Long Beach City College student-athletes are not only champions on the field, but in the classroom as well. A pair of LBCC Vikings, Jordan Ikeda from men's track and field as well as Kelly Zavala of the women's swimming and diving team, are set to be recognized for their achievements with a prestigious state-wide honor.

Ikeda and Zavala were recently selected to the 2021-22 Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll by the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA). The pair will be honored at the CCCAA Celebration of Scholar-Athletes on March 29 as part of the annual CCCAA Convention held in Sacramento.

LBCC Director of Athletics Kal Stewart is extremely proud of the academic success of his student-athletes.

"I am humbled and honored to witness the incredible accomplishments of Jordan and Kelly, and it fills me with pride to acknowledge the uniqueness of this honor," said Stewart. "LBCC's legacy of building champions in the classroom and competition continues with renewed vigor, as we strive to prepare our student-athletes for success in all aspects of their lives.

"With the formation of our Student-Athlete Success Team and the introduction of The Game Plan, we are committed to providing unparalleled academic support to our student-athletes," Stewart added. "I have no doubt that Director of Track & Field Marcus Carroll and Director of Aquatics Bradley Adamson are beaming with pride, as they witness the fruit of their student-athlete's hard work and dedication."

The Scholar Athlete Award is the highest student achievement honor awarded annually by the CCCAA. The winners, along with the rest of the annual honor roll, are selected by the CCCAA Awards Committee from nominations made by community colleges throughout California.  Ikeda and Zavala are two of just 17 student-athletes in the state chosen for this year's honor.

Candidates for the Scholar Athlete Award must carry a minimum grade point average of 3.5 and must also show outstanding leadership as an athlete, student, or in other college and community activities, as well as have participated in two seasons of sport at a California community college.

Ikeda compiled a 3.77 grade point average at LBCC. On the track, he earned All-South Coast Conference honors by finishing in third place in the javelin and was a member of the fourth-place 4x100-meter relay team.

Zavala earned a 3.90 GPA to capture the honor. In the pool, she earned a pair of fifth-place finishes last year in the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke events at the South Coast Conference Championships. Zavala also took sixth in the 200-yard IM.