Rio Alum Daryin Lewis Reflects on Athletic and Coaching Career
By: Laith Hamid, Marketing and Communications Intern
Throughout most of his childhood, Daryin Lewis had an immense passion for the game of baseball. One of his main goals was to play baseball collegiately and then coach the game that he grew up loving. Lewis had a terrific career at Rio, winning conference championships in 2016 & 2017, and earning conference pitcher of the year award in 2017. Recently in the 2024 summer season, Lewis was the field manager for the Chillicothe Paints, leading them to a stellar record of 36-20.
Lewis reflects fondly on his four-year college career both academically and athletically, when asked what led him to Rio, Lewis stated, “Combining my love of baseball, with the unique opportunity of playing at the college level, it was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. It truly was an amazing opportunity.”
Lewis’ athletic accomplishments would help him quickly land coaching roles at a few stops, including the Paints. As much as Lewis loves teaching the game of baseball, his favorite part of coaching is building relationships with each of his players.
He said, “The most rewarding part of coaching to me is establishing relationships with all my players and then building upon those relationships post baseball. Also, having parents and family members come up to you before or after games and telling you how much you're making an impact on their kids' lives, that in my opinion is what coaching is all about.”
Lewis credits Rio for shaping both his career path and personal growth, starting immediately once he arrived on campus for the first time.
“Rio helped me grow up right away, it was the first time I left home and moved into a tight-knit community. Our entire baseball team was very tight, we looked out for each other in the weight room, on the field, and it gave me a sense of community and brotherhood. The professors were very helpful and made sure that we had all the help we needed in order to succeed.”
Rio provided Daryin with countless memories both at home and on the road, but his favorite was the team’s success during his playing days.
“I have a lot of great memories from Rio being a student and a baseball player. We won the conference tournament two years in a row and ended up playing for having a chance to win at three years in a row. We made it to the regional finals in Daytona, Florida, and which was the furthest we made it in the national tournament. So that was one of my favorite moments at Rio.”
When asked about what advice he would give to any athlete trying to reach the college level, Lewis said, “Go where you are wanted. Go where it feels like home. Choose a place where you can get a quality education at your own pace — and really take the time to find the right fit for you. It is really important to be patient and scan the opportunities around you. If you are a high-level athlete, college coaches will find you.”
Since graduating from Rio, Daryin Lewis has coached Post 134 Baseball (18u), winning the American Legion State Tournament. He became the head softball coach at Ohio Christian University, which he was named RSC Coach of the year in 2022. He has since been coaching the Chillicothe Paints since the 2024 summer season.