Senior justice studies major Andrew Mitchel's path to prominence as Mountain West Co-Pitcher of the Year has been paved through hard work, talent and a supportive family. Andrew's first experience in competitive baseball occurred when he skipped T-ball and jumped onto a coach-pitch baseball team at age four. His love for the game was developed with help from his father, who along with his mother, uncle and grandfather had served in the military. Their support has buoyed him through high school and college.
"I wanted to be part of the team that builds a winning culture," says Andrew, who became second-team ABCA/Rawlings West All-Region honoree and a first-team All-Mountain West selection following the 2018 season. The southpaw from Atwater, Calif., was the first baseball student-athlete in 14 years to eclipse 100 strikeouts in a season and led the conference with 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings. He has secured a summer internship at the FBI and has his sights set on professional baseball. His secondary plan is to pursue a career in law enforcement or in the military.
Thanks in part to the support of fans, alumni and community members who make annual gifts to the Spartan Athletics Fund, Andrew has been able to pursue his education and hone his pitching skills at SJSU. Please make a gift to the Spartan Athletics Fund today to support student-athletes who are working toward their degrees while gaining intangible skills, such as leadership and teamwork, through athletic competition that will help them impact their community, region and the world.
So far in 2019, Mitchel has been phenomenal on the mound. He leads the Mountain West with 56 strikeouts in his seven starts. 18 of those strikeouts came in one game, the series opener vs. Air Force in which the Spartans won 4-1. Mitchel's strikeout total in that game is the most in a single game in the NCAA this season and is second-most by a Mountain West history in school history.
Each of our student-athletes has been provided an opportunity through sport to earn a degree from the fourth "Most Transformative University" in the U.S., according to Money Magazine. Your gift to the Spartan Athletics Fund provides critical resources such as coaching leadership, nutritional supplements, scholarship aid and academic advising services. As we work to build a world-class athletics program, please consider making a gift to the Spartan Athletics Fund today.