Irvine Valley star women's volleyball player Annie Mitchem became the school's first-ever state athlete of the year earlier this week.
The award was announced by the California Community College Athletic Association.
Mitchem, who stood out in women's volleyball and women's sand volleyball, was named the female athlete of the year.
Hartnell cross country and track and field runner Diego Leon was selected as the male athlete of the year.
Mitchem is the top female athlete to ever come through Irvine Valley.
She captured three CCCAA State Championships during the 2014-15 academic year.
Two of the state championships came with teams, and she also earned an individual state title.
The 6-2 sophomore middle blocker helped Irvine Valley win its first ever women's volleyball state title last fall.
The team finished with a record of 27-0 and Mitchem was named the Orange Empire Conference MVP and all-state for the second year in a row along with being the State Tournament MVP.
She also earned prestigious national recognition for the second straight year, being named the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Two-Year College National Player of the Year once again.
In her three matches at the state tournament, she was dominant with 58 kills and 15 blocks in 11 sets, while making only five errors in 99 attempts (.535). Against Feather River she set a state tournament record for highest kill percentage at .826 (19 kills, 0 errors, 23 attempts).
She was a six-rotation middle blocker that led the nation in hitting percentage (.517). Mitchem was fourth in the state in blocks per set at 1.24, 10th in total kills with 358 and 13th in kills per set at 4.26.
She had double figure kills in 21 of 27 matches and also recorded eight matches with double figure digs.
In September, Mitchem was named the CCCAA Female Athlete of the Month.
Mitchem then helped lead Irvine Valley's sand volleyball team to the inaugural CCCAA title this spring.
Irvine Valley went undefeated against community college competition and defeated Grossmont, Golden West and Cabrillo in the state tournament.
Mitchem also teamed with freshman Emily Reinking to win the No. 2 pairs state title.
Mitchem came to Irvine Valley from Friendswood High School in Friendswood, Texas, and will continue her volleyball career at the University of Hawaii in the fall.
