Natalie Mitchell, a native of Auckland, New Zealand, joins the Lumberjack Triathlon program as an assistant coach, bringing a unique perspective to the role as both a former Humboldt graduate assistant and a standout athlete on the team.
As a competitor for the Jacks, Mitchell was crowned Division II West Regional Champion and helped lead Cal Poly Humboldt to a fifth-place team finish overall at Nationals, while also turning in a fourth-place individual finish at Nationals herself, establishing her as one of the program's top performers during her time on the roster.
Before Humboldt, Mitchell competed for Colorado Mesa University, racing on both the women's triathlon and cycling teams. A three-time Scholar All-American, earning honorable mention honors three times and first-team All-American once, she was a consistent presence on national leaderboards throughout her collegiate career. On the bike, Mitchell helped the Mavericks capture first place in the overall omnium and finished second nationally in the varsity team time trial (TTT).
Beyond her athletic accomplishments, Mitchell has dedicated significant academic focus to the mental side of the sport. She completed her master's thesis on the effects of coaching interventions on collegiate athlete burnout and mental health outcomes, research that informs her holistic, athlete-centered approach to coaching. That combination of scholarly insight and firsthand competitive experience gives Mitchell a well-rounded lens on what it takes for student-athletes to succeed, both on the course and off it.
Mitchell now brings that combination of championship level racing experience, academic expertise, and first hand knowledge of the Humboldt program to her work with the next generation of Lumberjack triathletes.
