GCC Alumni Spotlight: Dimitri Athans

March 1, 2009

Athans, now a junior at New Jersey Institute of Technology, has shown that he has the skills and toughness to compete successfully at the NCAA Division I level.

The competition at the Division I level is the highest in the nation and Athans has competed against players from schools like Delaware, Howard, Fordham, Lafayette, and Rider. The team finished the fall season 3-1 and also competed in several tournaments. 

“Playing DI tennis has really forced me to improve. It helps to have great players on my own team. The last 5 years I have been the top player on my team and now there are people that can push me more at practice.” Athans added, “Our top player (Steve Erikson) who was a former NJ state singles finalist so every time I get to hit with him I have to play my best.”

Athans credits some of his success to what he learned at GCC, “Playing junior college tennis really helped prepare me. I played really good competition and Coach (Brian) Rowan really helped me improve, especially with my doubles play.”

While at GCC, Athans was the leader of the group of athletes that has made the Roadrunners a presence on the national tennis level. In 2006 he and partner Ryan Finnie advanced to the NJCAA National Championship doubles final and became the first men’s tennis All-Americans in school history. He repeated as an All-American in 2007 and holds the GCC tennis record for most career wins (46).

Athans has also improved academically and now has a healthy 3.8 grade point average at NJIT. He is a finance major on pace to graduate next year and plans to pursue a graduate degree in the future.

TEAMMATES: Athans will be joined in the NJIT lineup this spring by former GCC teammate Mike Sullivan.