Mars Hill announces Hall of Fame Class of 2023

MARS HILL, N.C. – Mars Hill University and Mars Hill Athletics has announced its 2023 Hall of Fame class, consisting of Mike Kelly, Dr. Jay Jansen, and Bill Mitchell.

Kelly, a 1982 graduate of Mars Hill, was a four-year member of the men's basketball team, scoring over 1,300 points in his career for the Lions and averaging 11.7 points per game. 

A first-generation college student, Kelly began a very successful career in the corporate world with Macy's and Michelin after graduating from Mars Hill. A senior executive with experience in operations, human resources, finance, marketing, and sales, he worked and traveled throughout North America and internationally for Michelin, as well as Macy's, earning recognition for outstanding performance and designation as a High Potential Executive Leader. After more than 25 years in the corporate world, Kelly, and his wife Melinda, started Right Path Enterprises and Kelly Financial Planning in 2014, with the goal of teaching leader development and culture transformation by providing consulting, training, and coaching services with excellence and integrity.

Kelly is also an active member of the community having been involved with Rotary International for over 24 years, serving a variety of board and leadership roles including Co-Chair of the Rotary DEI Circle for Zones 30 & 31 - Heart of America and serving as District Governor of Southwest Ohio. He also served as the chair of the Board of Trustees at Mars Hill University for two years from January 2021 through December 2022.

In 2022, Kelly was inducted to the South Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame, receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Recently, Kelly authored a book, Leaderfluence: Secrets of Leadership Essential to Effectively Leading Yourself and Positively Influencing Others. 

Dr. Jansen is in his 26th year as the Team Physician and Medical Director for the academic program. Dr. Jansen also serves as the supervising physician for the MHU state license to practice protocol.

Dr. Jay Jansen is a sports medicine fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon at Blue Ridge Bone & Joint. His surgical focus is arthroscopic treatment of joint disorder, soft tissue reconstructive procedures of the knee, shoulder, and elbow as well as comprehensive knee surgery. Dr. Jansen graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Indiana University. He graduated with honors (Alpha Omega Alpha) from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, IN. He completed his residency training in orthopedic surgery at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, IA. Dr. Jansen went on to complete a fellowship in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery at the American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, AL under the direction of Dr. James Andrews and Dr. William Clancy.

Dr. Jansen is the team physician for multiple local colleges and high schools. Besides his involvement with high level athletes, his focus is to enable people of all ages and abilities to maintain an active lifestyle which includes injury prevention and rehabilitation.

Below are Dr. Jansen's various credentials and accolades:

Sports Medicine: Medical Director of Mars Hill University Athletic Training Program Team Physician for: Mars Hill University, Warren Wilson College, Montreat College, Multiple local high schools, Asheville Buncombe Youth Soccer.

Education & Training: Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry: Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 1988; Doctor of Medicine: Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1992; Orthopedic Surgery Residency: University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, 1992 – 1997; Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Fellowship; American Sports Medicine Institute, Birmingham, Alabama, James R. Andrews, M.D. William G. Clancy, Jr., M.D.

Certification & Licensure: Board Certification: American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS), July 2000 Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ); Sports Medicine Professional Memberships Fellow, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2000 Fellow; American Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Society, 2000 American Sports Medicine Institute Fellowship Society

Publications: "Long Term Outcome of Non-operatively Treated Patients with Normal Wrist Arthrograms." Submitted JBJS 6-97 "Arthroscopically Assisted ACL Reconstruction Using Patellar Tendon versus Semitendnosus and Gracilis Tendons A Prospective Evaluation"; "The Effects of Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury on Skeletal Muscle in a Whole Limb Model"

Honors & Awards: Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Phi Beta Kappa Golden Key Honorary Alpha Lambda Delta Phi Eta Sigma Alpha Epsilon Delta

Hospital Privileges: Mission Hospitals Health System Park Ridge Hospital.

Mitchell served as defensive coordinator for the Mars Hill football team throughout the 1970s under the Harold Taylor and Claude "Hoot" Gibson reigns. His defensive units led the SAC-8 in three of his first five years and during that same time period, were nationally ranked against the rush several times.

Along with his football coaching responsibilities, Mitchell also served as the track & field coach.

During his coaching career, Mitchell coached over 30 All-SAC linebackers, eight that earned All-American honors. He was part of 15 SAC Championship winning teams, 16 playoff appearances, nine national championship games, and five national title winning teams.

Prior to joining Mars Hill, Mitchell was the head football coach at Dougherty Co. and Westover high schools in Albany, GA from 1963-1970.

Mitchell graduated from Morehead State University in 1963 with a bachelor's degree in physical education. While at Morehead State, he was the captain of the football team and named an All-Ohio Valley Conference Linebacker.

The three inductees will be recognized at halftime of the November 11 football contest.