Note: This is the 19th article in the CoSIDA Special Awards feature series which is highlighting all 2013 Special Award recipients. All recipients will be honored at the
CoSIDA Convention (June 12-15) in conjunction with the NACDA and Affiliates Convention at Orlando's Marriott World Center.
See the full list of recipients and features schedule.
by Fred Nuesch
Texas A&M-Kingsville
CoSIDA Special Awards Committee
When Joe Mitch retired in June 2012, his professional career spanned 44 years, most of which was in college athletics administration and sports publicity.
Mitch will receive a CoSIDA Lifetime Achievement Award on June 14 at the annual CoSIDA Convention taking place June 12-15 in Orlando, Fla.
“I am thrilled and humbled to receive the Lifeftime Achievement Award from CoSIDA,” Mitch said. “I got my start in college athletics in sports information and am forever indebted to people who have helped me along the way, starting with Fred Stabley and Nick Vista of Michigan State and later Doug Elgin (Missouri Valley Conference commissioner and former Virginia SID).
“I look forward to the next chapter of my life and continuing my work to serve members of the Basketball Writers Association.”
His last position before retirement was associate commissioner for the Missouri Valley Conference, a job he held for 27 years. He also serves as the executive director of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
“Joe Mitch dedicated more than a quarter of a century of his professional life to the Missouri Valley, and his love for the league has always been very obvious,” Elgin said. “He’s had a tremendous impact on our conference in so many areas.
“He has a network of national colleagues, media representatives and friends that is second to none. Above all, he is a wonderful person who is beloved in our conference, and he will forever be a member of the Valley family.”
Mitch held sports information positions at four schools: Illinois-Chicago (1968-70), Southern Illinois (1970-73), Dayton (1973-75) and St. Louis (1975-76).
He then embarked on a career path that saw him associated with two NCAA Division I conferences. He served as an assistant commission for the Metro Conference from 1975-83 and later associate commissioner for the MVC (1985-2012).
While at the Metro Conference, Mitch was in charge of media relations and publicity.
At the MVC, he was responsible for promotions, marketing, sponsorships and television advertising sales. He is credited with originating the idea of a Hall of Fame for the league and fostering a change in the conference logo to reflect an emphasis on “The Valley”.
He directed a sponsorship and sales effort for the MVC that generated over $1.5 million annually. With the league office overseeing an in-house television package, Mitch was responsible for selling the advertising that provided funding for the production of league games on the FSN Midwest cable network and ESPNU.
Mitch was the primary administrator for the MVC men’s basketball tournaments in St. Louis that ranked in the top nationally in attendance among Division I conferences. He also handled baseball for the Valley, serving as director for the MVC tournament, arranging league schedules and overseeing the assignment of umpires for conference games.
Between the jobs at the two conferences, he served as communications manager for the St. Louis-based Sports Time Cable Network from 1983-85.
He was a member of the Local Organizing Committee for NCAA basketball tournaments in St. Louis. He participated in a presentation to the NCAA that led to St. Louis being awarded the 2005 NCAA Final Four where he served as chair of the Games Management Committee.
Mitch has been involved in various capacities at 37 consecutive NCAA Final Fours.
He was tournament manager for seven NCAA tournaments in St. Louis and local media coordinator for three NCAA regionals and the 1978 NCAA Final Four.
Mitch is a 1968 graduate of Michigan State with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
He and his wife, Sue, make their home in St. Louis.
They have two adult children and one grandchild.