St. Joseph's Prep Receives $74M Donation for New Athletic Complex

The largest donation to a Catholic high school in U.S. history will fund state-of-the-art sports facilities.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 11:40pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a rugby ball repeated in a tight grid pattern, representing the iconic sports equipment that will be part of the new athletic facilities at St. Joseph's Prep.A bold, artistic interpretation of the sports equipment that will be featured in St. Joseph's Prep's new state-of-the-art athletic complex.Philadelphia Today

St. Joseph's Prep, a renowned Catholic college preparatory school in Philadelphia, has received a historic $74 million donation from alumnus Nick Howley, his wife Lorie, and The Howley Foundation. The funds will be used to build a new on-campus athletic complex featuring fields for rugby, Ultimate Frisbee, lacrosse, and more, transforming the school's sports facilities.

Why it matters

This record-breaking donation will allow St. Joseph's Prep to upgrade its aging sports infrastructure and provide students with modern, high-quality athletic amenities. The new complex is expected to enhance the school's competitive sports programs and overall student experience, further cementing its reputation as one of the top Catholic preparatory institutions in the country.

The details

The $74 million gift is the largest donation ever made to a Catholic high school in the United States. The funds will be used to construct a state-of-the-art athletic complex on the St. Joseph's Prep campus, featuring fields for rugby, Ultimate Frisbee, lacrosse, and other sports. This will replace the school's previous arrangement of using 35 different off-campus fields for practices and games.

  • The donation was announced on Friday, April 17, 2026.

The players

Nick Howley

A billionaire graduate of the Class of 1970 at St. Joseph's Prep who, along with his wife Lorie and The Howley Foundation, made the record-breaking $74 million donation to the school.

John Marinacci

The president of St. Joseph's Prep School, who described the donation as 'transformative' for the institution.

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What they’re saying

“This is a transformative gift. This allows us to sustain and grow our mission. We had 35 different home fields for practices and games. Every time we played a field sport, we got on a bus or in a car.”

— John Marinacci, President, St. Joseph's Prep School

What’s next

The school plans to begin construction on the new athletic complex in the coming months, with the goal of having the facilities ready for use by the start of the 2027-2028 academic year.

The takeaway

This historic donation will enable St. Joseph's Prep to provide its students with state-of-the-art athletic facilities, enhancing the school's competitive sports programs and overall educational experience. The transformative gift highlights the continued commitment of the school's alumni network to supporting its mission and securing its future success.