People news: Mitchell joins Syracuse University as senior associate athletics director

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Jon Mitchell is joining the Syracuse University athletics department as the senior associate athletics director, the university recently announced.

He comes to Syracuse after more than seven years in sports medicine and administration at Appalachian State and brings more than 26 years of experience in the profession.

Mitchell will be responsible for sports medicine, strength and conditioning, nutrition and mental health in a newly-created position in the Syracuse athletics department.

“Jon’s knowledge and expertise will greatly benefit our student-athletes and their Syracuse experience,” John Wildhack, Syracuse director of athletics, said in a release. “This new position in sport performance is critical in the support of our student-athletes in their sport, in the classroom and in their daily life. Jon will lead our professional staff in these areas.”

At Appalachian State, Mitchell served as the senior associate athletics director for student-athlete health and well-being for three years. He started at App State in 2014 as the director of athletic training services. He worked for four seasons as the athletic trainer for the men’s basketball program.

Prior to joining the Mountaineers, Mitchell spent 15 years at nearby Gardner-Webb University, where he directed all athletic training operations and was the athletic trainer for the men’s basketball team and men’s cross country and track and field teams. He also served as an instructor and as a preceptor in the athletic training major in the School of Preventive and Rehabilitative Health Sciences at Gardner-Webb.

Mitchell started his career as head athletic trainer at Newberry College from 1998 and served there for two years before moving to Gardner-Webb.

Mitchell earned his bachelor’s degree from Mars Hill College and his master’s from Gardner-Webb. He completed his doctorate degree in education with a focus in global sports leadership at East Tennessee State in 2019. A native of New Jersey, Mitchell ran cross country at Mars Hill.