Notre Dama Prep’s varsity baseball team landed in the second spot in the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association (MHSBCA) list of top academic teams in Division 2 for the 2015 season. See complete list here.
With a team grade point average of 3.550, the Fighting Irish were just behind Gaylord High School, which averaged 3.601. It's the fourth time in five years that Notre Dame was named team academic all state. Irish baseball also earned team academic all-state honors in 2013, 2012 and 2011, when Notre Dame had the highest GPA of all schools in all divisions in Michigan.
Irish baseball ended the 2015 season with a record of 21-14-1 and graduated seven seniors, all of whom have contributed significantly to the program, including four-year starters Luke Shilling, who is playing at the next level at the University of Illinois, and Will Mullen, who will be playing ball at Western Michigan University. Also off to play college baseball in the fall are infielders Jake DePillo (Hillsdale) and Joey Vyskocil (Wisconsin/Mikwaukee), pitcher Mark Marrone (Northwood) and outfielder Mat Bur (Albion). The Irish also lost infielder Michael MacLean to graduation.
Softball all academic 21 straight years
Notre Dame’s softball team also was named academic all state for the 2015 season, the 21st year in a row for the Irish.
This year the team finished the season 31-10 overall and won a school-record ninth straight district title. Notre Dame graduates five outstanding seniors, who collectively won 113 games during their four years at NDP: shortstop and four-year starter Hannah Antosz, second baseman Hailey Atkins, two-time all state honorable mention catcher Hanna Bullard, first baseman Lauren DiFiore, and four-year centerfielder Katie Swartz.
In addition to Notre Dame softball and baseball, the following Irish teams earned team academic all state for the 2014-15 school year: boys cross country, girls cross country, boys tennis, volleyball, wrestling, hockey, girls basketball, boys swim and dive, competitive cheer, boys lacrosse, and girls tennis.
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Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.