Union Catholic Regional High School is a private Catholic high school located in Scotch Plains, in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its motto promises to provide a "quality education in a faith-based environment." Founded in 1962 as separate schools for boys and girls, each with its own separate administration and faculty, it has been coeducational since a merger of the two schools in 1980.Sanders, Laura. "Non-priests to head Catholic high schools", Courier News, August 31, 1980. Accessed February 24, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "The Archdiocese of Newark this year appointed Sister Percylee Hart to take over at newly combined Union Catholic Boys and Girls in Scotch Plains." The school is an active participant in the Anytime/Anywhere learning program. Students from three counties attend the school. The school operates under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Newark.Union County Secondary Schools, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. Accessed October 20, 2025.
As of the 2023–24 school year, the school had an enrollment of 530 students and 55.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.5:1.School data for Union Catholic Regional High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed September 1, 2025.
The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since November 1969; the school's accreditation expires in May 2023.Union Catholic Regional High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed March 19, 2022.
History The first phase of a facility that would cost $3 million (equivalent to $ million in ) to construct and could accommodate 1,500 students opened in September 1962 with an inaugural class of 148 girls and 142 boys."Union County Catholic High To Welcome 290 Tomorrow", Courier News, September 4, 1962. Accessed March 20, 2022, vis Newspapers.com. "Union County Catholic Regional High School at 1600 Martine Ave. will open tomorrow at 8:45 a.m. for 290 students, the Rt. Rev. John J. Cain' of St. Bartholomew the Apostle Church said today. Monsignor Cain said the first phase of the more than $3 million project a 20-classroom, 2-story building has been completed. Tomorrow 148 girls will occupy the first floor of the building, and 142 boys will be on the second floor. The school will house 1,500 students from Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Mountainside, Plainfield, Berkeley Heights, Summit and Murray Hill by September 1965." When it was established by the Newark Diocese in 1962, the genders were separated, with the Marist Brothers running the school for boys and the Dominican Sisters the school for girls. The two schools were consolidated in 1982.Union Catholic Regional High School. "About Us". Accessed May 23, 2025. "In 1982, when the decision was made to merge the two schools into one, we searched for a principal with the compassion and foresight to lead the newly combined Union Catholic High School."
Academics
Requirements for graduation A minimum of 124 Credits is required for graduation and is distributed as follows: English, 20; US History, 10; World History, 5; Lab Sciences, 10; Mathematics, 15; World Language, 10; Phys. Ed., 8, and Religion, a passing grade each year.
Course levels Union Catholic offers many classes at a variety of levels that range from easy to difficult. Levels include Basic, Regular Adapted, Regular, Honors, Accelerated, and Advanced Placement (AP).
Advanced Placement courses are offered in AP Art History, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Environmental Science, AP United States History, AP United States Government and Politics, AP European History, AP Calculus, AP Statistics, AP Physics B and AP Spanish Language. Accelerated and Honors courses are offered in English, History, Mathematics, World Languages and Science. Most courses available have an Honors/Accelerated/AP equivalent available for students to take provided certain prerequisites are met.
Athletics The Union Catholic High School VikingsUnion Catholic Regional High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. compete in the Union County Interscholastic Athletic Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Union County and was established following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by 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. Prior to the NJSIAA's 2009 realignment, the school had participated in the Mountain Valley Conference, which included public and private high schools in Essex, Somerset and Union counties.Home Page, Mountain Valley Conference, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 2, 2011. Accessed December 15, 2014. With 614 students in grades 10–12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Non-Public A for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 381–1,454 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. Dave Luciano is the athletic director.
The girls' swimming team won the Girls Division B state title in 1980–1982.NJSIAA Boys and Girls Team Swimming History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
The 1984 baseball team finished the season with a 20–3 record after winning the Non-Public Group A state championship, defeating Holy Spirit High School by a score of 8–1 in the tournament final.Baseball Championship History: 1959–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.Mosley, Gene. "Ashmont sparks Union Catholic", Courier News, June 11, 1984. Accessed February 23, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "If the players on Union Catholic High's baseball team didn't realize how much Al Ashmont meant to their baseball team, they certainly do now, Saturday, the senior All-Stater overcame a nagging muscle injury to pitch and bat the Vikings to a 8-1 win over Holy Spirit of Absecon for the Parochial A State Championship.... 'It's great, it really is,' said Revel of his 20-3 champs."
The girls' basketball team won the Non-Public Group A state championship in 1987 (against McCorristin Catholic High School), 1988 (vs. Notre Dame High School) and 1989 (vs. Paul VI High School).Girls Basketball Championship History: 1919–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated March 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024. The 1987 team won the Parochial A state title after defeating McCorristin by a score of 45–42 in the championship game.
The 1987 boys basketball team finished the season with a 25–2 record after winning the Non-Public Group A state championship with a 44–39 victory against runner-up Christian Brothers Academy in the playoff finals.Boys Basketball Championship History 1919-2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated March 2024. Accessed March 26, 2024.Long, Tom. "Union Catholic teams supply double pleasure for fans", Courier News, March 16, 1987. Accessed February 24, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "It will be a long time before anyone associated with athletics at Union Catholic High School forgets about what transpired at Brookdale Community College here last night. The Scotch Plains-based school had never won a state basketball championship prior to this season. But, last night, Union Catholic returned home with two championships, as the Vikings beat McCorristin of Hamilton Township, 45-42, to win the Parochial A girls' championship and the Union Catholic boys stunned Christian Brothers Academy, 44-39, to capture the state crown.... But, by following a masterful game plan to near-perfection, Union Catholic (22-5) beat the team that many observers believed to be the best in the state."
The girls' volleyball team won the 2005 Non-Public state championship with a win over Lacordaire Academy in the tournament final (25-21, 19–25, 25–22).NJSIAA Girls Volleyball Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023. The win marks the school's first ever state championship.Battaglia, Joe. "Union Catholic captures first state championship", The Star-Ledger, November 13, 2005. Accessed August 5, 2007. "Union Catholic, No. 3 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, shed its hard-luck image behind the play of Harris, who put away six of her team-high 13 kills in the third game to spark a 25-21, 19-25, 25-22 victory over No. 15 Lacordaire for the program's first NJSIAA/PSEG Non-Public championship before 300 yesterday at William Paterson University in Wayne."2005 Girls' Volleyball - Non-Public, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed August 5, 2007.
The boys' 4 × 200 m relay placed first with a time of 1:28.81 at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships in New York City, on March 16, 2008.25th National Scholastic Indoor Champs March 14-16, 2008 - The New Balance Track and Field Center at The Armory, NY NY - 4x200, DyeStat. Accessed November 28, 2011. The boys' 800m sprint medley relay team took first place at the Nike Outdoor National Championship held on June 18, 2008. Their time of 1:31.72 broke the school's record and placed them #7 in New Jersey records.18th Nike Outdoor Nationals: June 19-21, 2008 - North Carolina A&T University, Greensboro NC, DyeStat. Accessed November 28, 2011.
The boys' track team won the indoor relay Non-Public Group B state championship in 2013, the Non-Public A title in 2014, and the Non-Public B title in 2023-2026. The girls' team won the Non-Public A title in 2015–2020 and 2022-2026; The program's eleven state group titles are tied for the most in the state and the eleven consecutive titles (there was no competition in 2021) is the longest in state history.History of the NJSIAA Indoor Relay Championships , New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed June 24, 2026.
The boys' track team won the Non-Public Group A spring / outdoor track state championship in 2013–2015, 2022, 2024, and 2026.NJSIAA Boys Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed June 24, 2026.
The girls' spring / outdoor track team won the Non-Public Group A state championship in 2015–2019, 2021-2026; the eleven titles are tied for third-most in the state and the streak of eleven consecutive titles (there was no competition in 2020) is the longest in state history.NJSIAA Girls Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed June 24, 2026.
The girls' track team won the winter / indoor track Non-Public A state championship in 2015-2020, 2022-2026. The program's eleven state group titles are tied for second-most in the state.Girls Winter Track and Field Championship History: 1981-2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated March 2026. Accessed June 24, 2026.
The girls' cross country team won the Non-Public Group A state championship in 2015, 2017 and 2021-2025. The five consecutive state championships are tied for third-most in the state.NJSIAA Girls Cross Country State Group Champions , New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed June 24, 2026.
Union Catholic student Sydney McLaughlin, class of 2017, qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in the women's 400-meter hurdles and won the gold medal in the event in 2020, setting the world record in the event.