As alumnae once again walked through the doors of St. Joe and immediately felt the welcoming St. Joe spirit, they were able to celebrate their determination, teamwork, passion, and unity. On October 12, 2024, St. Joseph’s Academy warmly welcomed alumnae back to school to celebrate the anniversary of the 50th State Championship through the Reunion of Champions.
The day started with Angel Fest: pony rides, a Bubble Bus, arts and crafts, and music. It was a wonderful fall day to welcome back St. Joseph’s Academy alumnae, family, and friends. Alumnae were able to see the upgrades to the school and all that St. Joe students are up to. Many memories were recalled as alumnae who graduated 5 to 75 years ago were back on campus. Following Angel Fest, the Advancement team, Alumnae Relations, and the Athletics department came together to plan an event to celebrate the legacy of championship athletics at the Reunion of Champions. This event was a great time to honor the many State Championships the Angels have won in the past and present.
St. Joseph’s Academy’s state championships date back many years when St. Joe won their first state championship in basketball in 1975. The basketball team won this championship during the time of the passing of Title IX, a federal law
prohibiting sex-based discrimination in any school or education program, moving St. Joe forward to being the athletic school that it is today.
Jeanne Wilson, who graduated from the class of 1975, explains the impact that Title IX had on her and her teammates.
“Title IX had an immediate impact by helping to fuel the explosion of girls’ and women’s sports as schools at every level and of every kind scrambled to provide a level playing field for their female students by adding and funding sports and teams,” Ms. Wilson said.
Many St. Joe girls were able to become more successful in their athletics at St. Joe, and some were even offered scholarships and funding because of this new law. Continuing to build its athletic program, St. Joe was named “Best High School Athletic Program in the State of Missouri” in 2005 by Sports Illustrated.
The Reunion of Champions was a great celebration to dedicate time to the St. Joe women who have made St. Joe athletics so important. Currently, St. Joe has 65 state championships, the most of any all-girls school in Missouri. Along with this, close to 600 alumnae have been a part of a state championship team, with 50 alumnae who were individual state champions.
Margie Edwards, marketing manager, shared her experiences with the Reunion of Champions.
“I think it was important that we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of our first state championship because St. Joe has established such an amazing legacy of athletics,” Ms. Edwards said.
All state champion alumnae, along with former coaches and athletic directors, were invited back to St. Joseph’s Academy for the Reunion of Champions, bringing so many alumnae together. During the event, a panel was held by NBC broadcaster Steve Schlanger during which eight alumnae were given the time to share their experiences and memories from St. Joe, especially in athletics. To continue celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first State Championship, St. Joe will be welcoming the 1974-75 basketball team to the December 12th basketball game at St. Joe to be recognized for all their achievements. Through decades of hard work and building the program, St. Joe is proud of all the students and alumnae’s work on and off the field.
