Jim Mitchell

Jim Mitchell is a veteran Division I lacrosse coach who has served as Princeton University’s offensive coordinator since the 2020 season, overseeing one of the most productive offensive stretches in program history. Under his direction, Princeton has reached three consecutive NCAA Tournaments, returned to Championship Weekend in 2022, and won two Ivy League Tournament championships. Mitchell’s offenses have ranked among the best ever at Princeton, producing three of the top seven single-season scoring outputs in a program renowned for elite offensive play. Since his arrival, the Tigers have averaged more than 14.5 goals per game, highlighted by the 2022 team that set a school record with 237 goals and featured seven players with at least 20 goals, a first in program history. Mitchell has been instrumental in developing elite individual talent, coaching the program’s all-time leading scorer, Michael Sowers, as well as the single-season goals leader Coulter Mackesy and several of the top freshman scorers in Princeton history. His offensive philosophy emphasizes ball movement, balance, and tempo, allowing both veteran leaders and young players to thrive in high-pressure postseason settings. In 2024, Princeton started multiple freshmen on offense and still scored 14 or more goals in 11 games, including both Ivy League Tournament victories. Beyond Princeton, Mitchell also serves as an offensive coordinator in professional lacrosse with the Cannons of the Premier Lacrosse League. Before joining Princeton, Mitchell was the head coach at Bellarmine and previously spent four seasons as offensive coordinator at Rutgers, where he helped the Scarlet Knights reach a No. 1 national ranking and rank among the top offenses nationally each year. Earlier stops included Duke, where he coached during an NCAA Final Four season, as well as Roanoke, Goucher College, and an earlier tenure at Bellarmine. A 2006 graduate of St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Mitchell was a team captain as a player and later earned a master’s degree in education, building a coaching career defined by innovation, adaptability, and sustained offensive excellence.