IX. The original, main building was built three stories high of Ohio gray brick and elaborate trimmings of Indiana limestone with a Tudor-Gothic design. On New Year’s Day, 1925, Reitz Memorial High School, with its 18 classrooms, auditorium that was used as a gymnasium as well as a cafeteria, library, candy store, parlor, and a large recreation room, it was dedicated by Bishop Chartrand of Indianapolis. Classes began on January 5, 1925 with the Brothers of The Holy Cross from [[University of Notre Dame|Notre Dame University]] teaching the boys and the [[Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods|Sisters of Providence]] teaching the girls, each on separate floors.<ref name="auto">{{cite web | title=Reitz Memorial High School About MHS: History of Reitz Memorial High School | publisher= Reitz Memorial High School | url= http://www.reitzmemorial.org/History.aspx | access-date=2014-10-24}}</ref>

In 1969, a new addition was completed. The new wing extending along Bennighof Avenue came with expanded first and second floors, a new gym, band room, and library. [http://reitzmemorial.org/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=100283&sessionid=3592b07c145b51175a0c7c45ada22372 The new gym could hold up to 2,000 people.]

In 1998, a new addition, costing roughly $5 million was added to the western part of the building. The new wing, also known as "the west wing", added eight more classrooms, two art studios, two science labs, a wrestling room, a second, smaller auxiliary gymnasium, and a new media center. The final renovations increased the student capacity to 900 students.<ref name="auto"/>

==Athletics==
{{see also|Sports in Evansville}}
To distinguish between two schools named for members of the same family, the [[Indiana High School Athletic Association|IHSAA]] uses the name '''Evansville Memorial'''  instead of Evansville Reitz Memorial, and refers to the older [[Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation|EVSC]] run [[FJ Reitz High School]] as Evansville Reitz. Both schools compete in the [[Southern Indiana Athletic Conference]]. Their school colors are white and blue.  The following IHSAA sanctioned sports are offered:<ref name="ihsaa directory">{{cite web|title=IHSAA 2014-2015 School directory|url=http://www.ihsaa.org/dnn/Schools/Directory/tabid/585/Default.aspx|website=ihsaa.org|publisher=IHSAA|access-date=29 August 2015|page=51|format=pdf}}</ref>
{{div col}}
*Baseball (boys')
**State champions - 1978, 1989, 1993<ref name="ihsaa.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.ihsaa.org/Portals/0/ihsaa/documents/schools/State%20Championship%20by%20School.pdf|title=IHSAA State Championships by School|work=ihsaa.org|access-date=23 November 2018|date=11 July 2018}}</ref>
*Basketball (boys' and girls')
**Girls' state champions - 2011<ref name="ihsaa.org"/>
*Cross country (boys' and girls')
*Football (boys')
**State champions - 2017, 2019<ref name="ihsaa.org"/>
*Golf (boys' and girls')
*Soccer (boys & girls)
**Boys' state champions - 2007, 2008, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2024<ref name="ihsaa.org"/>
**Girls' state champions - 1996, 2008, 2012, 2017, 2021, 2022<ref name="ihsaa.org"/>
*Softball (girls)
**State champions - 2002
*Swimming (boys' and girls')
*Tennis (boys' and girls')
**Girls' state champions - 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2012<ref name="ihsaa.org"/>
*Track (boys' and girls')
*Volleyball (girls')
*Wrestling (boys')
{{div col end}}RMHS also competes in the [[Modern competitive archery|National Archery in the Schools Program]], placing 4th, 2nd, 2nd, and 2nd in the 2016-2019 Indiana NASP State Tournaments, as well as placing 1st in the 2018 Centershot Ministries World Tournament.<ref>{{Cite web|title=NASP® Tournaments|url=https://nasptournaments.org/school.aspx?oid=5068|access-date=2020-09-16|website=nasptournaments.org}}</ref>

==Notable alumni==
{{alumni|date=October 2015}}

=== Athletics ===
* [[Scott Cannon]]: Former professional soccer player in [[Major League Soccer]], [[American Professional Soccer League]], [[National Professional Soccer League (1984–2001)|National Professional Soccer League]], and [[United Soccer Leagues|USL]]; current Director of Coaching for Black Watch Premier (Rhode Island).
* [[Bob Hargrave]]: Quarterback of the 1937 Mythical National Championship football team (for Memorial), Honorable mention All-American Quarterback for the University of Notre Dame.
* [[Billy Hillenbrand]]: Former All-American halfback for the NCAA [[Indiana Hoosiers football|Indiana Hoosiers]]; AAFC football player (1946–48) for the [[Chicago Rockets]] and [[Baltimore Colts (1947–50)|Baltimore Colts]] (1946 – 1948).
* [[Dick Kercher]], halfback and defensive back for the [[Detroit Lions]] (1954).<ref>Jimmy Fraser, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/evansville-courier-and-press-memorial-sl/156178156/ "Memorial Slight Choice to Regain City Football Championship,"] ''Evansville Courier and Press,'' Sept. 5, 1948, p. 18.</ref>
* [[Kyle Kuric]]: Former NCAA basketball player at the [[University of Louisville]] (2008 – 2012); professional in the Spanish League.
* [[Max Lachowecki]]: Professional soccer player for the [[Tampa Bay Rowdies]] of the [[USL Championship]].
* [[Don Mattingly]]: Former MLB [[New York Yankees]] first baseman (1982 – 1995) and coach (2004 – 2007); former MLB Los Angeles Dodgers coach (2008 – 2010) and former MLB Miami Marlins manager (2011 – 2022).
* [[Jeff Schulz]]: Former MLB outfielder for The Kansas City Royals (1989–90) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1991).
* [[Larry Stallings]]: Former NFL [[Arizona Cardinals|St Louis Cardinals]] linebacker (1963 – 1976); Pro Bowl 1970.

=== Business ===
* [[William C. Stone]]: Founder, Chairman and CEO of SS&C Technologies.

=== Entertainment ===
* [[Philip Lawrence (songwriter)|Philip Lawrence]]: Songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, and [[voice actor]] best known for his work with the songwriting and production team [[The Smeezingtons]], alongside [[Bruno Mars]].
* [[Jama Williamson]]: theater and television actress, she appeared as Wendy Haverford on NBC's [[Parks and Recreation]].

=== Politics ===
* [[J. Jeff Hays|Jeff Hays]]: member of the Indiana House of Representatives from 1970 to 1996.
* [[Jonathan Weinzapfel]]: 33rd mayor of [[Evansville, Indiana]] (2004 – 2012); Chancellor of [[Ivy Tech]].

==See also==
* [[List of high schools in Indiana]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.reitzmemorial.org Official school website]

{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Evansville}}
{{Roman Catholic High Schools in Indiana}}
{{Vanderburgh County High Schools}}
{{High Schools in Southwestern Indiana}}
{{Southern Indiana Athletic Conference (SIAC)}}

[[Category:High schools in Southwestern Indiana]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1925]]
[[Category:Catholic secondary schools in Indiana]]
[[Category:Private high schools in Indiana]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic Diocese of Evansville]]
[[Category:Schools in Evansville, Indiana]]
[[Category:Southern Indiana Athletic Conference]]
[[Category:1925 establishments in Indiana]]