Lou Mitchell was a four-year letter winner and three-time first-team All-OAC and All-Ohio selection in basketball during his tenure at Denison.  He was also named Ohio Athletic Conference Player of the Year during his junior season.  Mitchell was described as “one of the all-time great cage stars in DU and conference history”.

Lou still holds numerous school records including rebounds in a season (372), rebounding average in a season (17.7), field goals attempted in a game (36 vs. Muskingum), all set in 1954-55.  He is also the career record holder in field goals attempted (1,496), rebounds (1,120) and rebounding average (14.0).  His 1,632 career points rank fourth on Denison’s all-time scoring list.  Mitchell was also a two-year letterman in baseball.

From 1966 to 1968, Lou managed and coached the Columbus Comets of the North American Professional Basketball League.  He was also one of the original investors in the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers in 1970, and served on the team’s board of directors from 1970-80.

Mitchell has provided generous donations to help improve the athletic facilities at Denison University, including a donation to build the Mitchell Athletic Center that was constructed in 1994.  On May 30, 2009, he was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.