Ben Counts

Blake Mitchell (BC '18) is entering his fourth year as the Head Esports Coach for the Swedes. Mitchell is a Lindsborg native, having graduated from Smoky Valley High School ('14) and Bethany College ('18). He returned to Bethany to kick off the esports program in September of 2020, after two years in the engineering field. Mitchell holds Bachelor's Degrees in Biology and Chemistry.

During his four years as a student on campus, he participated in concert band and pep band, spent two years as a lab assistant in the chemistry lab, worked as a peer tutor in chemistry, served as a Student Activities Board member, and was an RA for three years. As a member of the Bethany College staff, Mitchell has also served as a Bethany Quest instructor and as a Chemistry Lab instructor, as well as the announcer for all home football games, basketball games, and all esports matches.

Over the course of the previous three seasons with the Swedes, Mitchell has led the Swedes Call of Duty team to the College Call of Duty League National Playoffs twice, and finished with a Top-32 placement in 2023. The Swedes Esports program also claimed the Fall 2022 National Esports Collegiate Conference Super Smash Bros South Conference Championship, as well as a sixth place finish in NECC nationals for Smash Bros. The Swedes Esports teams have also claimed three silver medals within the KCAC in Call of Duty (Fall 2021, Fall 2022) and in Rocket League (Fall 2022), along with two third place finish in League of Legends (Spring 2022, Spring 2023).

In the amateur esports scene, Mitchell co-owned Simbolic Gaming (2019-2021), an organization that hosted several variety streamers and four competitive teams. Simbolic, under the leadership of Mithcell and his team, would win two championships, a second-place finish and a fourth-place finish across several titles.