Karina Mitchell Completes Cadet Training

For Karina Mitchell, a senior on the Dartmouth women's basketball team, athletics and career aspirations go hand-in-hand.

Karina Mitchell and her mother at cadet summer training graduation — Karina Mitchell and her mother at
cadet summer training graduation

Easily seeing the parallels between the court and the battlefield, Mitchell recently completed Cadet Summer Training in Fort Knox, Kentucky. She is now eligible to be promoted to second lieutenant after being evaluated on leadership ability while serving as a squad leader during the taxing 35-day experience.

Cadet Summer Training, the Army's largest annual training event, is designed to develop future leaders in the active force, Army Reserve and National Guard. The training session draws roughly 10,000 cadets annually.

With the prerequisites of military science education and three years in an ROTC program, Mitchell spent the early parts of training growing accustomed to the Army lifestyle, something she already had a certain level of experience with given her family's extensive military background. Several family members have served, including her Navy veteran grandfather and her father, who currently serves in the Army.

"My family's history of serving our country is my biggest influence and support system, specifically while getting through camp," Mitchell said. "My family, friends, coaches and ROTC leadership proved to me that I had prepared myself for this test."

Mitchell was later tasked with several fitness tests, which included marches of six, eight and 12 miles. The hardest part? Enduring the occasionally overwhelming mid-summer heat. Mental toughness, along with constant hydration, proved key. A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Mitchell was used to the climate but never had to face the southern sun in full uniform while carrying a laundry list of gear from rifle to radio. She related it to her experience as a student-athlete, often needing to persevere through fatigue to finish a challenging practice or better yet, the fourth quarter. It's a transferable skill.

"I thought back to finishing workouts during basketball season," Mitchell explained. "I still have to perform and finish the event. I had to push myself to work through it."

For the multiyear captain of the Dartmouth women's basketball team, it's all about leading by example. This is a concept Mitchell practiced in Dartmouth's DRIVE Program, an annual summer training session that allows student-athletes to build leadership skills in the summer preceding their junior campaigns. Leading on the court and on the battlefield are one in the same in Mitchell's mind.

"The DRIVE Program stresses building relationships with teammates," Mitchell said. "If I can build a level of respect, that'll make me a much better leader. If you prove to your soldiers that you can lead yourself, that makes you a more effective leader. Basketball is the same. If I can hold myself to a high standard every day as a captain, I can hold my teammates to the same standard."

Mitchell also practiced land navigation, venturing into the woods to successfully track down several points. Additionally, she took part in a stress test and first-aid training. A biomedical engineering major, Mitchell's interest in trauma surgery and orthopedics has driven her to pursue a career as a military surgeon, providing crucial and immediate support to those wounded in battle. Additionally, she's open to the possibility of bringing her career full-circle and someday working with athletes.

Upon the training's graduation, teammate Victoria Page arrived as a surprise guest to find a tired and emotional Mitchell, but one more prepared than ever to face the rigors of the Ivy League basketball slate.

Schedules

Players Mentioned

Karina Mitchell

Victoria Page

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Schedules

Completed Event: Women's Basketball at Siena on November 16, 2025 , Win , 65, to, 55

Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus Merrimack on December 2, 2025 , Loss , 57, to, 59

Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus Central Connecticut State on December 5, 2025 , Win , 53, to, 44

Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Bucknell on December 7, 2025 at 2:00 PM

Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball at NJIT on December 11, 2025 at 6:00 PM

Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball at Iona on December 13, 2025 at 7:00 PM