The Irvine Valley College athetics Character Champion award winners for the 2025-26 season are sophomore and leader of the women's flag football team Mia Lacy and sophomore standout men's tennis player Jonathan Hinkel.
Hinkel also received the honor as the male Character Champion winner for the entire Orange Empire Conference at the OEC meeting last week.
Lacy is among the handful of student-athletes we refer to as "The OGs".
As the first class of flag football in the spring of 2024, her leap of faith to join a fledgling program (statewide) means her mindset is one of leadership and community. She also helped IVC win a share of the conference regular season title and OEC tournament championship.
Her statement speaks to her goals and work in our community.
"As it relates to character and sportsmanship, I am a driven and attentive individual," Lacy said. "I have always been one to watch, or as we say in football, read and react to those around me. I have learned to act not when told but when I see that something needs to be done. It helps relieve the stress off the coaches and all the other stuff they have to think about.
"The same goes for my teammates; I want them to be in the best possible mindset before and during every game because that is where we can succeed the most as a team. So if that means I'm out there with the music, dancing, or making them laugh on the sideline, I always try to cheer them up so that they can go out and have a great game.
"As an individual, I try to work as hard as I can not only to better myself but to better those around me. If we are working out, I push my partner to places that they would typically not go because I know they are capable of it. When we are on the field for the scout team, I run routes at full speed to help the defense get game-like reps.
"All the little things that help out our team and hopefully give us the advantage on gameday. Honestly, I just pride myself on always helping out others and having a selfless mindset because that is who I am and want to be perceived as a person."
Hinkel is a rarity for Irvine Valley tennis - named a two-time captain, once as a freshman for the 2025 State Champions and again in 2026 as IVC won back-to-back titles.
The starting singles and doubles player is truly an ambassador for the program, and tellingly, our support personnel have frequently singled-out Hinkel as a pleasure to work with.
Please also note that he was recognized by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association in Ojai in late April.
When asked for additional background on this efforts in this area:
"I take my leadership responsibilities seriously," he said. "From simple things like leading team warm-ups and arranging additional player-led practices and drills outside of school, I take pride in helping keep my team focused, energized, and closely connected throughout the season in our dual matches.
"On match days, I take it upon myself to ensure teammates are organized and on time for warm-ups so we start the day prepared and united. I lead our team cheer before matches and encourage teammates to support players who are still competing, so they can feed off the energy of the entire group.
"I also help organize team bonding events such as barbecues, hikes, and beach days to strengthen relationships and build a positive team culture. I regularly speak with prospective recruits through phone calls and messages to explain what it means to be part of the IVC tennis program and give them a feel for our culture. I also help welcome and mentor new teammates to make sure they feel included and supported on the team, because having a close-knit group is the most important thing to me.
"Off the court, my community is important to me," he added. "I volunteer at a summer tennis camp in my community, the same program that first introduced me to the sport, where I helped share my love for tennis with young players from my community.
As captain of the Irvine Valley College men's tennis team, I had the chance to volunteer at a local elementary school second-grade classroom to help support students and teachers. Through these efforts, I work hard to represent my team with strong character, leadership, and respect for others."
