Alumni Awards Highlight Festive Malvern Prep Homecoming Weekend

Malvern Prep’s Homecoming weekend has become a cherished event in which the Malvern community celebrates the achievements and service of the School’s alumni award winners and gathers together for a day of fun and camaraderie on the School’s campus.

The weekend kicked off with the Alumni Award Presentations and Reception on Friday evening, and continued on Saturday with spirited football, soccer and water polo games and activities for the kids such as pumpkin and face painting. The afternoon concluded with a Pig Roast followed by a Vigil Mass.

On Friday, Malvern honored six distinguished alumni: the Alumni Loyalty Award winner, Joseph Redican ’60; and Athletic Hall of Fame inductees, William “Lee” Biddle ’91, David Black ’91, Christopher Downs ’98, Francis Hoey ’88, and Kevin McKernan ’94.

Redican, the Alumni Loyalty Award winner, has been a major influence in his classmates staying connected to the School. He became a class agent in the early 1980’s when the Malvern Prep Alumni Association was beginning its initial fundraising efforts. He has served on every reunion committee since graduation and celebrated his 50th Reunion with his classmates in 2010. In that same year, Joe was given the honor of being the commencement speaker to the Class of 2010.He is a current member of the Malvern Prep Alumni Association Executive Board and continues to serve as a class agent.

Classmates Biddle and Black had long and decorated careers in the pool at Malvern. Biddle was selected as an All-American in the 200 meter individual medley and 500 meter freestyle during his junior and senior seasons and won the 100 meter backstroke at the National Catholic championships for the third year in a row, setting a new meet record that lasted until 1998, as well as a Villanova pool record that ranked him in the top 10 high school swimmers in the nation. Black was selected as an All-American in the 200 meter individual medley and 500 meter freestyle in his junior and senior seasons, and he graduated as the school record holder for both events. In 1991, Black was named Most Valuable Swimmer at the National Catholic Championships. In their sophomore, junior and senior seasons, Both Biddle and Black were named First Team All-Inter-Ac and were members of the 200-meter medley and 400-meter freestyle All-American relay teams.

Downs participated in football and track and excelled in both sports during his time at Malvern Prep. He was arguably the best football player in the program’s proud history. As a junior, Downs set the school rushing record with 1,653 yards and the single-season touchdown record with 20. He was also selected as a First Team All-Inter-Ac member and First Team All-City. During his senior season, Downs rushed for 2,198 yards, which ranks third in Philadelphia high school football history and scored 31 touchdowns, which places him fourth among the city leagues. Chris ended his Malvern career with 4,045 yards and 54 touchdowns. He was later named the best Inter-Ac football player during the 1990’s by the Philadelphia Daily News.

Hoey was a star athlete on both the track and cross country teams. He was First Team All-Inter-Ac in track in this sophomore, junior and senior seasons, and in cross country in his junior and senior years. Hoey won the 800-meter run at the Inter-Ac Championships during his junior and senior years. In 1988, he set both a league and school record in that event, as well as a league and school record in the 1600-meter run, with a time of 4:19. That league record stood until 2012, and the school record stood until 2014, when it was broken by his son, Jaxson, Malvern Class of 2016. During his senior year, Hoey was selected as a member of the Pennsylvania All-State Track Team.

McKernan was a member of the varsity baseball and soccer teams at Malvern. During his sophomore baseball season, he was named Honorable Mention All-Inter-Ac, All-Main Line and All-Chester County. During his junior season, McKernan received accolades as First Team All-Inter-Ac, First Team All-Main Line, Second Team All-Chester County and third Team All-City. In his senior season, McKernan was named First Team All-Inter-Ac, Second Team All-Southeastern Pa., First Team All-County, and First Team All-Main Line. He was also selected to play in the Carpenter Cup at the end of his junior season and senior seasons.