Courtesy University of Arkansas at Fort Smith Athletics Department
It’s the one thing that for some athletes can overshadow an otherwise spectacular career.
Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino rewrote several chapters of the NFL record book during his 17 seasons, earning a spot in the Hall of Fame. Still, when talk of Marino and his stellar career comes up, inevitably one phrase is uttered sympathetically – “Yeah, but he never won a Super Bowl.”
NASCAR veteran Mark Martin has won 40 races and more than $80 million during a 31-year, Hall of Fame-worthy career. Yet, when talk of Martin’s legacy comes up, inevitably one phrase is uttered sympathetically – “Yeah, but he never won a championship.”
Whether right or wrong, a player’s career is often judged not so much by stats and milestones but rather championships. What is the goal of any competitor can for whatever reason – hard luck, fate, missed opportunities, etc. – become the ghost that forever haunts them if it’s never acheived.
Jalynn Mitchell has known that feeling all too well.
Long before the UAFS senior ever played a minute of basketball for the Lions, Mitchell already had etched his name in the UAFS men’s basketball history books simply by signing his name.
By signing his NCAA Division II letter-of-intent during the spring of his senior season at Class 5A Nettleton High School, Mitchell became the first player UAFS coach Josh Newman signed as a four-year player. Prior to that, UAFS had been a highly-successful, two-year junior college program.
“Coach Newman really drove that point home. He said if I came here that I would be the first Division II athlete on campus, and I thought that would be pretty cool,” said Mitchell, who is a 2009 graduate of Nettleton High School. “That really played a part in me coming here, being in the history books as the first Division II signee.”
Mitchell averaged 17 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds per game as a senior and was a three-time All-Conference and two-time All-State player for the Raiders. Newman, however, saw so much more than flashy numbers in the quick-footed, hard-nosed guard.
“I saw a young man that would help create the culture and foundation we wanted to build as we transitioned from junior college to a NCAA Division II program,” Newman said.
That was important.
The transition wasn’t easy, and it turned out to be much more difficult than expected for players and coaches alike.
UAFS was a provisional member of Division II during Mitchell’s freshman season and was ineligible to compete for the regular-season Heartland Conference championship or qualify for postseason play. The Lions finished 9-18 overall but finished the season winning five of their last six games.
In the summer of 2010, UAFS learned that it would have to repeat its provisional year because of lack of numbers within its cross country program. That meant another season of, in essence, playing for nothing but pride.
“When I was a freshman, it didn’t register with me that we weren’t playing for anything. I was just so excited about playing college basketball that I really didn’t think about it. When it happened the second year, that’s when it hit me. I was like, ‘Man, we have to do this again,’” said Mitchell, who is from Jonesboro, Ark.
“After one year, you realize that there is a conference tournament after the season and there is something to play for. I had to learn to play for something again. Those first two years, we were playing game by game and just to win that game. These past two years, we have been playing for something. Looking back at those first two years, I’m kind of glad I was blind to that cause it really helped me get through it.”
As a result of the second provisional season, UAFS gave its student-athletes the opportunity to transfer if they chose to do so. Mitchell said that was never an option for him or his teammate Wayne Jackson.
“Wayne told coach Newman that he was loyal and that coach Newman had given him a chance and given him a scholarship, so he was going to stay loyal to the program. After talking with Wayne about it, it was never even an option for me to leave,” Mitchell said. “Coach Newman gave me a chance. He was one of the ones who called me every chance he got, came and watched me play and really recruited me, so I was going to stay here.”
Mitchell’s loyalty to the program didn’t go unnoticed.
“It wasn’t easy to stay through the provisional seasons, but it speaks volumes about his commitment and his teammates’ commitment to our program,” Newman said. “They knew we were building something special, and they wanted to continue to be a part of it.”
Mitchell and the Lions responded with their best season as a Division II member. They finished 19-10 overall and their 10-4 record against conference opponents was the best in the league, although they were ineligible to officially claim the conference championship.
Last season – the first as an active Division II member – the Lions made a Cinderella-like run late in the season to reach the Heartland Conference Tournament title game.
UAFS tied for fourth place in the regular-season and had to win a play-in game against the University of Texas of the Permian Basin to just make the tournament. The Lions, who finished 17-14 overall, then upset No. 1 seed and host Texas A&M International in the first round before losing to No. 2 seed St. Mary’s in the championship game.
Mitchell is one of three seniors on this Lions team – one of only two from last year’s tournament runner-up team. He again has written his name in the Lions record book as the all-time leader in assists (296) and steals (119) in the Division II era.
That one thing that defines so many athletes’ careers, however, was still missing as the regular season neared its end.
“I’d never been able to call myself a champion in my career, junior high or high school. I never won a conference championship or a state championship,” Mitchell said. “I always wanted a ring. Coach Newman has his national championship ring, coach (Justin) Bailey has his and a couple of my teammates have won one at other places and I see them wearing rings. I’ve always wanted that my whole career.”
UAFS, which was the preseason conference favorite, went undefeated (7-0) during the first round of conference play this season, but the Lions, who had a two-game lead, lost three conference games in a row to eventually slip into a tie for first place with the Newman University Jets.
“Being that steady person who doesn’t panic helped a lot. Even though we had a lot of talent the past three years, we’ve never really had anybody who has been through it and experienced it. This year, we had several people. Last year, we made it to the conference tournament finals and lost, and me, Jake (Toupal), Djordje (Stojanovic) and Bo (Franklin) were all on that team,” said Mitchell, who leads the team with 74 assists this season.
“We went undefeated in the first round, and the first thing I said was that we did the same thing two years ago and I think we lost half our games in the second round. Just having those experiences helped this year to push us through and not panic or get too high or too low.”
UAFS clinched a share of its first conference championship as a Division II program with its 88-78 win at No. 21-ranked Newman on Feb. 23, snapping its three-game winless streak at the Jets’ Fugate Gymnasium in Wichita, Kan.
Finally, Mitchell could add the title of “champion” to his illustrious résumé.
UAFS missed an opportunity to claim the outright conference title after being upset at St. Edward’s in the regular-season, conference finale, but St. Edward’s followed that upset with another upset of Newman two days later, giving UAFS the outright title.
“Jalynn has always been driven to be successful. He’s been successful ever since stepping foot on campus, be it with basketball or academics,” Newman said. “I think this year’s championship rewards all the work and effort he’s put in over the last four years. We can’t forget that two years ago we had the best record in the conference as well.”
The Lions (15-11) are the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament and will host the four-team, two-day affair on Friday and Saturday at the Stubblefield Center. UAFS will play No. 4 seed Texas A&M International in a rematch of last year’s tournament opener at 7:30 p.m. Live statistics and webcast will be available. The game will be broadcast on KFPW-AM 1230 and via the Internet at www.sportshog1031.com.
If the Lions win their opening game, they will play the winner of Friday’s 5 p.m. game between No. 2 St. Mary’s and No. 3 Newman on Saturday at 4 p.m. on the championship game. The tournament champion earns an automatic bid the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament.
“A conference tournament championship will be 10 times better because that would mean we get to go the NCAA tournament. That’s something I’ve never got to be a part of, and not a lot of people can say they have been a part of the NCAA tournament,” said Mitchell, who will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. “That’s the ultimate prize. Goal No. 1 has been accomplished, and now it’s on to the next goal.”
MEN’S BASKETBALL
HEARTLAND CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
AT UAFS STUBBLEFIELD CENTER
FRIDAY
GAME 1: No. 2 St. Mary’s vs. No. 3 Newman, 5 p.m.
GAME 2: No. 1 UAFS vs. No. 4 Texas A&M International, 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
CHAMPIONSHIP: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 4 p.m.*
*Winner earns automatic bid to NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament
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