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Mitchell started every game for three years at centerback. (Freshmen were not eligible for varsity competition.) In all three years he was named to the All-ICAC team (a unanimous choice his senior year), and to the All-New York State Team.
Mitchell’s coach and Hall of Famer Al Goodyear said, “I have never figured out why he didn’t make the All-America team. At that time all divisions were lumped together and they selected the best 55 players for All-America.”
The team record for Mitchell’s three years was 28-8. Rensselaer was undefeated and ICAC champion for Jerry’s three years. The 1969 team competed in the NCAA University (Division I) Tournament. Gerry was captain during his senior season. He was drafted by the St. Louis Stars of the North American Soccer League, but declined to play in favor of his engineering career.
Goodyear also said, “Gerry was the man behind the scenes who made everything work on those great teams he was associated with. Casey Trappenburg, Lucky Kamunga, Mike Crosby and Tom Conroy were the names that everyone knew because they were forwards and scored all kinds of goals, but Jerry was the pivot man of our defense and started much of our offense as well. In today’s soccer vernacular he was our ‘man marker,’ taking on the opponent’s best forward and marking him out of the game. He never failed. Soccer doesn’t use many statistics and in what records that we did keep, Gerry’s name probably would not show up.”
Hall of Famer Trappenburg says of Mitchell, “He was just like his nickname, a ‘Rock of Gibraltar’ on defense!”
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