"It's a dream come true." 

Those are the words of John Ricotta '05 upon being named the Director of Athletics at Canisius High School. 

Ricotta, a longtime member of the championship CHS Basketball coaching staff, comes to 1180 Delaware Ave. following a 15-year career in professional sports in Buffalo.

Our unparalleled Higher Achievement Program finished its fun four-week run Friday as families and friends joined us for the HAP Awards ceremony in Scaccia Auditorium.

We mourn the loss of Kibler, a standout swimmer at CHS who went on to swim collegiately and graduated last year from Xavier University. He passed away July 15 following a battle with cancer. He was 23.

During our 156th Commencement Exercises, an early portion of the ceremony was dedicated to special graduation honors, including: The Midshipman First Class Jeffrey R. Korn Memorial Award, which was presented to Matthew Carver ’26 of Williamsville.

During our 156th Commencement Exercises, an early portion of the ceremony was dedicated to special graduation honors, including: The Philippe B. Piedad Accolade Award, which was presented to Nazariy Drofych ’26 of Kenmore.

“I will always remember his bright smile ... he was the definition of a student athlete.”

That is how CHS Soccer Coach Orville Roberts thinks of the late Matthew Mayer ’24.

Visitation is Monday from 4 to 7 p.m. at C. Mertz and Son Funeral Home, Inc., 911 Englewood Ave., Buffalo.

We mourn the loss of Mayer, who was entering his junior year at the University of Dayton in Ohio. He passed suddenly and tragically in a car accident Monday morning. He was 20.

During our 156th Commencement Exercises, an early portion of the ceremony was dedicated to the members of the Class of 2026 who distinguished themselves by their superior academic record and high class standing.

We are grateful that our outstanding CHS community has again been honored by Buffalo Business First’s Schools Guide as the top Catholic school in the Buffalo metro area.

Jim Mauro, who has overseen Canisius High School’s ascendance to Western New York’s premier high school athletic program, has announced that he will retire after nearly two decades at CHS.

Congratulations to Bryan Galligan, S.J., a Jesuit deacon who will be ordained as a priest tomorrow at Fordham University Church. Galligan served at Canisius High School as a biology teacher and campus minister from January 2016 to June 2017. 

The following Canisius students achieved excellence by earning placement on the Honor Roll for the Fourth Quarter of the 2025-26 school year.

Congratulations to Fr. C.J. Wild ’16! 

Wild, a 28-year-old Lancaster native, was ordained as a priest Saturday at St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown Buffalo.