'We're going to thrive': Jeff Mitchell introduced as new Ball State Athletics Director

MUNCIE, Ind. — There was no shortage of optimism at Ball State University's Alumni Center on Monday during the official introduction ceremony for new Athletics Director Jeff Mitchell.

In his speech, smoothed by a slight southern twang, the former deputy director of athletics at the University of Southern Mississippi expressed gratitude for receiving his first full-time AD position, excitement in joining the Cardinals' long history and challenge everyone to build upon BSU's current athletic foundation.

"As Director of Athletics, I vow to be a great teammate as we advance Cardinal Athletics to greater success, and I look forward to unlocking powerful potential together," Mitchell said. "In my initial outreach to our head coaches on Friday, I issued a very simple statement to all of them, a consistent message that we're going to thrive. We are in the development business. I want to help develop winners and I want our coaches and student athletes to be people for others in the spirit of excellence."

Press release:Jeff Mitchell announced as new Ball State athletic director

BSU President Geoffrey S. Mearns noted Mitchell's credentials, including his several-month-long stints as an interim AD at both Southern Mississippi and Santa Clara University, but highlighted some of Mitchell's personal attributes that set him apart from the screening committee's national pool of applicants.

"Yes, we want to win ... but Jeff understands that we sponsor intercollegiate sports because it prepares our students and our student athletes for fulfilling careers and meaningful lives, which is our mission," Mearns said. "I selected Jeff because he embraces our values. Throughout his career and throughout his life, Jeff has demonstrated a commitment to excellence, to integrity, to courage, to social responsibility, to inclusiveness and to gratitude."

Mearns was particularly "impressed" by Mitchell's character and that of his family, which includes his wife, April, daughter, Harper Wynne (14), and son, Carson (9), who were all in attendance.

He told of the "unusual" way that Mitchell accepted the job offer, with April also joining the call to express her appreciation for the connections made during campus visits and in interactions with the athletics department. Mitchell said he and April were waiting on the right opportunity to join a Div. I school, and the emphasis on community he felt during the interview process helped him commit to Muncie as his family's new home.

"As April spoke, I got goosebumps ... because I realized that we had not simply hired an outstanding leader ... I realized that we were going to be joined by an outstanding family," Mearns said. "I am now more confident than ever before that our best days are yet to come."

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After the initial gathering, which also included a speech from Ball State Board of Trustees member Mike McDaniel, Mitchell discussed how some of his past experiences made him ready for this new role.

His term officially begins March 20 after a transition period between Mitchell and current interim AD Ken Bothof, who's held the position since September 2022 after former AD Beth Goetz accepted a position as the deputy director and chief operating officer for University of Iowa athletics.

Mitchell said he feels very confident in taking over as a full-time AD after experiencing the position twice and going through the NCAA Pathway Program.

"I would say that the level of detail and the number of decisions that come across your desk is, really — you can't count, and so I believe that the opportunity to serve here at Ball State, I'm prepared much more so than perhaps I would have been had I not had those opportunities at similar institutions," Mitchell said. "I think, also, opportunities to be on the West Coast, the opportunity to be in the southeast, I have developed a network of where I can be fluent throughout the country in terms of having contacts in our business. I think that's going to help, too, in terms of how we continue to grow."

Mitchell was at the forefront of some significant decisions during his tenure Southern Mississippi, like assisting in the development of $7.5 million in facility upgrades, helping transition Golden Eagles football to the Sun Belt Conference and refusing to consider hiring former Baylor University football head coach Art Briles because of his involvement in a sexual-assault scandal that led to his firing.

Mitchell said those experience have him well equipped to oversee BSU Athletics.

"It sharpens you. Really, for me, it comes down to values and making decisions that are in the best interest of an institution and not necessarily the department of athletics or one particular sports program," Mitchell said. "I've been very confident in the decisions that I've made previously, and that will continue to lead me well as we go forward here."

Although Mitchell was not yet familiar enough with the department's details to announce any forthcoming changes or improvements to BSU Athletics, he believes the current state Cardinals sports is strong and another reason why the job appealed to him.

When asked about possible renovations to Worthen Arena, Mitchell said, 'We'll look into it."

His plan in the immediate future is to learn more about the university and familiarize himself with its inner workings.

"One of the attractive things about Ball State is its stability and that the fact that it's successful, not only athletically, but also academically. And so what I'm really eager to do is to discover who we are and meet our people, and that's not only internally in the athletics department, but campus wide and in the community, and understand what Ball State means to people here," Mitchell said. "I can already tell that it means a great deal, but I need to experience it and feel it and listen, look, observe to what we do here, and then start planning a path forward. But we're coming at this from a position of strength, so I'm looking forward to that."

Gus Martin is a sports reporter at The Star Press. Follow him on Twitter @GusMartin_SP, and contact him at gmartin@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Jeff Mitchell new Ball State University Athletics Director