an additional 50 acres purchased later. Groundbreaking ceremonies for Walsh Jesuit took place in 1964, and the school opened its doors to 153 freshmen on September 7, 1965. The school was dedicated in May 1966, and the first class graduated in 1969. All Students were required to wear neckties, a shirt with a collar, and hair not falling over the ears. A "tie strike" was organized in 1969, which was easily quashed. Initially founded as an all-boys institution similar to other prominent Northeast Ohio Catholic high schools, Walsh Jesuit's leadership decided to go co-ed in 1991 amid excess capacity and financial challenges to the school's continued existence. The decision was initially met with resistance by many Walsh Jesuit alumni and students, culminating in a student walkout, which received extensive local media coverage, when the news of the decision was made public. Despite the protests, the first girls entered the school at the beginning of the 1993-1994 academic year, and currently constitute approximately half of the overall student population. The school's sports nickname is the "Warriors," originally conceived as a means of celebrating the heritage of the Seneca Indians that had previously inhabited the area. However, in 2021, as a response to the Native American mascot controversy, the school formally disassociated the name "Warriors" from any reference to Native American culture, removed Native American iconography from its sports uniforms and facilities, and changed the name of its annual fundraising gala. Athletics Walsh Jesuit has won seven team national championships and a total of 39 Ohio High School Athletic Association team state championships. The school is also home to 113 individual state championships in various sports. Walsh Jesuit currently competes in the Crown Conference, since the beginning of the 2021–22 school year. Walsh Jesuit was previously a member of the North Coast League from 2011 to 2020. National championships Boys' Wrestling - 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 Girls' Soccer - 2000, 2006, 2010 State championships Boys' Cross Country – 1984, 2002 Boys' Baseball – 1999, 2004, 2006, 2008 Football – 1999 Boys' Wrestling – 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000 Boys' Golf – 1990, 1991, 1996, 1997 Boys' Soccer – 1982, 1990, 2006 Girls' Golf – 2001, 2004, 2007 Girls' Soccer – 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 Softball – 2002, 2004, 2016 Girls' Basketball – 2005 Notable alumni Ryan Armour (1994), professional golfer on the PGA