Soccer’s Jackie Marin, swimmer Alexander Dimitriadis named Athletes of the Year

A pair of freshmen, women's soccer standout Jackie Marin and men's swimming All-American Alexander Dimitriadis, have been named the 2021-22 Rio Hondo College Student-Athletes of the Year for their impressive accomplishments for the Roadrunners this past season.

Marin, originally out of Smidt Tech High School in Los Angeles, played a big role in another successful Rio Hondo women's soccer season in the fall.

She was voted team captain and started all 20 games at center midfield for a Roadrunner squad that went on to capture a South Coast Conference championship and advanced to the finals of the Southern California Regional Playoffs. Rio Hondo was ranked as high as No. 5 in the nation and ended the season second in the final state power points rankings.

Marin was a first-team All-South Coast Conference selection and earned All-Southern California honors after she totaled 22 points with 6 goals and 10 assists.

In the classroom, Marin was named a California Community College Soccer Coaches Association (CCCSCA) Scholar-Athlete with a 3.50 grade point average.

"Jackie's success comes from her commitment to excellence on and off the soccer field," said women's soccer head coach Jennifer Tanaka-Hoshijo. "It's evident in her academic endeavors by earning over a 3.5 GPA since being at Rio Hondo and on the soccer field as a captain for our top-10, nationally-ranked program. Jackie was instrumental in helping the team earn national, state, and conference awards for its soccer and academic successes. She has spent hundreds of hours training and at games, all while working part-time and finding time to enjoy her family, friends, and teammates. The coaching staff is very proud of Jackie."

Marin is the second consecutive women's soccer student-athlete to earn the honor after Serina Vargas was the 2019-20 selection. Due to COVID-19, Rio Hondo did not participate in athletics during the 2020-21 season.

Dimitriadis, who also goes by the name Xander, recently wrapped up one of the finest seasons in recent memory for the Rio Hondo College men's swimming and diving team. 

He was the unanimous South Coast Conference Swimmer of the Year after capturing individual conference titles in the 200-yard IM, 400-yard IM, and 200-yard breaststroke while also pacing the 200-yard freestyle and 400-yard freestyle relay teams to impressive finishes.

His time of 1:54.86 in his championship swim of the 200 IM was the fifth fastest time in the state while his times of 4:07.31 in the 400 IM and 2:06.67 in the 200 breast were both the seventh fastest statewide. 

According to men's swimming and diving head coach Stephen Smith, Dimitriadas' times were all tops marks since his coaching tenure began in 2016 and could likely be school records as well.

Dimitriadis, out of Esperanza High School in Anaheim, capped the year with another amazing weekend at the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State Championships.

He went on to earn All-America honors in all three of his events. His best showing at state was a sixth-place finish in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:08.46. Dimitriadis added a ninth-place showing in the 200 free (1:43.83) and finished 10th in the 200 IM at 1:56.09.

"I am very proud of what Xander was able to accomplish this year," said Smith. "Xander embodies what it means to be a Roadrunner. He is a good athlete, a good student, and a good person. Xander worked very hard all season and is deserving of all accolades, awards, and accomplishments this season."

Dimitriadis snaped a string of four consecutive wrestlers to be named Male Student-Athlete of the Year. Daniel Romero (2016-17), James Schmidt (2017-18), Diego Sanchez (2018-19), and Kahlil Tucker (2019-20) were most recently honored.