Betsy Mitchell to Step Down as Director of Athletics

After 14 years as Caltech’s Director of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation, Betsy Mitchell announced earlier this month that she will be stepping down in the spring. Regarding this decision, she stated that it is “just time for a change” in an email to the Tech.

Mitchell is the former world (1986-1991) and American (1986-2002) record holder in 200-meter backstroke. During her time at the University of Texas at Austin, she was a 7-time individual NCAA champion in swimming and the NCAA record holder in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke. She also competed as part of the United States Olympic swimming team in 1984 and 1988, earning gold and silver medals.

Prior to working at Caltech, Mitchell served as the head coach of swim and dive at Dartmouth College and as the director of athletics at schools in Ohio and Allegheny College.

Since joining Caltech in April of 2011, Mitchell has led the development and improvement of the athletic program and department. This includes rebranding the department, advancing the Physical Education requirement, and establishing an Athletic Hall of Honor to recognize alumni. Additionally, she supervised $5 million in annual operating expenses and created and implemented a $20 million facility improvement plan from new revenue sources.

In terms of performance, the athletics department has improved from a .000 to a .379 winning percentage.

According to an announcement on the Caltech Athletics website, a notable accomplishment off the field includes “producing incredible scholar athletes who graduate at a higher 4 year rate than the regular student body.”

The timeline for transition has not been finalized yet, as planning for it is ongoing this term. Post-Caltech, Mitchell intends to focus on her second book, resume her consulting practice, and explore new opportunities as they arise. Reflecting on her time here, Mitchell stated, “it has been an honor and pleasure to work directly on behalf of our students and support our amazing educators” and if she had to choose just one highlight of her time here, “it would be creating positive school pride in support of our amazing scholar athletes.”