2025-26 Men's Swimming and Diving Roster
Roster
Derek Hitchens
- Position:
- Free/Back
- Height:
- 5-10
- Class:
- First Year
- Hometown:
- Irvine, Calif.
- Previous School:
- Northwood
- College:
- Columbia College
2025-26 (First-Year)
Finished third in the 200 breaststroke and fifth in the 200 IM against Princeton … At the Princeton Big Al Invitational, placed sixth in the 100 IM (setting a personal-best time of 52.49), seventh in the 200 breaststroke (1:58.72), and eighth in both the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM … Won the 200 IM against Navy … At the Ivy League Championships, set multiple personal-best times, including 1:58.48 in the 200 breaststroke, 1:47.43 in the 200 IM, and 3:51.32 in the 400 IM.
Prior to Columbia: 4x Charter Oak Award Recipient … 4.2 GPA … 14x Scholastic All-American … 2x Athletic Award Recipient … 2024 Scholar-Athlete Award … 2021 Sportsmanship Award … 2x Irvine Unified School District Meet MVP Award … 7x High School Record Holder … 2-time CIF Champion … 3x Orange County Record Holder … 2025 Orange County Register Swimmer of the Year … Led team in points in winning 2025 High School State Championship … 2x Swim Team Captain … Swam for Irvine Novaquatics.
Personal: Assisted in the process of baptism at Saddleback Church, helping inform people of the significance as well as the next steps in their faith … Loves his family … Hobbies include playing basketball, volleyball, golf, other activities, watching anime, reading comics, traveling, and doing new things … Favorite memory includes winning the California State Championships his senior year of high school.
