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2025-26 Men's Swimming and Diving Roster

Derek Hitchens

  • Position Free/Back
  • Height 5-10
  • Class First Year
  • Hometown Irvine, Calif.
  • Previous School Northwood
  • College Columbia College

Biography

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.