Before we look back at the past and talk a little about the present with Lillian Mitchell, let’s look into the maize and blue crystal ball and see what the future looks like for this amazing student-athlete. The Dexter junior has already decided where she wants to spend her next four years after high school, and sometimes the best choice is the closest choice.
“One concern of mine with Michigan was how close to home it is,” Mitchell admits. “But as I talked to some of the other local girls on the U-M team my perspective changed. I liked the idea of having my new family and immediate family close to one another. Overall, it was a stressful process but I’m so beyond happy with where I ended up. I can’t wait to wear the maize and blue.”
Mitchell will be wearing maize and blue for the university’s highly successful women’s field hockey team. The Wolverines, led by another Dexter HS graduate Abby Tamer, is currently ranked ninth in the country. Their only loss so far was to No. 1 ranked North Carolina to start the season. Mitchell’s Dexter HS coach is Keely Tamer, a former U-M field hockey captain and, yes, mother of Olympian Abby. So, yeah, there was a familiarity with the maize and blue.
“At Michigan, everyone was so welcoming,” Mitchell said. “At camps, unofficial and official visits, I felt like a part of the team. They really folded me into their daily lives rather than treating me like a guest. In terms of the actual school, the sports facilities are incredible and the athletic support was awesome. I knew I wanted a highly academic school. I’m interested in business so Ross was one of the schools already on my radar.”
Mitchell admits the whole recruiting process was “super stressful.”
“I was very overwhelmed with the process and the weight of the decision,” she said. “It was hard because it was very isolating because in field hockey you don’t talk about your recruiting process. One thing that really helped me in my process was the phone calls. I got a good sense of the values of the programs. I wanted to join a team where conversations and relationships are valued.”
That is certainly the case with the Dexter Dreadnaughts, the defending Division 2 state champions, who are having another outstanding season.
“This team has great chemistry and we are definitely a chatty team which is a blessing and a curse,” Mitchell says. “Practices are always fun because I get to hear about my teammates day. One of our strengths is definitely our connections with each other. There is a level of respect across the board. We have a lot of really talented players and our stick skills are very strong.”
Mitchell plays in the defensive line, typically in the right-back position. Last year she lost a large chunk of the season due to a stress fracture in her leg but still earned the All-SEC Sportsmanship award. She also has earned First Team All-State, First Team SEC, and Dream Team as a Dexter Dreadnaught.
The pinnacle of last year was beating Chelsea in the state finals to cap off an “amazing” season.
“Last year’s state title meant the world to me,” Mitchell said. “I was very close to the senior class so that memory is still one that I cherish. I ran track with four of the girls in the class of 2024, so I was playing for them. I knew how much they had put in. We had incredible leadership which really carried the team. From that strong leadership we were able to hold each other accountable and set high standards for games and practices.
“The thing that attributed the most to our success was the team drive. We set the standard from day one of preseason and didn’t shy away when adversity hit. Ultimately, I think that’s what made us so successful last year.”
Dexter has a long history of success in field hockey – and it starts at the top with Coach Tamer.
“Dexter field hockey is successful because of the standards set by the coaches,” Mitchell says. “They have a vision for the team. They inspire us to adopt the game plan and adjust it to the current team values. I love playing with Coach Tamer. She is a second mom to me and is also one of my club coaches. I have always felt super supported and she gives very constructive feedback. I have been yelled to more times than I can count, but I have never felt like I’m being yelled at. She has a powerful presence and she is a role model for me any many young athletes.”
Mitchell has both individual and team goals for her junior year.
“My personal goal is to increase my speed of play,” she says. “I want to have quick decisions under pressure. To get there I need to focus on getting my eyes up and evaluating my options off ball. The team goal is to win the SEC. We knew we had to come out strong against the powerhouse schools like Pioneer and Saline. We had a tough loss against Saline, but it was super influential in the rest of our season. Going into the Pioneer game next week, we know what we need to do to get the title. We excel when we are a passing team. We are going to focus on working hard off ball, so we can open up pockets for the pass.”
When not chasing state titles for Dexter, Mitchell plays for Pinnacle Field Hockey based in Ann Arbor. “I have had extremely positive experiences with the club,” she says. “I consider the girls on the team my best friends and the program itself my second family. They really rallied around me throughout my injury and many of the players are the first people to pick me up after a rough loss or celebrate the wins with me.”
Mitchell first tried field hockey in the second grade. “There was an advertisement in the school’s newspaper, and I really wanted to try it but it was for third graders and above,” she said. “We reached out to Nikki and Chris Calloway and Keely Tamer who were working with the Rec-Ed program. They let me join and I have played ever since. I fell in love with the people, and once I was old enough to truly understand the tactical side of the game I knew it was the sport I wanted to continue playing.”
Lillian, 16, is the daughter of Kristen and Todd Mitchell. She is fielding a 4.0 GPA in the classroom and also is a member of Key Club and Interact Club. She does powerlifting and also runs track and field for the Dreadnaughts. And outside of school? “I love to try new restaurants with my friends,” she says. “We have a list of places in Ann Arbor I’m looking forward to trying. When I get the chance I like to watch football or basketball with my friends and family.”
Photos by Terry Jacoby
