Georgetown Preparatory School

Georgetown Preparatory School (also known as Georgetown Prep, GP, or GPrep) is a Jesuit college-preparatory school in North Bethesda, Maryland for boys in ninth through twelfth grade. It has a 93-acre (380,000 square meters) campus.^[4] Legally part of Georgetown University until their separation in 1927, Prep is the only Jesuit boarding school in the United States, and one of the oldest U.S. boarding schools still operating.

Georgetown Prep has been associated with numerous influential people since its foundation, with George Washington giving an address to its first graduating class. Notable alumni include two four-star officers in the U.S. Armed Forces, state and U.S. Senators, corporate entrepreneurs, two Medal of Honor recipients, and two of the nine currently-sitting justices of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Georgetown Preparatory School was founded in 1789^[5] by John Carroll, the first bishop of Baltimore. It is the oldest existing all-boys school in the United States, with George Washington having addressed its inaugural graduating class. In 1919, the school moved from Georgetown University's campus in the District of Columbia to its current location,^[6] under the direction of university president Alphonsus J. Donlon.^[7] Georgetown Prep remained part of Georgetown University until its legal separation in 1927.^[7]

There are approximately 500 students at Prep, with the boarding students comprising 25% of the school’s population (2022–23).

In January 2007, the school opened the Hanley Center for Athletic Excellence.^[8] Joe Hills, son of golf course architect Arthur Hills, redesigned and reconfigured the school's signature golf course, which reopened in 2008.^[9] The field house was converted into a learning center,^[8] which was named after the immediate past president Fr. William L. George, S.J., opened for students on January 26, 2010.^[10]

The Campus Center and Residence Building opened in October 2022, which incorporates a health center, communal kitchens, student lounges and modern living quarters for the entire resident population and prefects.^[11]

Fr. Carroll believed the new school—Georgetown Academy soon called Georgetown College—would be vital to the future of the Catholic Church in the United States. He saw it as a place that could inspire young men to become priests while also educating Catholic laypeople who could actively contribute to the political and civic life of the new republic.

The school admitted its first student, 13-year-old William Gaston of New Bern, North Carolina, in late 1791. Classes officially began in January 1792, and by June nearly 40 more students from Maryland, Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania had enrolled. In April of that year, Georgetown welcomed its first international students, Nicholas and Jean Jacques Février from the French West Indies. From the beginning, the college also opened its doors to students from religious backgrounds other than Roman Catholicism. ^[12]

By 1815, the Society of Jesus had been restored worldwide, and Georgetown had officially become a Jesuit college. That same year, United States Congress granted the school a charter that was signed into law by James Madison.

During Georgetown College’s first century, students in the preparatory program greatly outnumbered those enrolled in the college itself. As a result, the institution functioned largely as a preparatory school with a smaller group of college students. In 1855, the Preparatory Building—later called Maguire Hall—opened as the first campus building specifically intended for preparatory students.

Georgetown College, located in the slave state of Maryland, was also connected to the institution of slavery. The Society of Jesus in the Maryland Province owned enslaved people who worked on Jesuit farms in southern Maryland as well as at the college itself. In 1838, 272 of these enslaved men, women, and children were sold to two sugar planters in Louisiana. Part of the money from that sale was loaned to Georgetown College that same year, helping the institution and its preparatory department avoid severe debt and possible closure. The enslaved people forced into this sale have since been described as a coerced “endowment of tears.” Both Georgetown Preparatory School and Georgetown University have acknowledged this history and have sought reconciliation with the descendants of those enslaved by the Jesuits.

Thirty-five years later, Georgetown College was led by Patrick Francis Healy, S.J., who served as rector-president from 1873 to 1882. Healy was the son of an Irish planter in Georgia and an enslaved woman who was considered his common-law wife, though his African ancestry was not widely known at the time. Decades later, in 1953, Georgetown Preparatory School admitted its first African American student, seventh grader Anthony H. Pierce Jr. In 2007, Jeffrey L. Jones became the school’s first African American headmaster, serving until 2015 and also acting as president from 2013 to 2014.

During the American Civil War, enrollment at Georgetown College declined sharply as many students—both from the college and the preparatory department—left to fight for either the Union or the Confederacy. John Early, S.J., who served as rector-president from 1858 to 1866, managed to keep the institution operating. He did so partly by building relationships with two members of Abraham Lincoln’s cabinet: Secretary of State William H. Seward and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. In 1861–1862, Union troops occupied the strategically located campus, and it was used as a hospital following the Second Battle of Bull Run and the Battle of Antietam.

A little more than a decade after the war ended, students from Georgetown Visitation Academy presented a blue-and-gray banner to the Georgetown College crew team. The colors symbolized the reunion of the former Union and Confederate states after the war. Blue and gray later became the official colors of both the college and its preparatory department.

In the late nineteenth century, the preparatory department began to develop a stronger identity of its own. The growing popularity of team sports—including baseball, football, track, crew, and, beginning in 1907, basketball—helped build pride and school spirit among preparatory students. By the 1889–1890 academic year, the college published a separate catalogue for what it officially called the “Georgetown Preparatory School.”

Georgetown Prep teams are known as the Hoyas and offer 28 team sports. The Hoyas have won 53 Interstate Athletic Conference (IAC) Championships from 2012 to 2022.^[13]

The Little Hoyas mascot is the product of over a century of Georgetown tradition—beginning with Latin cheers, evolving through generations of canine mascots, and ultimately becoming the identity of Georgetown Prep’s athletic teams.

• The Landon School^[14] (archrival)
• St. Albans School (Washington D.C.)^[15]
• Gonzaga College High School^[16]
• The Bullis School^[17]

The rivalry between Georgetown Preparatory School and The Landon School is one of the most intense athletic rivalries in the Washington-Maryland private-school sports scene, particularly in lacrosse. Unlike the Jesuit-based rivalry between Prep and Gonzaga College High School, the Prep–Landon rivalry developed primarily through athletic competition and geographic proximity. Landon was founded in 1929 in Bethesda, Maryland, as an independent college-preparatory school for boys, emphasizing leadership, character formation, and competitive athletics. Georgetown Prep, founded in 1789 and originally connected to Georgetown University, had already established itself as one of the oldest and most prestigious Catholic preparatory schools in the United States. As suburban Maryland developed during the twentieth century, both schools became prominent educational institutions in the same region, and their athletic teams began competing regularly in local leagues and non-conference matchups.

The rivalry intensified particularly during the late twentieth century as both schools emerged as national powers in lacrosse, a sport deeply embedded in the culture of elite East Coast preparatory schools. Landon, known as the Bears, built one of the most dominant high-school lacrosse programs in the country. Under legendary head coach Bill Leahy, who coached at Landon from 1975 to 2013, the Bears developed a dynasty that produced numerous college All-Americans and professional players. Leahy’s teams won multiple Interstate Athletic Conference (IAC) championships and established Landon as a national lacrosse powerhouse. During the same period, Georgetown Prep—known as the Little Hoyas—also developed a strong lacrosse tradition and began challenging Landon regularly for regional dominance. As both programs grew stronger, games between the two schools became some of the most anticipated matchups in the Washington metropolitan area.

The Interstate Athletic Conference, which includes Landon, Georgetown Prep, St. Albans School, Bullis School, and St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School, helped formalize the rivalry by placing the two schools in regular competition across multiple sports. Within the conference, Prep–Landon contests became particularly important because both schools frequently competed for conference championships. Lacrosse remained the centerpiece of the rivalry, but competition extended to football, basketball, wrestling, and baseball as well. Because both schools emphasize athletics as part of their educational philosophy, victories against each other often carried symbolic importance for students, alumni, and coaches.

Several memorable moments in the Prep–Landon rivalry have come in lacrosse. Over the decades, games between the two teams have often determined the IAC championship or influenced national rankings. Landon historically dominated many of the early matchups during the peak years of Coach Bill Leahy’s tenure, when the Bears were widely considered one of the best high-school lacrosse programs in the country. Georgetown Prep, however, gradually closed the competitive gap in the 2000s and 2010s, producing elite players who went on to compete at top college programs such as University of Virginia, University of Maryland, and Duke University. When the two teams meet today, the games often feature Division-I recruits and attract attention from college scouts and national lacrosse media.

The rivalry also carries a cultural dimension within the student bodies of both schools. Because the campuses are located only a few miles apart in Montgomery County, many students grow up playing youth sports against each other before eventually attending different high schools. This familiarity intensifies the competitive atmosphere when the teams meet at the varsity level. Student sections are often energetic and loud, with chants, themed clothing, and coordinated spirit events leading up to rivalry games. For athletes, beating Landon or Prep can represent a defining moment of the season, particularly in lacrosse where both schools view themselves as part of the national prep-school elite.

Notable athletes have emerged from both sides of the rivalry. Landon has produced numerous collegiate and professional lacrosse players, including Joe Walters, one of the most decorated players in program history and a standout at the University of Maryland. Georgetown Prep has also produced high-level collegiate athletes and nationally recognized recruits in lacrosse and other sports. The presence of such talent has helped elevate the rivalry beyond the local level, with national lacrosse publications frequently covering matchups between the two programs.

The rivalry between Georgetown Preparatory School and Gonzaga College High School is one of the oldest and most historically significant high-school rivalries in the Washington, D.C. region, stretching back more than a century and reflecting not only athletic competition but also the shared Jesuit heritage of both institutions. Georgetown Prep was founded in 1789 as part of Georgetown University and is considered the oldest Catholic boarding school in the United States, while Gonzaga College High School was founded in 1821 in Washington, D.C., and became one of the most prominent Jesuit day schools in the city. Although both schools share the same Catholic Jesuit educational tradition, their identities developed differently over time: Georgetown Prep evolved as a suburban boarding and day school located in North Bethesda, Maryland, while Gonzaga maintained its identity as a large urban Catholic day school deeply connected to Washington, D.C. This contrast between suburban boarding culture and urban day-school culture contributed to the early competitive spirit between the two institutions and helped shape what would become one of the region’s defining school rivalries.^[18]

The athletic rivalry officially began in 1891 when the two schools played their first football game, marking the start of a series that would become one of the oldest high-school rivalries in the United States. Over the decades, the game became a major event for both communities, drawing students, alumni, and Jesuit clergy. Football quickly emerged as the centerpiece of the rivalry, but the competition also expanded into other sports such as basketball, baseball, ^[19]soccer, lacrosse, track, and rugby^[20]. By the mid-twentieth century, the rivalry had already become a major tradition in the Washington metropolitan area, and games between the two schools were often covered in local newspapers. The competition was intense, but because both schools are run by the Jesuit order—whose educational philosophy emphasizes discipline, intellectual development, and respect—the rivalry was frequently described as competitive yet respectful, with both institutions seeing themselves as “brother schools” rather than enemies.

Throughout the twentieth century the rivalry continued to grow, with both schools building strong athletic programs and producing athletes who went on to compete in college and occasionally at the professional level. By the 1970s and 1980s, Georgetown Prep and Gonzaga were widely considered two of the most competitive private-school athletic programs in the region. However, the annual football matchup unexpectedly stopped after the 1988 season due to scheduling conflicts and changes in league alignments. Although the rivalry never completely disappeared—because the schools still competed against each other in other sports—the absence of the football game meant that an entire generation of students in the 1990s did not experience the most visible symbol of the rivalry. ^[21]

The football series was revived in 2004 with the creation of what became known as the Jesuit Gridiron Classic, an annual game that also serves as a fundraising event for Washington Jesuit Academy, a middle school founded in 2001 to provide educational opportunities for students from low-income communities in Washington, D.C. The revival added a new dimension to the rivalry by linking it to charitable service, a core Jesuit value. The game from 2004 to 2018 raised significant funds for the academy through ticket sales, sponsorships, and alumni donations, turning what had once been purely an athletic competition into an event that also supports Jesuit educational outreach. Historically, Gonzaga has held a slight advantage in the football series, though the games have often been competitive and dramatic. ^[22]

Many memorable moments have occurred during the rivalry’s long history. One of the most famous games came in 2009 when Gonzaga defeated Georgetown Prep 23–20 on a last-second field goal, sending Gonzaga’s student section rushing onto the field in celebration and adding another dramatic chapter to the rivalry’s history. ^[23] Another interesting moment in the rivalry involved a unique coaching storyline when brothers Kevin and Don Giblin, ^[24] who each respectively coached the two schools in Lacrosse, reportedly refusing to speak during rivalry week because of the competitive tension between their lacrosse teams. Over time, the rivalry has also produced numerous standout athletes who went on to play at major college programs and occasionally in professional sports, further elevating the prestige of the annual matchup.

Beyond the field, the rivalry carries deep cultural significance within both school communities. Students often spend weeks preparing for rivalry games through spirit weeks, themed outfits, chants, and student-section traditions that intensify the atmosphere. Alumni from both schools frequently return for rivalry games, making the event a multigenerational tradition that connects current students with decades of graduates. The competition also extends beyond football; lacrosse, basketball, rugby, and other sports between the two schools often draw strong crowds and intense student interest. For example, lacrosse matchups between the schools have produced dramatic overtime finishes and high-level competition between nationally recruited players. ^[25]

Following an $8,000,000 donation from Michael Bidwill, alumnus and owner of the Arizona Cardinals, a new 1,508 seat stadium was constructed on campus. This new stadium was dedicated to Michael's father Bill Bidwill, who had also been the owner of the Cardinals from 1962 until his death in 2019. The stadium's field was jointly dedicated to Coach Jim Fegan and S.J. Aloysius Galvin as the Fegan-Galvin Field. Fegan was the Hoyas' football coach from 1961 to 1996 who had a record of 409 wins, 149 losses, 14 Interstate Athletic Conference titles and nine undefeated seasons until he was replaced by Dan Paro, a 1979 alumnus who is the current coach. Galvin served at the school for 37 years from 1970 to 2007 as a Mathematics teacher and the football team's chaplain. The William V. Bidwill ’49 Stadium became the new home to the Hoyas' Football, Soccer and Lacrosse programs following its dedication and blessing by S.J. James Van Dyke on November 12, 2022. The first game played at the new stadium was a homecoming game later in the afternoon on November 12 against the Hoyas' rivals, the St. Alban Bulldogs, which saw the Hoyas beat the Bulldogs 35 to 14.^[26][27][28]

• Dylan Baker, Class of 1976 – actor, best known for his role as Dr. Curt Connor in Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3 and acts on television series such as The Americans and Damages^[29][30]
• Bill Bidwill, Class of 1949 (d.) – the owner of the Arizona Cardinals NFL football team^[31]
• Michael Bidwill, Class of 1983 – President and Principal Owner, NFL's Arizona Cardinals^[32]
• Thomas Hale Boggs, Jr., Class of 1959 (d.) - Prominent attorney/lobbyist and founder of Patton, Boggs (now Squire Patton Boggs).
• Brian Cashman, Class of 1985 – General Manager, New York Yankees^[30][33]
• David Chang, Class of 1995 – entrepreneur and restaurateur. Founder of Momofuku.^[34][30]
• James M. Cutts, Class of 1852 (d.) - Medal of Honor recipient for gallantry in Battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania and Petersburg. Served as a Captain in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
• Michael J. Daly, Class of 1941 (d.) – Medal of Honor recipient, attended the United States Military Academy (1942–43), served in the United States Army (1942–46)
• John Dingell, Class of 1943 (d.) – former Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives^[35]
• Chris Dodd, Class of 1962 – lobbyist, lawyer, and Democratic Party politician who served as a United States Senator from Connecticut^[36][30]
• William Ferguson, Class of 2001 - President of Maryland Senate (2019–present).
• William J. Gaston (1778–1844) – a member of Congress and later of the North Carolina Supreme Court, the first student in the Preparatory School's predecessor, Georgetown Academy.
• Neil Gorsuch, Class of 1985 – Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States^[37][4]
• Paul Haaga, Class of 1966—Businessman, philanthropist and former CEO (acting) of NPR.
• Kyonte Hamilton, Class of 2021 – NFL defensive tackle for the Houston Texans^[38]
• Ian Harding, Class of 2005 – actor, best known for his role as Ezra Fitz in Pretty Little Liars^[39]
• Roy Hibbert, Class of 2004 – former All-Star NBA player for the Indiana Pacers, Lakers, Hornets, and Nuggets^[40][30]
• Gilmary M. Hostage III, Class of 1973 - USAF (Retired) Four Star General and Commander of Air Combat Command
• Chip Jenkins, Class of 1982 – Olympic gold medalist (Athletics, 1992)^[41]
• Mark Judge, Class of 1983 – writer, author of Wasted: Tales of a Gen X Drunk.^[42]
• Brett Kavanaugh, Class of 1983 – Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court
• Douglas Kennedy, Class of 1985 – journalist, son of senator Robert Kennedy^[43]
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Class of 1972 – attorney and Independent Presidential Candidate (2024) and son of senator Robert Kennedy.^[44] Secretary of Health and Human Services (February 2025 – Present)
• Frank LoBiondo, Class of 1964 – Congressman^[45]
• Rich Madaleno, Class of 1983 – Maryland state senator^[46][30]
• Denny McCarthy, Class of 2011 - PGA tour professional (2015–present)
• Matt Mervis, Class of 2016 (born 1998) – Major League baseball player for Miami Marlins^[47]
• Dennis Murphy, Class of 1965 - Television journalist featured on NBC’s Dateline. Winner of four Emmy Awards.
• William Jones Nicholson, Class of 1876 (d.) – Brigadier general in the United States Army,^[48] recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross and Silver Star
• Jerome Powell, Class of 1971 – Federal Reserve Board of Governors (May 2012 – February 2018); Chair of the Federal Reserve (February 2018 – Present)^[49][4]
• Lee Roberts (finance executive), Class of 1986 - Chancellor of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (August 2024 – Present).
• Mo Rocca, Class of 1987 – comedian^[50]
• Francis Rooney, Class of 1971 – Congressman^[51]
• Chris Rose (journalist), Class of 1978 - New York Times best seller and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist for the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
• Bernard Saul II, Class of 1950 - Billionaire businessman and founder of Chevy Chase Bank (now Capital One).
• John P. Schmitz, Class of 1972 - Deputy White House Counsel for President George H. W. Bush.
• Joseph E. Schmitz, Class of 1974. Former Inspector General for the Department of Defense under President George W. Bush and foreign policy advisor to President Donald Trump.
• F. Joseph Sensenbrenner Jr., Class of 1966 – 53rd mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, former Deputy Attorney General of Wisconsin
• Anthony Shriver, Class of 1984 – activist, founder of Best Buddies International^[52][30]
• Mark Kennedy Shriver, Class of 1982 – former politician; CEO of Save the Children Action Network^[52][30]
• Arthur Smith, Class of 2001 – Former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (2021 - 2024). Offensive coordinator for Pittsburgh Steelers.
• Allen Tate, Class of 1918 (d.) – poet and essayist; U. S. Poet Laureate and Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress, 1943–44^[53]
• Harry D. Train II, Class of 1945, Adm. USN (Ret.), former NATO Supreme Allied Commander (1978-1982)
• Germán Vargas Lleras – Former Colombian Vice President.^[54]
• Gordon Zubrod, Class of 1932 (d.) - Oncologist, Considered to be father of modern chemotherapy

• List of Jesuit sites

• Gallagher, Vincent E. (2010). Prep: Georgetown Preparatory School: A Boarder's Memories from 1956-1961. Thoroughbred Partners. ISBN 978-0615418636.
• Judge, Mark Gauvreau (2005). God and Man at Georgetown Prep: How I Became a Catholic Despite 20 Years of Catholic Schooling. Crossroad Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0824523138.
• Ochs, Stephen J. (1989). Academy on the Patowmack: Georgetown Preparatory School, 1789-1927. Georgetown Preparatory School. OCLC 20110518.

• Official website