Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Explained

The Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) is a major high school athletic league for boys, girls, and co-ed Catholic high schools of the Archdiocese of Washington & Diocese of Arlington Schools located in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The WCAC is regarded as one of the best boys and girls basketball and football conference in the nation, with at least 1 team nationally ranked by USA Today every year. The WCAC also has at least one very strong team in all other sports.

Members

The conference is known for its nationally renowned Basketball, Football, Lacrosse, Track and Field, Wrestling, Soccer, and Baseball programs.It has produced numerous professional athletes in the NFL, NBA, MLS, MLB and MLL.

School		Archdiocese- Diocese	Colors	Team name	Location	Founded	Enrollment
	Archbishop Carroll High School	Archdiocese of Washington		Lions	Washington, DC	1951	400
	Bishop Ireton High School	Diocese of Arlington		Cardinals	Alexandria, VA	1964	800
	Bishop McNamara High School	Archdiocese of Washington		Mustangs	Forestville, MD	1964	870
	Bishop O'Connell High School	Diocese of Arlington		Knights	Arlington, VA	1957	1,170
	DeMatha Catholic High School	Archdiocese of Washington		Stags	Hyattsville, MD	1946	800
	Elizabeth Seton High School	Archdiocese of Washington		Roadrunners	Bladensburg, MD	1959	570
	Gonzaga College High School	Archdiocese of Washington		Eagles	Washington, DC	1821	970
	Our Lady of Good Counsel High School	Archdiocese of Washington		Falcons	Olney, MD	1958	1,200
	Academy of the Holy Cross	Archdiocese of Washington		Tartans	Kensington, MD	1868	530
	St. Paul VI Catholic High School	Diocese of Arlington		Panthers	Chantilly, VA	1983	957
	St. John's College High School	Archdiocese of Washington		Cadets	Washington, DC	1851	1,200
	St. Mary's Ryken High School	Archdiocese of Washington		Knights	Leonardtown, MD	1885	700
	The Heights School	Archdiocese of Washington		Cavaliers	Potomac, MD	1969	540

Holy Cross and Elizabeth Seton are girls only, while Gonzaga, DeMatha and the Heights are all boys.

Sports

The WCAC sponsors competitions in the following sports:

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cross Country
• Field Hockey
• Football
• Golf
• Ice Hockey
• Lacrosse
• Soccer
• Softball
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Track & Field
• Volleyball
• Wrestling

Football Champions

^[1]

• 1960-Carroll
• 1961-St. John's
• 1962-St. John's
• 1963-St. John's
• 1964-St. John's
• 1965-Carroll
• 1966-DeMatha
• 1967-DeMatha
• 1968-St. John's
• 1969-Carroll
• 1970-Carroll
• 1971-Carroll
• 1972-St. John's
• 1973-Bishop McNamara
• 1974-St. John's
• 1975-St. John's
• 1976-St. John's
• 1977-Carroll
• 1978-Carroll
• 1979-Carroll
• 1980-Carroll
• 1981-Bishop McNamara
• 1982-DeMatha
• 1983-Carroll
• 1984-DeMatha
• 1985-Carroll
• 1986-DeMatha
• 1987-Carroll
• 1988-Carroll
• 1989-St. John's
• 1990-Bishop McNamara
• 1991-DeMatha
• 1992-DeMatha
• 1993-DeMatha
• 1994-DeMatha
• 1995-DeMatha
• 1996-Gonzaga
• 1997-Gonzaga
• 1998-DeMatha
• 1999-St. Paul VI
• 2000-DeMatha
• 2001-DeMatha
• 2002-Gonzaga
• 2003-DeMatha
• 2004-DeMatha
• 2005-DeMatha
• 2006-DeMatha
• 2007-DeMatha
• 2008-DeMatha
• 2009-Good Counsel
• 2010-Good Counsel
• 2011-Good Counsel
• 2012-Good Counsel
• 2013-DeMatha
• 2014-DeMatha
• 2015-DeMatha
• 2016-DeMatha
• 2017-St. John’s
• 2018-Gonzaga (Capital)/Ryken (Metro)
• 2019-Good Counsel (Capital)/Ryken (Metro)
• 2020-Covid
• 2021-St. John’s (Capital)/Ryken (Metro)
• 2022-St. John’s (Capital)/Carroll (Metro)
• 2023-Good Counsel (Capital)/Ryken (Metro)

Champions! School! Championships

DeMatha	24
Archbishop Carroll	14
St. John's	13
Good Counsel	6
Gonzaga	4
St. Mary’s Ryken	4
Bishop McNamara	3
St. Paul VI	1

Boys Basketball Champions

^[2]

• 1961-DeMatha
• 1962-DeMatha
• 1963-DeMatha
• 1964-DeMatha
• 1965-DeMatha
• 1966-DeMatha
• 1967-Mackin (Carroll)
• 1968-DeMatha
• 1969-DeMatha
• 1970-DeMatha
• 1971-DeMatha
• 1972-DeMatha
• 1973-DeMatha
• 1974-DeMatha
• 1975-DeMatha
• 1976-DeMatha
• 1977-St. John's
• 1978-DeMatha
• 1979-DeMatha
• 1980-DeMatha
• 1981-DeMatha
• 1982-DeMatha
• 1983-DeMatha
• 1984-DeMatha
• 1985-DeMatha
• 1986-Gonzaga
• 1987-DeMatha
• 1988-DeMatha
• 1989-Carroll
• 1990-DeMatha
• 1991-DeMatha
• 1992-DeMatha
• 1993-Carroll
• 1994-DeMatha
• 1995-McNamara
• 1996-DeMatha
• 1997-Gonzaga
• 1998-DeMatha
• 1999-Gonzaga
• 2000-St. John's
• 2001-DeMatha
• 2002-DeMatha
• 2003-Gonzaga
• 2004-O'Connell
• 2005-DeMatha
• 2006-DeMatha
• 2007-DeMatha
• 2008-Gonzaga
• 2009-DeMatha
• 2010-DeMatha
• 2011-DeMatha
• 2012-St. Paul VI
• 2013-O'Connell
• 2014-St. Paul VI
• 2015-Gonzaga
• 2016-St. John's
• 2017-Gonzaga
• 2018-DeMatha
• 2019-Gonzaga
• 2020-DeMatha
• 2022-St. Paul VI
• 2023-St. John’s
• 2024-St. Paul VI

Champions! School! Championships

DeMatha	41
Gonzaga	8
St. John's	4
St. Paul VI	4
Carroll	3
O'Connell	2
McNamara	1

Girls Basketball Champions

• 1994-O'Connell
• 1995-Good Counsel
• 1996-Elizabeth Seton
• 1997-Elizabeth Seton
• 1998-St. John's
• 1999-St. John's
• 2000-St. John's
• 2001-Elizabeth Seton
• 2002-St. John's
• 2003-McNamara
• 2004-St. John's
• 2005-Good Counsel
• 2006-Good Counsel
• 2007-Holy Cross
• 2008-McNamara
• 2009-Good Counsel
• 2010-Elizabeth Seton
• 2011-St. John's
• 2012-Good Counsel
• 2013-St. John's
• 2014-St. Paul VI
• 2015-St. Paul VI
• 2016-St. Paul VI
• 2017-St. John's
• 2018-St. John's
• 2019-St. John's
• 2020-McNamara
• 2022-St. John's
• 2023-St. John’s
• 2024-St. John's

Champions! School! Championships

St. John's	13
Good Counsel	5
Elizabeth Seton	4
St. Paul VI	3
Bishop McNamara	3
O'Connell	1
Holy Cross	1

Baseball

• 1968-DeMatha
• 1969-St. John's
• 1970-DeMatha
• 1971-St. John's
• 1972-Good Counsel
• 1973-Carroll
• 1974-Carroll
• 1975-DeMatha
• 1976-St. John's
• 1977-St. John's
• 1978-DeMatha
• 1979-DeMatha
• 1980-DeMatha
• 1981-DeMatha
• 1982-O'Connell
• 1983-DeMatha
• 1984-DeMatha
• 1985-DeMatha
• 1986-Good Counsel
• 1987-DeMatha
• 1988-DeMatha
• 1989-O'Connell
• 1990-Good Counsel
• 1991-DeMatha
• 1992-DeMatha
• 1993-St. Paul VI
• 1994-DeMatha
• 1995-DeMatha
• 1996-DeMatha
• 1997-DeMatha
• 1998-DeMatha
• 1999-St. John's
• 2000-Gonzaga
• 2001-O'Connell
• 2002-DeMatha
• 2003-DeMatha
• 2004-DeMatha
• 2005-St. John's
• 2006-Good Counsel
• 2007-St. Paul VI
• 2008-DeMatha
• 2009-St. Paul VI
• 2010-Good Counsel
• 2011-St. John's
• 2012-St. Paul VI
• 2013-DeMatha
• 2014-St. John's
• 2015-St. John's
• 2016-St. John's
• 2017-St. John's
• 2018-St. John's
• 2019-St. John's
• 2021-St. John’s
• 2022-Gonzaga
• 2023-St. John’s

Champions! School! Championships

DeMatha	24
St. John's	15
Good Counsel	5
O'Connell	3
St. Paul VI	4
Carroll	2
Gonzaga	2

Boys soccer champions

• 1974-DeMatha
• 1975-Carroll
• 1976-Good Counsel
• 1977-Carroll
• 1978-Good Counsel
• 1979-Good Counsel
• 1980-O'Connell
• 1981-O'Connell
• 1982-O'Connell
• 1983-O'Connell
• 1984-O'Connell
• 1985-Ireton
• 1986-St. John's
• 1987-DeMatha
• 1988-Good Counsel
• 1989-St. Paul VI
• 1990-Ireton
• 1991-O'Connell
• 1992-Gonzaga/St. Paul VI
• 1993-McNamara
• 1994-Ireton
• 1995-St. Paul VI
• 1996-O'Connell
• 1997-St. Paul VI
• 1998-O'Connell
• 1999-DeMatha
• 2000-Gonzaga
• 2001-Gonzaga
• 2002-Gonzaga
• 2003-DeMatha
• 2004-DeMatha
• 2005-DeMatha
• 2006-Gonzaga
• 2007-Gonzaga
• 2008-Gonzaga
• 2009-Gonzaga
• 2010-DeMatha
• 2011-DeMatha
• 2012-Gonzaga
• 2013-DeMatha
• 2014-DeMatha
• 2015-DeMatha
• 2016-Gonzaga
• 2017-Gonzaga
• 2018-The Heights (1st year in league)
• 2019-Gonzaga
• 2021-Good Counsel
• 2022-Gonzaga
• 2023-The Heights

Champions! School! Championships

Gonzaga	13
DeMatha	11
O'Connell	8
Good Counsel	5
St. Paul VI	4
Ireton	3
Carroll	2
The Heights	2
St. John's	1
McNamara	1

Boys Lacrosse champions

• 1987-Bishop Ireton
• 1988-Dematha
• 1989-Dematha
• 1990-Dematha
• 1991-Dematha
• 1992-Gonzaga
• 1993-Gonzaga
• 1994-Dematha
• 1995-Dematha
• 1996-Dematha
• 1997-Gonzaga
• 1998-Gonzaga
• 1999-Dematha
• 2000-Dematha
• 2001-Dematha
• 2002-Dematha
• 2003-Dematha
• 2004-Dematha
• 2005-Dematha
• 2006-Dematha
• 2007-St. Mary's Ryken
• 2008-Dematha
• 2009-Dematha
• 2010-Gonzaga
• 2011-Gonzaga
• 2012-Gonzaga
• 2013-Gonzaga
• 2014-Gonzaga
• 2015-Gonzaga
• 2016-Gonzaga
• 2017-St. John's
• 2018-Gonzaga
• 2019-Gonzaga
• 2020-NA
• 2021-NA
• 2022-St. John's
• 2023-St. John's
• 2024-Gonzaga

Champions! School! Championships

DeMatha	17
Gonzaga	14
Bishop Ireton	1
St. Mary's Ryken	1
St. John's	3

Wrestling champions

• 1975-Carroll
• 1976-Bishop McNamara
• 1977-Good Counsel
• 1978-Good Counsel
• 1979-St. John's
• 1980-Good Counsel
• 1981-Good Counsel
• 1982-O'Connell
• 1983-O'Connell
• 1984-Bishop McNamara
• 1985-O'Connell
• 1986-Dematha
• 1987-Dematha
• 1988-Dematha
• 1989-Dematha
• 1990-Dematha
• 1991-Dematha
• 1992-Dematha
• 1993-Dematha
• 1994-Dematha
• 1995-Dematha
• 1996-Dematha
• 1997-Dematha
• 1998-Dematha
• 1999-Dematha
• 2000-Dematha
• 2001-Dematha/O'Connell
• 2002-Dematha
• 2003-Dematha
• 2004-Dematha
• 2005-Dematha
• 2006-Dematha
• 2007-Dematha
• 2008-Dematha
• 2009-O'Connell
• 2010-Dematha
• 2011-Good Counsel
• 2012-Dematha
• 2013-Good Counsel
• 2014-Good Counsel
• 2015-Good Counsel
• 2016-Good Counsel
• 2017-St. John's
• 2018-St. John’s
• 2019-St. John’s
• 2020-St. Mary’s Ryken

Champions! School! Championships

DeMatha	25
Good Counsel	9
O'Connell	5
St. John’s	4
Bishop McNamara	2
Carroll	1
St. Mary’s Ryken	1

Golf champions

• 1973-Good Counsel
• 1974-Good Counsel
• 1975-Good Counsel
• 1976-St. John's
• 1977-St. John's
• 1978-St. John's
• 1979-St. John's
• 1980-Bishop McNamara
• 1981-Dematha
• 1982-Good Counsel
• 1983-Dematha
• 1984-Dematha
• 1985-Dematha
• 1986-Bishop McNamara
• 1987-Good Counsel
• 1988-Bishop McNamara
• 1989-Dematha
• 1990-Good Counsel
• 1991-Gonzaga
• 1992-Good Counsel
• 1993-Dematha
• 1994-Dematha
• 1995-Dematha
• 1996-Dematha
• 1997-Dematha
• 1998-Dematha
• 1999-Dematha
• 2000-O'Connell
• 2001-St. Paul VI
• 2002-Gonzaga
• 2003-St. Paul VI
• 2004-Dematha
• 2005-Gonzaga
• 2006-Gonzaga
• 2007-Gonzaga
• 2008-Dematha
• 2009-St. Paul VI
• 2010-Gonzaga
• 2011-Gonzaga
• 2012-Gonzaga
• 2013-Gonzaga
• 2014-St. Paul VI
• 2015-Gonzaga
• 2016-Gonzaga
• 2017-Gonzaga
• 2018-Gonzaga
• 2019-Gonzaga

Champions! School! Championships

Gonzaga	14
Dematha	14
Good Counsel	7
St. Paul VI	4
St. John's	4
Bishop McNamara	3
O'Connell	1

Boys Tennis champions

• 1979-Archbishop Carroll
• 1982-O'Connell
• 1983-St. John's
• 1984-St. John's
• 1985-Gonzaga
• 1986-Gonzaga
• 1987-Gonzaga
• 1988-Gonzaga
• 1989-Gonzaga
• 1990-Gonzaga
• 1991-Gonzaga
• 1992-Gonzaga
• 1993-Gonzaga
• 1994-Gonzaga
• 1995-Gonzaga
• 1996-DeMatha
• 1997-DeMatha
• 1998-DeMatha
• 1999-DeMatha
• 2000-DeMatha
• 2001-Good Counsel
• 2002-DeMatha
• 2003-DeMatha
• 2004-DeMatha
• 2005-Gonzaga
• 2006-Gonzaga
• 2007-DeMatha
• 2008-Gonzaga
• 2009-DeMatha
• 2010-Gonzaga
• 2011-Gonzaga
• 2012-Gonzaga
• 2013-Gonzaga
• 2014-Gonzaga
• 2015-O'Connell
• 2016-Gonzaga
• 2017-Gonzaga
• 2018-Good Counsel
• 2019-Gonzaga
• 2022-Gonzaga
• 2023-DeMatha
• 2024-Bishop Ireton

Champions! School! Championships

Gonzaga	23
Dematha	11
O'Connell	2
St. John's	2
Good Counsel	2
Archbishop Carroll	1
Bishop Ireton	1

Boys Ice Hockey champions

• 2017- DeMatha
• 2018- DeMatha
• 2019- DeMatha
• 2020- DeMatha
• 2022- St. John's
• 2023- St. John's
• 2024- St. John's

Champions! School! Championships

DeMatha	4
St. John's	3

Boys Swim and Dive Champions

• 2018-Gonzaga
• 2019-Gonzaga
• 2020-Gonzaga

Alumni

Archbishop Carroll

• John Thompson, Jr. (1961), Former NBA player and men's basketball coach at Georgetown University
• Eddie Jordan (1973), Former NBA player and coach, current assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets
• Lawrence Moten (attended but did not graduate), Former NBA player
• Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje (1997), Former NBA player
• Jamal Williams (1995), Former NFL player
• Jevon Langford (1992), Former NFL player
• Kris Joseph (2008), former NBA player
• Jeremiah Attaochu (2011), Current NFL player
• Mike Lonergan (1984), Former basketball head coach Catholic University of America, University of Vermont, George Washington University

Bishop Ireton

• Charlie Raphael, Former professional soccer player

Bishop McNamara

• Waine Bacon, Former NFL player
• Todd Bozeman, Current basketball coach at Morgan State University
• Jerome Couplin III, former NFL player
• Brandon Coleman, former NFL player
• Tyoka Jackson, Former NFL player
• Ty Lawson, former NBA player
• Talib Zanna, Former NBA player

Bishop O'Connell

• Kendall Marshall, Current NBA player
• Eric Metcalf, Former NFL player
• Terrence Wilkins, Former NFL player
• Melo Trimble, Current professional basketball player
• Gibran Hamdan, Former NFL player
• John Arsala, Former professional soccer player
• Nataly Arias, Former professional soccer player
• Kate Ziegler, World champion swimmer

DeMatha

• Markelle Fultz, Current NBA player
• Brett Cecil, Former MLB player
• Steve Farr, Former MLB player
• Johnny Austin, Former NBA player
• Keith Bogans, Former NBA player
• Adrian Branch, Former NBA player
• Mike Brey, Current basketball coach at Notre Dame
• Kenny Carr, Former NBA player
• Sid Catlett, Former NBA player
• Adrian Dantley, Former NBA player
• Danny Ferry, Former NBA player
• Joseph Forte, Former NBA player
• Sidney Lowe, Former NBA player
• Jerrod Mustaf, Former NBA player
• Victor Oladipo, Current NBA player
• Charles Whitney, Former NBA player
• Bernie Williams, Former NBA player
• JB Brown, Former NFL player
• Mike Johnson, Former NFL player
• Quinn Ojinnaka, Former NFL player, current wrestler
• John Owens, Former NFL player
• Tony Paige, Former NFL player
• Steve Smith, Former NFL player
• Cameron Wake, Former NFL player
• Brian Westbrook, Former NFL player
• Edwin Williams, Former NFL player
• Josh Wilson, Former NFL player
• Rodney McLeod, Current NFL player
• Jordan Graye, Current MLS player
• Derek Mills, Olympic Gold Medalist
• Jerami Grant, Current NBA player
• Jerian Grant, Current NBA player
• Cyrus Kouandjio, Former NFL player
• Arie Kouandjio, Former NFL player
• Paul Rabil, Former MLL player, Co-Founder PLL
• Chase Young, Current NFL player
• Bill Hamid, Current MLS player, member of USMNT

Gonzaga

• Cam Johnson, Current NFL player
• Johnson Bademosi, Current NFL player
• Jon Morris, Former NFL player
• John Thompson III, Former basketball coach at Georgetown University
• Roman Oben, Former NFL player
• Curome Cox, Current NFL player
• Mike Banner, Former MLS player
• Joey Haynos, Current NFL player
• Colin Cloherty, Current NFL player
• A. J. Francis, Current NFL player
• Malcolm Johnson, Former NFL player
• Kevin Hogan, Current NFL player
• Kris Jenkins (basketball), Current Euroleague player

Caleb Williams, Current NFL playerOlu Fashanu, Current NFL player

Good Counsel

• Zach Hilton, Former NFL player
• Joe Lefeged Former NFL player
• Steve Howes, Former basketball coach at Catholic University of America, Current Athletic Director at Good Counsel
• Tarik Walker, Former Professional Soccer Player & President FC USA Baltimore, MD
• Marty Hurney, Former NFL General Manager
• Chas Gessner, Former NFL player
• Roger Mason, Former NBA player
• Jelani Jenkins, Current NFL player
• Stefon Diggs, Current NFL player
• Blake Countess Current NFL player
• Kendall Fuller Current NFL player

St. Paul VI

• Erick Green, Current professional basketball player
• Eddie Royal, Former NFL player, (graduated from Westfield High School)
• Mike Venafro, Former MLB Pitcher

St. John's

• Gene Augusterfer, Former NFL player
• Scott Glacken, Former NFL player
• Tommy Marvaso, Former NFL player
• Mike Kruczek, Former NFL player
• Jay Williams, Former NFL player
• Chris Harrison, Former NFL player
• Marques Ogden, Former NFL player
• Conrad Bolston, Former NFL player
• Bobby Lewis, Former NBA player
• Chris Wright, Former NBA player
• Marissa Coleman, Former WNBA player
• Perry Currin, Former MLB player
• L.J. Hoes, Former MLB player
• Nick Howard, Current MLB player
• Kevin Plank, Founder, Brand Chief, and Executive Chairman of the Board of Under Armour
• Terrell Lewis, Current NFL player
• Rakim Jarrett, Current NFL player
• Scotty Washington, current NFL player

Notes and References

1. Web site: 50 Years List of WCAC Football Champions . dc.thesportsfannetwork.com . 2011-03-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111208072819/http://dc.thesportsfannetwork.com/forums/thread/12344-50-years-list-of-wcac-football-champions/ . 2011-12-08 . dead.
2. Web site: Boys Catholic Champions Since 1969 . www.dematha.org . 2011-03-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150923213448/http://www.dematha.org/data/files/Gallery/ProductionGallery/Boys_Champions_Since_1969.pdf . 2015-09-23 . dead.