(Orange, CA) – With 32 years of coaching under his belt, Todd Dixon has led the Men’s Basketball team at Santiago Canyon College (SCC) to a .778 winning percentage in the program’s three-year history. This year he was voted the Orange Empire Conference (OEC) Men’s Coach of the Year for 2019-2020.
Dixon’s leadership paved the way for his 2019-2020 team to rank No. 1 in Southern California and play a record-breaking 28-2 season. His team was named OEC Champions, Pasadena City Tournament Champions and Santa Ana Tournament Champions. Unfortunately, the season ended suddenly due to the COVID-19 pandemic while the team was in Fresno, California preparing to play in the state championships; as it stands, they were named Elite 8 State Champions.
Perhaps most impressive of all, he achieved all of this while occupying the role of head coach in a part-time capacity.
“I'm very honored to receive this award,” said Dixon. “We had an outstanding season and credit goes to the players who put in the time and effort. We've established our program around talented basketball players with high character. We play a fast-paced style of basketball that players enjoy. I'm looking forward to getting back out on the court with our new group of student-athletes. I'm thankful for our administration and staff who have supported our basketball program along with the other athletic teams on our campus.’
Overall, the team led the OEC in points per game, field goals made, 3-point field goal percentage and steals per game. They also led the state in 3-point field goals and points per game. Dixon’s team included Antoine Jenkins, who was named State Player of the Year, CCCSIA Athlete of the Year, OEC Most Valuable Player and Best Offensive Player; AJ Garrity, who was named to 1st Team All OEC and earned a scholarship to University of Alaska Anchorage; Paul Vilela, who was named to 1st Team All OEC and earned a scholarship to Eastern Oregon University; David Agba, who was named to 1st Team All OEC; Paulo Araujo, who was named to 2nd Team All OEC and earned a scholarship to Bellevue University; Tyler Goodlow, who earned a scholarship to Mayville State University; and Lucas Holden, who was named to 2nd Team All OEC and earned an Academic All-State Award and a scholarship to Western Washington University.
“More importantly than athletic accolades, (Dixon) is an exemplary role model to his student-athletes,” said Lisa Camarco, SCC Kinesiology co-chair. “He leads with a calm and collected demeanor. He sets high standards of achievement for his student-athletes. He is innovative in his approaches, sets the bar for ethical behavior from a coach, and he is a champion for instilling discipline and inspiring his young men to lead quality lives.”
Interim SCC President José Vargas agreed.
“We are extremely proud of Coach Todd Dixon and our Men’s Basketball program,” he said. “In only our first three seasons, the program and our student-athletes have achieved tremendous success under Coach Dixon. It’s great to be a Hawk!”
Prior to arriving at SCC, Dixon spent 21 years coaching varsity basketball at El Toro High School (ETHS). Before that, his coaching career began at Santa Margarita High School where he was an assistant varsity coach and lower-level head coach for five years. The following two seasons, he was the assistant men's basketball coach at Vanguard University (VU), formerly known as Southern California College, under the direction of legendary coach, Bill Reynolds.
As the varsity head coach at ETHS, his teams proved successful, averaging 21 wins per season. The varsity basketball team had a winning record of 449-158 and won 10 league championships, including 3 Sea View League championships and 7 South Coast League championships. ETHS was CIF Finalists three times under his direction. In 2013, Dixon was named Orange County Register Coach of the Year for his outstanding leadership at ETHS. He was a member of the CIF Basketball Advisory Committee and SCIBCA Executive Board during his high school coaching tenure.
As a basketball player growing up in Orange County, Dixon graduated from Ocean View High School in Huntington Beach in 1984. He continued his playing career at VU, where he was a two-time Academic All-American, as well as an Honorable Mention NAIA All-American. He was named to the Golden State Athletic Conference First Team in his junior and senior years. Dixon graduated Magna Cum Laude with his bachelor's degree in 1988 from VU and continued his education by earning his master’s degree in education from Azusa Pacific University.
To learn more about Men’s Basketball at SCC, visit santiago.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb.
About Santiago Canyon College
Santiago Canyon College (SCC) serves more than 17,000 credit and noncredit students each semester. In 2017, SCC was ranked 13th among the 50 Best Community Colleges in the U.S. by College Choice and is currently ranked 3rd in California by bestcolleges.com, a leading authority in college and university rankings and resources. The college prepares students for transfer to four-year institutions and careers, and provides courses for personal and professional development, as well as customized training for business and industry. The college is recognized for its adult education program which keeps the working adult - and senior - in mind by offering flexible schedules, and community locations. Serving the residents of Anaheim Hills, Orange, Tustin, and Villa Park, SCC is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District.
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