American River College 3C2A Champion Cayden Pitzer Proves Why Community College Swimming Matters
Last week, the 2025 California Community College Athletic Association State Championships wrapped up in exciting fashion. The meet was held at Santa Rosa Junior College and featured several 3C2A records and some tantalizing races. During action, American River College’s Cayden Pitzer stamped his name as someone to watch in the coming years. Using his second and last year of 3C2A eligibility, he stormed to three new 3C2A records individually, and contributed to two relay records. What makes Pitzer’s swims all the more fascinating, however, is his swimming history.
The Del Oro High School CIF States qualifier has no club swimming resume to his name, competing in summer league for the Broadstone Barracudas before coming to the American River College Beavers. Amazingly, Pitzer’s high school career did not truly begin until he was a junior, with the pandemic affecting pool access up until then. The 2025 3C2A champion in the 200 breaststroke did not race the event prior to January 2024. Now, there are schools knocking on the door to recruit his talent.
Success in the Pool
Pitzer opened up the 2025 3C2A Championship meet in explosive fashion. In the 200 individual medley on Day One, he undercut the previous record by nearly a second, lowering it to a 1:46.80. He split 22.66/27.33/29.53/27.28. His finals time was a touch slower, 1:47.36.
In the 100 breaststroke, which was later named the men’s performance of the meet, Pitzer recorded times that should put the country on notice. In the preliminary heats, he established a new 3C2A record (53.07), splitting 25.03/28.04. He clocked faster in finals, splitting 24.72/28.26 to slip down to a 52.98. According to the psych sheets for the NCAA Division I Championships, that swim would rank Pitzer 44th in the country, likely slotting him within the top-50 ranked swimmers in the 2024-2025 season.
Furthermore, his 100 breaststroke time represents a nine-second drop in just over two years, something that according to Pitzer has come from consistent hard work and time in the weight room.
In the 200 breaststroke, Pitzer has only logged times within the last 18 months as an ARC Beaver, but already has progressed strongly, winning the event in a near 3C2A record time of 1:58.39.
On relays, Pitzer was electric. He was the fastest for ARC on the 200 freestyle relay, splitting 20.01. On the 400 medley relay, he blew the race open for the Beavers with a 52.81 breaststroke split. His 23.89 breaststroke split on the 200 medley relay would be an asset to any mid-major Division I school. To top it off, he split 45.10 leading off the 400 free relay.
The Value of Junior College Athletics
In an era of unprecedented unpredictability in collegiate athletics, junior/community college athletics are gaining attention. Two years ago, Pitzer would not have been a contender at most collegiate programs. His two years as a Beaver have changed his situation. Head coach at American River College, Eric Black, will be the first to tell you how important his commitment has been to his success.
His (Pitzer’s) performance at the 3C2A (xhampionship) meet was as impressive as any in my 35 years at the junior college level. He leads with actions and supports with words. Beyond his work ethic and competitive nature, he is a person of high character.
Pitzer is not the only athlete benefitting from the opportunities junior college swimming provides. In 2024, Las Positas College’s Zach Zahur-Kurr claimed the state title in the 400 individual medley, and a year later is now committed to swim at Fresno Pacific University. Ask LPC head coach Jason Craighead, and it is all about the ways athletes like Zahur-Kurr and Pitzer are seizing opportunity.
Two valuable years is simply more time for athletes to develop. That fact is undisputable. At the same time, many already established names come through the community college circuit. In 2012, Tunisian Olympian Ahmed Mathlouthi, representing Santa Monica College, set state records that stand to this day. His swims would have made finals at the NCAA Division I Champs that year. Many athletes simply continue their swimming careers, doing what they love and pursuing academic success along the way. The melting pot of community college swimming is something that has gone underappreciated in the broader scope of the sport, but deserves praise.
Growing the Sport
World records and Olympic gold medals are fantastic. What falls under the radar, however, are athletes who are not excelling at the highest level, but still putting their heart into the sport. Swimming by nature provides electric competition on nearly every level, but the secret is to seek it out. It’s a simple numbers game. For the sport to grow, there must be more opportunities for athletes everywhere. Furthermore, those athletes need the support from their teams and swim fans alike. Whether it be 3C2A, NJCAA, NAIA, DIII, DII, DI, or simply college club swimming, athletes across the country are achieving greatness in the way it is defined for them, and that is worth commending and witnessing.
