 In 1977, Mitchell helped win the ""NCAA National Team Championships"" where each team sent their best six singles players and best three doubles teams to compete in a single-elimination tournament.After Stanford University won the National Team Championships, Mitchell, who was seeded first in the singles event, beat John Bennett of Brigham Young University, John Austin of UCLA, Ben McKown of Trinity College, Bruce Nichols of UCLA, Chris Lewis of USC, and in the final, Tony Graham of UCLA in the best of five set final to win the NCAA Singles Title.In 1979 Mitchell, in his first year as a professional player, was nominated as Rookie of the Year after he was ranked the second highest rookie, behind Vince Van Patten.