Alabama Track and Field Mourns the Passing of Hall of Fame Head Coach John Mitchell

Mitchell served as head coach of The University of Alabama track and field/cross country program from 1969-86, leading the Crimson Tide to a pair of SEC team titles.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Legendary Crimson Tide head track and field/cross country coach and Hall of Famer John Mitchell passed away recently. The Hall of Famer spent 17 years at the Capstone (1969-86) where he led the program to new heights.

While in Tuscaloosa, Mitchell guided Alabama to the 1972 SEC Indoor Championship, snapping Tennessee's string of eight-consecutive titles. He also led the Tide to the 1980 SEC Outdoor Championship.

Mitchell was inducted into the United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Hall of Fame in 2007, capping nearly 40 years of coaching experience.

John Mitchell, Alabama Head Coach

• Spent 17 years (1969-86) as the head coach at the University of Alabama
• Led the Crimson Tide to a pair of SEC titles (1972 indoor and 1980 outdoor)
• Inducted into the USTFCCCA Hall of Fame in 2007
• He earned five SEC Coach of the Year honors between his tenures at Alabama and Georgia
• In 1992, he was inducted into the Drake Relays Hall of Fame in honor of his reputation and stature as a coach and ambassador for the sport of track & field
• Named the head coach at UA in 1969 having spent four years at Kansas as an assistant coach
• Graduated from Cal State Los Angeles in 1958 and began coaching track at Warren High School in Downey, Calif.
• In 1986, Mitchell left coaching to accept an assistant athletic director's position at George Mason
• After two years at George Mason, he returned to coaching at Georgia where he spent the next 11 years

Story courtesy of UA Athletics.