Trenton Catholic Preparatory Academy (formerly Trenton Catholic Academy) was a Catholic school in Trenton, in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Until its closure in 2024, it served students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grades and formerly operated under the auspices of the Diocese of Trenton.School Finder, Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton. Accessed November 9, 2017. And operated under an independent board of trustees on and after the 2021-2022 school year.About, Trenton Catholic Preparatory Academy. Accessed January 27, 2024. "In March 2021, Trenton Catholic Preparatory Academy, Inc., was created to provide Catholic education, but as a private, independent school, managed by a Board of Trustees, dedicated to providing outstanding academics, and a safe home where every student can thrive and succeed. Despite the name changes, the school mascot remains the Iron Mike, paying homage to the tough man with the soft heart who made this school possible."
The school closed after the 2023–24 school year due to the decline in enrollment and financial pressures. An application was submitted to open a charter school on the site that would receive state funding, which was approved as Thrive Charter School.
As of the 2023–24 school year, the school had an enrollment of 399 students and 40.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.9:1.School data for Trenton Catholic Preparatory Academy-Upper, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed September 1, 2025.
History Trenton Catholic Academy's high school, i.e., upper school, was known as McCorristin Catholic High School from 1979 to 2005. From its establishment in September 1962 until 1979, the school was known as Saint Anthony High School and affiliated with Saint Anthony Church on Olden Avenue in Hamilton Township.Glover, Tom. "Glover: The story of Trenton Catholic Academy dates back to 1961", The Times, August 17, 2014, updated March 29, 2019. Accessed November 29, 2020. "Fifty two years ago, in September 1962, the first students entered the new St. Anthony High School, the forerunner of McCorristin Catholic High School and today’s Trenton Catholic Academy. The story actually begins back in 1961, when the Franciscan fathers of Trenton Catholic High School notified Bishop George W. Ahr that the Chambersburg school would close its doors at the end of the 1962 school year.... In 1971, the announcement was made that Cathedral High School would close at the end of the 1972 school year. Once again, Monsignor McCorristin and his loyal volunteers picked up their shovels, trowels, saws and hammers and built still another wing to accommodate 400 additional students." The school was renamed to honor Monsignor Michael "Iron Mike" McCorristin in 1979 and then renamed as Trenton Catholic Academy in 2005 after a series of mergers with other area schools.O'Connor, Rosemarie. "Remembering Msgr. McCorristin Beloved priest's legacy celebrated on 20th anniversary of his death", Trenton Monitor, December 13, 2010. Accessed November 29, 2020. "St. Anthony High School was built on 50 acres of the Kuser Estate in Hamilton and Bishop Ahr renamed the school McCorristin Catholic High School in 1979. In 2005, the school was part of a diocesan consolidation and became Trenton Catholic Academy, a Pre-K-12 regional school."
The name McCorristin refers to Monsignor Michael "Iron Mike" McCorristin, a Catholic cleric responsible for major parish expansion projects at Holy Angels Church and Saint Anthony Church in Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey (a suburb of Trenton). The announcement of the closing of Trenton Catholic High School at the end of the 1961–62 school year prompted Monsignor McCorristin to build a new high school to serve the parishes of Trenton and Hamilton Township.
In the wake of a $2 million annual deficit and the impact of COVID-19 on enrollment, the Diocese of Trenton announced in January 2021 that the school was scheduled to close at the end of the 2020-2021 school year. The 550 current TCA students in grades K-12 were to be directed to Notre Dame High School and other nearby schools as alternatives.Importnant Announcement, Trenton Catholic Academy. Accessed January 11, 2021."Trenton Catholic Academy to close in June; Diocese to offer resources for students to continue Catholic education", Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, January 8, 2021. Accessed January 11, 2021. "Unfortunately, the growing cost of providing a quality, innovative education has consistently outpaced tuition and fundraising income, leaving the school with a $2 million deficit each year and a cumulative need for $24 million in financial support over the past 12 years.... The economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic has dealt a serious blow to families’ abilities to afford tuition and to strategic plans that had aimed to increase revenue.... Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Schools Dr. Vincent de Paul Schmidt pointed to steps that the Diocese will take to assist TCA students transitioning to a new Catholic school next year. He said, 'TCA students will be welcomed at Notre Dame High School in nearby Lawrenceville and at a number of Catholic elementary schools in close proximity to TCA so that Catholic education might continue to be available in Mercer County.'"
The school later reached an agreement with the archdiocese to become an independent Catholic school under the new name of Trenton Catholic Preparatory Academy. Operated under the non-profit of Trenton Catholic Preparatory Academy, Inc.
Athletics The Trenton Catholic Academy Iron MikesTrenton Catholic Academy, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. competed in the Burlington County Scholastic League (BCSL), which is comprised of public and private high schools in Burlington, Mercer and Ocean counties in central New Jersey, and operates under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. With 149 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Non-Public B for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 37 to 366 students in that grade range (equivalent to Group I for public schools).NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
The baseball team won the Non-Public A state championship in 1972 (defeating Don Bosco Preparatory High School), 1974 (vs. Saint Joseph Regional High School) and 1975 (vs. Roselle Catholic High School).Baseball Championship History: 1959–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024. The 1972 team won the Parochial A title with a 2-0 win against Don Bosco in the championship game for a 16-6 record."Jackson, Anthony's Take State Crowns", Courier-Post, June 12, 1972. Accessed February 7, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Jackson Township and St. Anthony of Trenton High Schools triumphed here Saturday in the NJSIAA baseball tournament to run South Jersey's total to four champions for 1972. Jackson Township (22-7) nipped favored Summit, 2-1, to win the Group 3 title and St. Anthony's blanked Don Bosco of Ramsey, 2-0, behind the two-hit pitching of sophomore Chuck Paglione to win Parochial A honors.... St. Anthony (16-6) scored its runs in the second on Frank Waryasz' home run, an error, Bob Apgar's single and walks to Bill Welsh and Gary McDonald."
The girls basketball team won the Group II state championship in 1980 (against Union Catholic High School) and won the Non-Public Group B state title in 2007 (vs. St. Anthony High School), 2008 (vs. Marist High School), 2010 (vs. Gill St. Bernard's School) and 2011 (vs. Gill St. Bernard's). The team was declared as the Non-Public South B sectional champion in 2020 after the group finals were cancelled due to COVID-19. The program's five state championships are tied for tenth-most in the state.Girls Basketball Championship History: 1919–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated March 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024. The 1983 team finished the season with a 27-3 record after taking a 16-point lead at the half against Union Catholic in the Group II championship game and holding on to win by a score of 65-55.Bell, Jack. "Pascack Valley falls apart", Herald News, March 23, 1980. Accessed February 22, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "In the Group 2 final, Kate Larkin scored 27 points to power McCorristin (formerly St. Anthony's of Trenton) to its second straight state title with a 65-55 victory over Union Catholic (22-6), the North Jersey, Section 2 champ.... In the Group 2 final, McCorristin began the game with an all-court press that worked to perfection. Union Catholic committed 19 turnovers in the first half as the Iron Mikes built a 37-21 lead at intermission." The team won the 2006 South B state sectional title, topping Cardinal McCarrick High School 64–53.2006 Girls Basketball - South B, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed July 10, 2007. The team won the South B state sectional championship again in 2007 with a 74–54 win over Sacred Heart High School.2007 Girls Basketball - South B, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed July 10, 2007. The team moved on to win the Group B state championship with a 69–27 win against St. Anthony High School.2007 Girls Basketball - Non-Public Group Finals, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed July 10, 2007. In 2011, the Trenton Catholic Academy girls' basketball team defeated Neptune High School by a score of 54–49 in the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions final. In doing so, TCA became the first New Jersey high school to capture both a boys (2010) and girls (2011) TOC title.George O'Gorman. "TCA wins Tournament of Champions", The Trentonian, March 21, 2011. Accessed April 12, 2011. "By duplicating what the Trenton Catholic boys did here a year ago in winning the boys TofC, the Lady Mikes made NJSIAA history, making their school the first in New Jersey history to win TofC championships in both genders."