MERCER, Pa. - Minot State women's wrestling head coach Brittney Mitchem spent the fall preparing her team, planning practices, and scheduling competitions - focusing her attention on her Beaver student-athletes.

But many miles away in Pennsylvania, others were focusing their attention on the accomplishments of Coach Mitchem, as a student-athlete herself, as well as her impact on others since her time at Mercer High School.

That attention led to Minot State's Coach Mitchem earning a very prestigious honor as Mercer High School inducted Brittney Mitchem - formerly Gadd - into their Athletic Hall of Fame this month during the holiday break.

"This is a significant honor, and it feels like a harmonious blend of gratitude, humility, and pride. I am deeply grateful to receive such an honor," said Mitchem, a 2008 graduate of Mercer HS. 

Mitchem, and fellow inductee Travis Bell, were honored during an induction ceremony as part of the festivities of the Mercer versus Grove City varsity wrestling dual, the area's big rivalry matchup.

During her time at Mercer, Mitchem was a two-sport standout, playing goalie for the Lady Mustangs soccer team and wrestling for Mercer HS. She helped lead the soccer team to playoff appearances during her junior and senior seasons, recording 8 shutouts as a junior as the Mustangs finished 10-7-2 record and earned a District 10 1A quarterfinal playoff appearance. During her senior season, Mitchem recorded 7 shutouts as the Lady Mustangs returned to the District 10 1A quarterfinals with a 15-5-1 record.

As a member of the Mustang wrestling team, she took 6th-place at the U.S. Girls' Wrestling Association All-American tournament her junior year, and 4th place at the U.S. Girls' Wrestling Association All-American tournament as a senior, while also being named a 2008 ASICS & Fargo All-American.

"Receiving this honor is truly a surprise, given the immense responsibility it entails," Mitchem said. "It is a deep and meaningful acknowledgment of my athletic achievements as an athlete and my current role as a coach."

After her standout career at Mercer, Mitchem went on to earn All-American honors twice in wrestling and was an All-Conference soccer player at the University of Cumberlands (Ky.) as a collegiate athlete.

She then moved into a coaching role, leading the women's wrestling and soccer programs at Brewton-Parker College (Ga.) before building Minot State's women's wrestling program from scratch, with the Beavers competing for the first time during the 2022-23 season.

The Minot State women's wrestling program is now in its fourth season of competition under Coach Mitchem, and the Beavers program has qualified wrestlers every year for the NCWWC National Tournament since the program first began wrestling.

"This honor is truly special, and I believe it reflects the significant time and effort I've invested in paving the way for women's wrestling both athletically and as a coach," Mitchem said. "I never lost hope of achieving my dream of becoming a college women's wrestler and then a two-time All-American. Now, I can give back to the sport by coaching young women and equipping them with the skills they need to achieve their goals.

"I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason, and I am incredibly grateful to have found my calling as a coach. This honor not only reflects my hard work but also acknowledges the contributions of everyone who has been a part of my journey."