Aquinas High School is a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

high school located in

La Crosse, Wisconsin La Crosse ( ) is a city in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. Positioned alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin's western border. La Crosse's population was 52,680 as of the 202 ...

. The school is part of

La Crosse Aquinas Catholic Schools La Crosse Aquinas Catholic Schools or ACS is a school district in La Crosse, Wisconsin and Onalaska, Wisconsin operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse The Roman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse () is a Latin Church diocese in west-ce ...

and is operated by the

Diocese of La Crosse The Roman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse () is a Latin Church diocese in west-central Wisconsin in the United States. The metropolitan for the diocese is the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The mother church is the Cathedral of Saint Joseph the Workman ...

. In 2008, Aquinas High School was named a national

Blue Ribbon School The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...

History

The high school was dedicated on September 2, 1928, in honor of

Thomas Aquinas Thomas Aquinas ( ; ; – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican Order, Dominican friar and Catholic priest, priest, the foremost Scholasticism, Scholastic thinker, as well as one of the most influential philosophers and theologians in the W ...

by Bishop Alexander Joseph McGavick of the

. The first graduating class of 1929 consisted of four girls. The high school was originally staffed by diocesan clergy and the

Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA) is a Roman Catholic religious congregation for women whose motherhouse, St. Rose of Viterbo Convent, is in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in the Diocese of La Crosse. The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetua ...

. Diocesan Bishop

John Joseph Paul John Joseph Paul (August 17, 1918 – March 5, 2006) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as an auxiliary bishop and bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse in Wisconsin from 1977 to 1994 Biography Early years John P ...

, an Aquinas alumnus of the class of 1935, set aside some rooms at Aquinas High School for the Aquinas Middle School in 1992. In 1997, the Bishop Burke Hall addition to Aquinas High School was dedicated in honor of Bishop

Raymond Leo Burke Raymond Leo Burke (born June 30, 1948) is an American Catholic prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta from 2014 to 2023. He previously served as Archbishop of St. Louis from 2004 to 2008 and ...

, now the

Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura () is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church (apart from the pope himself, who as supreme ecclesiastical judge is the final point of appeal on any ecclesiastical matter). In addition, ...

in the

Vatican City Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State (; ), is a Landlocked country, landlocked sovereign state and city-state; it is enclaved within Rome, the capital city of Italy and Bishop of Rome, seat of the Catholic Church. It became inde ...

and a former religion teacher at Aquinas High School.

School crest

The Aquinas High School crest, designed in 1942, first appeared in the yearbook, the ''Trumpet,'' and on the 1943 class rings. It features the cross in a central and prominent position on the crest, reflecting the importance of the faith and redemption it symbolizes; ΧΡ, the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ, signifying that the life of a Christian should be centered around Christ; the fleur-de-lis, the symbol of sanctity and virtue, symbolizing God, man's final end, and the Blessed Virgin, model of virtue; a lamp of learning and books, as symbols of knowledge and learning; a laurel, symbolizing reward; and lilies of the valley, symbolizing humility.

Athletics

WIAA

Aquinas competes in the Mississippi Valley Conference (MVC) and the

Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) is the regulatory body for all high school sports in Wisconsin. Its history dates to 1895, making it the earliest continually existing high school athletic organization in the country. ...

(WIAA) with baseball, basketball, cross country, dance, football (

Coulee Conference The Coulee Conference is a high school athletic conference of medium-sized schools based in west central Wisconsin. Founded in 1926, it is one of Wisconsin's oldest athletic conferences and its member schools are affiliated with the Wisconsin Inte ...

), golf, gymnastics, skiing, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling teams. The school's hockey team, the Avalanche, is a co–op team composed of students from Aquinas,

Holmen High School Holmen High School is a high school in Holmen, Wisconsin operated by the Holmen School District. As of 2016, school enrollment was 1,112. The current facility was opened in 1994 and was expanded in 2000. 2020 led to another expansion after the ref ...

, Luther High School, and Coulee Christian High School. Aquinas has competed in the WIAA since 2000, winning 26 state titles across 10 different sports. WIAA state champion titles: * Alpine Ski: 2000 * Boys Baseball: 2017, 2021, 2024 * Boys Basketball: 2003, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2025 * Boys Track & Field: 2011, 2019, 2021 * Boys Cross Country: 2007, 2018, 2019, 2020 * Football: 2007, 2021, 2022, 2023 * Girls Basketball: 2018, 2019 * Girls Golf: 2017 * Girls Soccer: 2015 * Girls Track & Field: 2012, 2019

WISAA

Aquinas competed in the

Central Wisconsin Catholic Conference The Central Wisconsin Catholic Conference is a former high school athletic conference in Wisconsin, active from 1956 to 2000. Consisting entirely of Catholic high schools within the La Crosse diocese, the conference was affiliated with both the ...

from 1964 to 1997 and the

Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association The Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association is a former organization for high school athletics in Wisconsin. Consisting entirely of private schools, it was formed in 1968 and completed a merger with the Wisconsin Interscholastic At ...

(WISAA) from 1968 to 2000. The Blugolds won 35 WISAA state titles across nine different sports. WISAA state champion titles: * Boys Baseball: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 * Boys Cross Country: 1977, 1979 * Boys Track & Field: 1980, 1981, 1982 * Football: 1993, 1995 * Girls Basketball: 1996, 1997 * Girls Cross Country: 1986, 1987, 1996 * Girls Track & Field: 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1997 * Golf: 1970, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1995 * Wrestling: 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1997, 1999

WCIAA

Aquinas competed in the Wisconsin Catholic Interscholastic Athletic Association (WCIAA) from 1957 to 1968. The Blugolds won four WCIAA state titles across three different sports. WCIAA state champion titles: * Golf: 1957 * Track & Field: 1964 * Wrestling: 1967, 1968

Affiliation

* Aquinas Catholic Schools (formerly Coulee Catholic School) *

National Catholic Educational Association The National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) is a private, professional educational membership association. It represents over 150,000 educators in Roman Catholic Church, Catholic schools, universities, and religious education programs i ...

(NCEA) * Greater La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce * Mississippi Valley Conference (MVC) *

(WIAA) * Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association (WISAA) * Central Wisconsin Catholic Conference (CWCC) * North Central Accrediting Association

Principals

* Father Hilary Leuther, 1928–1936 * Father Joseph Kundinger, 1936–1940, 1946–1951 * Father John Prizl, 1940–1946 * Father Alfred Hebert, 1951–1952 * Father Robert Hansen, 1952–1960 * Father Richard Rossiter, 1960–1964 * Father James O'Connell, 1964–1972 * Father Robert Altmann, 1972–1990 * James Vail, 1990–1997 * Jeffrey Brengman, 1997–2001 * Father John McHugh, 2001–2002 * Joan Leonard, 2002–2004 * Philip Hahn, 2004–2006 * Patrick Burkhart, 2006–2007 * Ted Knutson, 2007–2016 * Denise Ring, 2016–2022 * Andrew Bradley, 2022-2024 Adam Poellinger 2024- Present

Notable faculty

Ann Walsh Bradley Ann Walsh Bradley ( Ann Ellen Walsh; born July 5, 1950) is an American lawyer and jurist, and the 28th chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. She is the longest currently-serving justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court; she was first elec ...

Wisconsin Supreme Court The Wisconsin Supreme Court is the Supreme court, highest and final court of appeals in the state judicial system of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. In addition to hearing appeals of lower Wisconsin court decisions, the Wisconsin Supreme Court also ...

justice, former religion teacher at Aquinas High School *

, teacher of religion at Aquinas High School prior to becoming bishop, archbishop, and cardinal. * George Albert Hammes, teacher at Aquinas High School prior to becoming bishop

Notable alumni

* Sylvester G. Clements, 1954, former member of the Wisconsin State Assembly *

Charles Dierkop Charles Richard Dierkop (September 11, 1936 – February 25, 2024) was an American character actor. He is most recognized for his supporting roles in the films ''Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'' (1969) and ''The Sting'' (1973) and the televis ...

, actor, attended Aquinas High School *

Lexi Donarski Alexis Marie Donarski (born January 11, 2002) is an American professional basketball player for MTK (basketball team), TFSE-MTK of the Nemzeti Bajnokság I/A (women's basketball), Hungarian A Division. She played college basketball for the Iowa S ...

, 2020, basketball player * Steve Doyle, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly *

Charles E. Knoblauch Charles E. Knoblauch (March 9, 1922 – February 7, 1984) was an American politician and businessman. Born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Knoblauch graduated from Aquinas High School, in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and went to Michigan State University. ...

, former member of the Iowa House of Representatives * Bronson Koenig, basketball player * Robert E. Kreutz, composer, 1940 *

Paul Marcotte Paul Henry Marcotte (January 26, 1928 – December 4, 2012) was an American businessman and politician. Born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Marcotte graduated from Aquinas High School. Marcotte served in the United States Army. He then graduate ...

, 1945, businessman and former member of Kentucky House of Representatives *

John Medinger John Donald Medinger (born April 26, 1948) is an American teacher, businessman, and Democratic politician from La Crosse, Wisconsin. He was the 49th mayor of La Crosse (1997–2005) and represented the area for 16 years in the Wis ...

, former mayor of La Crosse, Wisconsin, former member of Wisconsin State Assembly, 1966 *

John Oestreicher John C. Oestreicher (August 5, 1936 – January 4, 2011) was an American Democratic politician and lawyer from Wisconsin. Born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, he graduated from Aquinas High School and studied political science at University of Wisco ...

, 1954, former member of the Wisconsin State Assembly *

, 1935 graduate of Aquinas High School who served as Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse, 1985–1994 * John Rusche, 1969, physician and former member of the Idaho House of Representatives *

Ed Servais Ed Servais (born c. 1958) is a retired American college baseball coach who was most recently the head coach at Creighton University, a member of the Big East Conference in NCAA Division I. He held the position from July 2003 until June 2025, and ...

, head coach of the Creighton Bluejays baseball team * Jim Temp, Green Bay Packers

References

* Aquinas High School 2003 Alumni Directory 75th Anniversary 1928–2003

External links

Aquinas High School La CrosseDiocese of La CrosseFranciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration La Crosse
*Dan Simmons
"The Archivist: Aquinas alum collects 80 years of school's history in one office,"
''La Crosse Tribune'', September 21, 2006. {{authority control Roman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse Catholic secondary schools in Wisconsin Educational institutions established in 1928 Buildings and structures in La Crosse, Wisconsin Schools in La Crosse County, Wisconsin 1928 establishments in Wisconsin