This year’s 6th Annual Alumni Scholarship Event at the Detroit Athletic Club was an incredible night, both for our student finalists and for alumni, alumni parents, and all others who supported the Alumni Association. It was a great evening had by all. The finalists, announced at the Wednesday and Thursday Masses the week prior to the event, include Daniella Daman, Alayna Kirma, Trey Goike and Noah Sallach.

Alumni News

Check out the photos from Founder's Day 2024!

Alumni News

Congratulations to Dillion Kark, Prep Class of 2019, who continues to make news in the ballpark!

Prep Class of 2018 alumnus Blake Bean grew up in Farmington Hills, Michigan, and played both varsity baseball and varsity football. He went on to Kalamazoo College where he played for the Hornets before transferring to Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina. There, he’s continuing his baseball career for the Bears, an NCAA Division II team in the South Atlantic Conference.

CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Thank you to all those who have joined the esteemed group of Orchard Lake Ambassadors, those who are making a lasting impact on the Orchard Lake Schools through the Ambassadors Endowment Fund.

We’re so excited to welcome back Nick Di Ponio as St. Mary’s Preparatory Head Baseball Coach! The Prep Class of 1998 graduate helped lead the varsity baseball team to its first MHSAA state championship (1998) in school history. During his senior year, he was named to the All-State Dream Team and USA Today All-American honorable mention.

When Chad Bush, Prep Class of 1994, was a senior, he had career aspirations of being a sportswriter or reporter for a newspaper. “I was also intrigued and open to the idea of working in sales,” said Bush.

Alumnus of St. Mary's Preparatory

CEO Penske Media

Penske is the Chairman and CEO of Penske Media Corporation (PMC).^[8] Penske Media Corporation is a digital media and publishing company that owns and operates numerous media brands, data services, and live events.

Alumnus of St. Mary's Preparatory

St. Mary’s Prep alumnus, Mac Watts (P’06), is a Nashvillerecording artist and rising star in modern country music! The metro-Detroit native has always been influenced by music, especially the sounds of Johnny Cash, Motown, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Church, Kip Moore, and many others. Watts’ portfolio includes his first EP, “Dynamite,” and singles including his debut, “Ain’t Through Loving You,” “Drunk on a Tuesday,” and his most recent 2023 releases of “Castaway,” “I Should MaryJane,” and “Drink Her Memories Gone.”
He was the Regional Finals Winner for the Nash NextAmerica’s Talent Search Contest (2018), and selected to perform at the WYCD
30th Anniversary Hoedown at Pine Knob Music Theater with surprise guest, Garth Brooks.

He’s opened for artists such as Justin Moore (Arts, Beats& Eats), Parmalee (St. Andrews Hall), Brantley Gilbert, Joe Nicols, Phil Vassar, Carly Pearce, Scotty McCreery and others. Watts and his band are regular performers on Nashville’s famous Broadway strip. Follow him on Instagram @macwattsmusic, and on Spotify, iTunes, Pandora, iHeart, YouTube and other music platforms.

Alumnus of St. Mary's Preparatory

AT BAT FOR THE BEARS

Prep Class of 2018 alumnus Blake Bean grew up in Farmington Hills, Michigan, and played both varsity baseball and varsity football. He went on to Kalamazoo College where he played for the Hornets before transferring to Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina. There, he’s continuing his baseball career for the Bears, an NCAA Division II team in the South Atlantic Conference.

In January, the outfielder was named a 2024 NCAA Division II Preseason All American Third Team member by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association! In the 2023 season, Bean led the Bears with 73 hits and 61 runs.

Alumnus of St. Mary's Preparatory

Drafted Into Major League Baseball
 

Congratulations to Alex Mooney, Prep Class of 2022 and a former OLSM Baseball National Championshipteam member. He was drafted in the seventh round, 218th overall, to the Cleveland Guardians on Monday, July 10, during the MLB Draft.The 2023 Brooke Wallace Award finalist (award presented to college baseball’s top shortstop) has played for Duke the last two seasons. According to The Detroit News, Duke coach Chris Pollard tweeted that Mooney is an elite competitor, selfless leader, and makes the people around him better.  

Alumnus of St. Mary's Preparatory

Allen Bernard Robinson II (born August 24, 1993)

The NFL’s Super Bowl Champion LA Rams signed former Bears receiver Allen Robinson II on March 17, 2022. Allen was the American football wide receiver for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State.

Alumnus of St. Mary's Preparatory

Kalin Jay Lucas (born May 24, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association, on a two-way contract with the Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for Michigan State University.

Alumnus of St. Mary's Preparatory

The Detroit Red Wings acquired Prep alumnus Jeff Petry (P'06) in a trade from the Montreal Canadiens! Throughout the 2022-23 season, the veteran defenseman played for the Pittsburgh Penguins before being dealt back to the Montreal Canadiens (August 6, 2023), where he had played the 2021-22 season and helped the team reach the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. On August 15, 2023, the Detroit Red Wings acquired Petry in a trade deal and are excited to bring him back to Detroit for the upcoming season!

Jeff is the son of Dan Petry, a member of the Detroit Tigers' 1984 World Championship team and the current Assistant Coach of OLSM Varsity Baseball. Jeff played hockey for St. Mary's and Michigan State before being selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round (45th overall) of the 2006 NHL draft. He played 864 games in the NHL and compiled 353 points (92 goals) and 349 penalty minutes in his career with the Oilers, Canadiens, and Penguins.

Alumnus of St. Mary's Preparatory

David Walter Bowens (born July 3, 1977) is a former American football linebacker who played twelve seasons in the National Football League.

50 YEARS A PRIEST

Alumnus of St. Mary's Preparatory

Congratulations to Fr. Stan Ulman on 50 years of serving God’s people as a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit! His ordination took place on August 25, 1973, and his 50th Anniversary Jubilee Mass took place on August 27, 2023, at his home parish of St. Mary of the Hills Catholic Church in Rochester Hills, Michigan.

Fr. Ulman is a graduate of St. Mary’s Preparatory (P’64), St. Mary’s College (C’68), and the Pontifical Gregorian University (1972) in Rome, Italy. His first assignment was as associate pastor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Wyandotte, Michigan (1973-74). He then served as associate pastor of St. Gertrude Parish, St. Claire Shores (1974-79) and as associate pastor and then administrator of St. Ladislaus Parish, Hamtramck (1979-81). He served briefly as administrator of St. Stanislaus and St. Bartholomew parishes in Detroit before being named pastor of St. Ladislaus (1982-2004), and eventually was appointed pastor of St. Mary of the Hills Rochester Hills, where he currently serves.

Fr. Ulman is a member of the In Solidum team of priests who serve the Paint Creek 1 Family of Parishes.