Bishop Eustace Preparatory School is a Catholic coeducational, private high school in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey. Founded in 1954 by the priests and brothers of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (The Pallottines), the school operates independently under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden and was named after Bishop Bartholomew J. Eustace, first bishop of the diocese. The school is a coeducational institution (prior to 1972, it was all-male) serving students in ninth through twelfth grades. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1977 and is accredited through July 2023.
As of the 2023–24 school year, the school had an enrollment of 327 students and 32.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.2:1. The school's student body was 79.5% (260) White, 5.2% (17) Black, 4.0% (13) two or more races, 3.4% (11) Asian, 6.1% (11) Hispanic, 1.5% (5) Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander and 0.3% (1) American Indian / Alaska Native.
The school is a member of the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools.
Contents
History
The school was established in 1954 as a high school for boys operated under the Pallottines, with enrollment capped at 100 students in a freshman class, with a new class to be added each subsequent year. When the school opened in September 1954, the high school had 90 students.
The school became co-ed in 1972.
Athletics
The Bishop Eustace Preparatory School Crusaders compete in the Olympic Conference, an athletic conference comprised of public and private high schools located in Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties, operating under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). With 408 students in grades 10–12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Non-Public A for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 381 to 1,454 students in that grade range (equivalent to Group I for public schools). The football team competes in the Horizon Division of the 94-team West Jersey Football League superconference and was classified by the NJSIAA as Non-Public Group B (equivalent to Group I/II for public schools) for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 140 to 686 students.
The school was recognized as the Group B winner of the NJSIAA ShopRite Cup in 2005–06. The award recognized the school for achieving 3rd in Girls Cross Country, a tie for 3rd in Football, 2nd in Boys Swimming, 2nd in Girls Indoor Track Relays, 2nd in Girls Indoor Track Championships, 1st in Baseball, a Tie for 3rd in Softball, a tie for 3rd in Boys Tennis and 2nd in Girls Outdoor Track.
The boys' basketball team Non-Public Group B state championship in 1961 vs. Holy Family High School (Union City), in 1973 vs. Our Lady of the Valley High School (Orange), in 1974 vs. Don Bosco Preparatory High School, in 1975 vs St. Cecilia High School of Englewood and in 1976 vs. Don Bosco, and won the Non-Public Group A championship in 1962 and 1969 vs. St. Peter's Preparatory School both years. The 1961 team won the Class B state title with a 54–46 overtime win against Holy Family in the tournament finals at Princeton University. Led by coach Joe O'Conner and by Gary Melchionni on the court, the 1969 team extended its winning streak to 26 games after winning the Parochial A state title with a 61–52 win against St. Peter's Preparatory School in the championship game. The 1975 team finished the season with a record of 20–7 after defeating St. Cecilia by a score of 79–41 to win the Parochial B state championship game.
The boys track team won the spring / outdoor track state championship in Non-Public B in 1969, 1992, 1995, 1996.
The baseball team won the Non-Public B state championship in 1972 (defeating Pope Pius XII Regional High School in the playoff finals), 1978 (vs. Paul VI High School), 1982 (vs. St. Mary of the Assumption High School of Elizabeth), 1990 (vs. St. Anthony High School), 2002 (vs. Montclair Kimberley Academy), 2004 (vs. Newark Academy) and 2006 (vs. St. Mary's), and won the Non-Public A title in 1997 (vs. Immaculata High School (New Jersey)). The program's eight state titles are tied for second-most in the state. The 1972 team defeated Pope Pius XII by a score of 3–1 in the championship game for the Parochial B title and an 18–8 record. A 5–0 win against Paul VI of Clifton in the 1978 championship game at Mercer County Park gave the team the Parochial A state title and a 15–7 record for the season. Down 1–0 after four innings, the 1982 team came back to win the Parochial B state championship with a 5–2 win against St. Mary of Elizabeth in the playoff finals at Mercer County Park to end the season with a 16–6 record. The 1997 team finished the season 30–3 after winning the Parochial A title with a 9–7 win against a Somerville team led by future Major Leaguer Jack Cust in the tournament final. In 2002, the baseball team won the Parochial South B title with a win over St. Rose High School, by a 3–1 final score, and became the Group B State Champions with a 5–1 win over Montclair Kimberley Academy. The team repeated the South B title in 2004 with 6–4 win over St. Rose, and repeated as Parochial group B champion with a 12–2 win over Newark Academy. The 2006 team won the South B sectional championship with a 7–3 win against Sacred Heart High School in the final game. The 2012 baseball team won the South Jersey Diamond Classic Championship. In 2015, the Crusaders captured their sixth Diamond Classic title, a tournament described as "the unofficial South Jersey championship", which ties them with Gloucester Catholic for most wins in South Jersey.
Notable alumni
Brian Clarhaut (born 1986), soccer coach who coaches Nyköpings BIS in the Swedish Division 1
Zac Gallen (born 1995), pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Justin Hagenman (born 1996), pitcher for the New York Mets
Kelli James (born 1970), United States Olympian field hockey striker who earned a total number of 144 caps for the women's national field hockey team
Sara Keane (born 1991), footballer who played as goalkeeper for FC Kansas City
Billy Lange (born 1972), former head men's basketball coach at the United States Naval Academy who started his coaching career at Bishop Eustace in 1995–96
Bill Melchionni (born 1944) former 76ers and Nets basketball player
Gary Melchionni (born 1951), former Phoenix Suns basketball player
Tyler Miller (born 1993), professional soccer player who is starting Goalkeeper for Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer
Mike Moriarty (born 1974), former Major League infielder for the Baltimore Orioles
Blaine Neal (born 1978) Major League Baseball relief pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals and United States Olympic bronze medalist
John Olive (born 1955), former San Diego Clippers basketball player
Vinny Papale (born 1996), American football wide receiver
Notable faculty
Don Casey (born 1937), former head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers and the New Jersey Nets who started his coaching career at Bishop Eustace
Keith Primeau (born 1971), assistant hockey coach, who played 15 seasons in the NHL