2 0 2 0 ▁survey , ▁St . ▁Mark ' s ▁was ▁r ated ▁as ▁the ▁best ▁private ▁school ▁in ▁Texas , ▁the ▁best ▁school ▁( public ▁or ▁private ) ▁for ▁S TE M ▁in ▁Texas , ▁the ▁best ▁boy ' s ▁high ▁school ▁in ▁the ▁country , ▁the ▁best ▁private ▁K - 1 2 ▁school ▁in ▁the ▁country , ▁and ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁best ▁private ▁high ▁school ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁Athletics ▁ 8 5 % ▁of ▁Upper ▁School ▁boys ▁play ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 ▁vars ity ▁sports ▁that ▁are ▁offered ▁at ▁St . ▁Mark ' s . ▁ ▁V ars ity ▁teams ▁primarily ▁comp ete ▁with ▁the ▁six teen ▁other ▁private ▁schools ▁in ▁Texas ▁and ▁Oklahoma ▁compr ising ▁the ▁South west ▁Pre par atory ▁Conference ▁( SP C ). ▁ ▁St . ▁Mark ' s ▁won ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁S PC ▁Athlet ic ▁Direct ors ▁Cup , ▁which ▁is ▁an ▁overall ▁measure ▁of ▁all ▁the ▁athlet ic ▁teams ▁that ▁comp ete ▁in ▁the ▁S PC . ▁The ▁SM ▁athlet ic ▁program ▁has ▁won ▁this ▁award ▁ 1 3 ▁of ▁the ▁prior ▁ 1 5 ▁years . ▁Some ▁individual ▁teams ▁have ▁had ▁length y ▁periods ▁of ▁success . ▁Lac ros se ▁won ▁ 9 ▁S PC ▁champion ships ▁between ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁The ▁sw im ▁team ▁won ▁ 2 0 ▁conference ▁champion ships ▁between ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1