Jim Mitchell - Staff Directory

Jim Mitchell

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Head Coach
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Mitchell takes reins of first Division I men's lacrosse program in Texas following successful tenure at Princeton

DALLAS (SMU) – SMU Athletics has named Jim Mitchell the first head coach in the history of the Mustangs' men's lacrosse program. Mitchell arrives on the Hilltop from Princeton, where he served as offensive coordinator and built the highest-scoring offense in program history as the Tigers won the 2026 NCAA national championship.

Mitchell will build SMU Lacrosse from the ground up ahead of its debut in the spring of 2028, when SMU becomes the first Division I men's lacrosse program in Texas and the sixth member of the ACC men's lacrosse league.

"When we launched SMU Lacrosse, we knew how crucial it would be to find an exceptional leader and program builder. We have found that in Jim Mitchell," said Damon Evans, SMU Director of Athletics. "Jim has spent the last seven seasons leading one of the most explosive offenses in college lacrosse, culminating in a national championship. He is the right person to build a program that competes for championships from day one."

"I am incredibly honored to be named the first head coach of SMU men's lacrosse," said Mitchell. "The opportunity to build Texas' first Division I men's lacrosse program from the ground up, in a city like Dallas and a conference like the ACC, is something truly special. The expectation is to compete at the highest level, and I can't wait to get started."

Mitchell spent the past seven seasons as Princeton's offensive coordinator. In 2026, his offense powered the top-seeded Tigers to a 17-2 record and the program's first national title since 2001. Princeton beat future SMU conference foes Duke and Notre Dame at Championship Weekend, scoring 11 straight goals in a 16-9 win over the Fighting Irish to capture the program's seventh NCAA national championship.

The 2026 Tigers scored 282 goals, the most in Princeton history, and ranked third nationally in scoring offense. They had four 30-goal scorers for the first time in program history.

Mitchell describes his offensive philosophy as "Moneyball," an approach built around maximizing scoring opportunities through intelligent decision-making, ball movement and creating high-quality shots. The system emphasizes creativity and adaptability, empowering players to recognize and exploit advantages rather than relying on a rigid offensive structure.

Princeton Offense, 2026

Statistic	Total
Goals	282 (program record)
Goals per game	14.84 (3rd in Division I)
Scoring margin	+5.16 per game (5th in Division I)
Consecutive games with 10+ goals	18 (program record)
30-goal scorers	4 (program first)

Mitchell's offenses have rewritten Princeton's record book throughout his tenure. His 2022 unit set a then-program record with 237 goals, reached the Final Four and produced seven 20-goal scorers, another program first. That scoring record would be broken by another Mitchell-led offense in 2026, when the Tigers tallied 282 goals. During his tenure at Princeton, Mitchell coached Coulter Mackesy, who became Princeton's all-time leading goal scorer in 2025. Mackesy finished with 167 career goals and holds the single-season record of 55, set in 2023.

A 2006 graduate of St. Mary's College of Maryland, Mitchell played midfield and served as team captain. He earned a master's degree in education from Goucher. He and his wife, Eileen, have two children, Lila and Jack.