Jalie Mitchell concluded her first season as head coach of the North Texas women's basketball team in 2015-16.
Under her leadership, the Mean Green took a major step forward in her inaugural year as head coach and finished with an 11-19 record that more than doubled the team's win total from a season prior. A true mark of the competitive fire that Mitchell instilled all season, North Texas picked up its first win of the year over No. 17 Oklahoma, good for Mitchell's first head coaching victory and the program's first-ever win over a ranked team. The Mean Green built on that success throughout the year and would go on to win its first Conference USA Tournament game before falling in the second round. Junior Kelsey Criner - a key transfer for Mitchell and her staff - was named to the C-USA All-Defensive Team for her play throughout the season.
On April 9, 2015, Mitchell returned to her alma mater to become the eighth head coach in Mean Green women's basketball program history. It is her first-career head coaching position and a dream job for the best player in school history.
Mitchell boasts numerous records as a four-year letterwinniner on the North Texas women's basketball team from 1999-02. She finished as the Mean Green's all-time leading scorer with 1,764 points and tops the list of career free throws made and attempted. In 2002, Mitchell was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year when she averaged 19.4 points per game.
She earned all-conference honors all four years at North Texas and was a part of the winningest senior class in program history, compiling a 77-39 record -- including a 42-4 mark at the Super Pit -- and making back-to-back WNIT appearances in 2001 and 2002.
Mitchell's No. 44 is one of two numbers that has been retired by the Mean Green, and her spectacular playing career culminated in 2007 when she was inducted into the North Texas Hall of Fame.
Previously, Mitchell had been an assistant coach for four seasons under head coach Karen Aston, beginning with the 2011-12 campaign with North Texas. In that campaign, the team went 15-16, which is its best record of the last nine seasons.
When Aston left the Mean Green to coach the Longhorns in 2012, Mitchell followed. In her three seasons at Texas, the team combined for a 60-41 overall record. The Longhorns made the NCAA Tournament field the last two seasons, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2015 -- their first since 2008.
Mitchell began her collegiate coaching career in 2008 as an assistant coach with the Mean Green under Shanice Stephens. She spent two seasons at North Texas under Stephens before taking on the same position at UNC Wilmington for the 2010-11 season. Mitchell helped the Seahawks finish with a 24-9 record and reach the second round of the WNIT, both program bests.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING...
"This is a terrific hire for North Texas, and I am so thrilled for Jalie. She is a rising star in our profession and truly cares not only about winning, but also developing young women. During my time with her over the past four seasons, her commitment was always to the student-athlete first. Jalie is a tremendous recruiter and someone who will embrace helping players achieve their goals, may it be academically or athletically. I am so appreciative of her commitment to helping Texas become successful, and more importantly, I am so proud of her, personally and professionally." -- Karen Aston, Head Coach, University of Texas
"Jalie Mitchell is going to make a fantastic head coach at this level. She is an incredible recruiter and she can connect with student-athletes on a level that not many coaches can get to. I think this is a great opportunity and I'm extremely proud of her going to North Texas, a place where she has so much passion for that program. The president and athletic director showed great foresight and commitment by bringing in a young, passionate individual like Jalie. I'm looking forward to what she will bring to North Texas women's basketball." -- Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, Head Coach, University of Southern California
"Jalie is not only one of the greatest players to ever play at North Texas, but one of the greatest people I have coached throughout the years. Her leadership, vision and loyalty to North Texas women's basketball will be demonstrated in her everyday process. Jalie is a class act and I am proud of her and excited for the future of the program." -- Tina Slinker, former Head Coach, University of North Texas, 1990-2008
