CINCINNATI — Taft boys basketball coach Mark Mitchell has been named the new Wilberforce University men's basketball head coach, the university announced early Thursday morning.
Mitchell joins Wilberforce after he served as the Taft head coach for a second stint this past winter. Wilberforce is the NAIA program in Wilberforce, Ohio (Greene County).
Taft is not naming an interim head coach and will post the position, according to the Cincinnati Public Schools athletic department.
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Taft (17-8 in 2019-20) was a Division III district runner-up this past season.
The Senators feature 2023 standout wing Rayvon Griffith, who is rated the nation’s No. 22 boys basketball player in the 2023 class by ESPN.
Mitchell, the father of Indiana Fever guard, and former Ohio State and Princeton High School standout, Kelsey Mitchell, was also previously an Ohio State women's basketball assistant coach where he was a part of a program that went 109-33 in four years, including four NCAA tournaments, and two Sweet 16 appearances.
He also coached at Western Hills High School as the boys basketball head coach for one season in 2018-19.
"Mark Mitchell's goal to always mold tomorrow's leaders and prepare them to be successful in the classroom, in the game of life and make a positive impact in our community stood out," Wilberforce athletic director Derek Williams said in a statement.
"Mark has a passion to teach, mold, guide and develop whether it is in the classroom or on the basketball court."
Prior to Mitchell's time as an Ohio State assistant coach, he was the Taft head coach for 11 seasons where he led the Senators to a 221-50 record (.815 winning percentage) and the Division III state title in 2011.
During his first tenure at Taft, the Senators won eight Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference titles, nine sectional and four district titles and the state title. For his efforts, he was voted CMAC coach of the year eight times.
Prior to his first stint at Taft, Mitchell served as an assistant coach at Winton Woods High School from 2001-03 where he helped the Warriors to a Division I state runner-up finish in 2002.
Mitchell previously coached at Western Hills as a varsity boys’ basketball assistant and junior varsity head coach in 1997-98. He was the program’s varsity summer league head coach in 1997.
