Mitch Ballock on leadership, learning and life beyond the court
For Mitch Ballock, BSBA’19, MSOL’25, Creighton has been a place he has returned to again and again.
As an undergraduate student-athlete.
As a coach.
As a graduate student.
His journey reflects something many alumni know well: Creighton is a place you can always come back to.
Ballock’s Creighton career began as a Heider College of Business management major on the entrepreneurship track and Bluejay basketball standout. But when he looks back on his time as a student-athlete, it’s the community he experienced, the relationships he formed—not the box scores or game highlights—that leap to mind.
“The moments that I shared with my roommates and teammates off the court are the things I remember the most,” he says. Conversations with professors, friendships formed in the residence halls and years of dialogue with the Rev. Larry Gillick, SJ, continue to shape how he approaches everyday life.
“That’s really cool,” he adds simply.
Lessons learned on and off the court
Of his undergraduate experience, Ballock says the experience prepared him for life more than anything. “The lessons I learned through the coursework, along with the real-life teachings from the business school that translate to everyday life, prepared me for life after college.”
Again, he references the lasting, meaningful relationships developed there, including professors and even Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, PhD, the president of Creighton University.
Basketball, of course, taught its own lessons, though he didn’t always fully understand them in the moment. Ballock says he learned not to take the game for granted and to respect the discipline and attention to detail success requires.
Now, as an assistant coach for the Creighton Men’s Basketball team, those lessons show up in how he leads.
“I was blessed with great coaches for four straight years,” he says. “I learned from them how important it is to build individual connections with every player that I coach now.” Time and effort, coupled with genuine care and concern for the individual, are now central to his coaching philosophy.
After college, Ballock’s professional playing career took him from the Cleveland Charge to Weissenfels, Germany, where he played for Mitteldeutscher BC. While his time overseas was brief, the impact was lasting. Playing in sold-out arenas and alongside teammates from around the world gave him a deeper appreciation for different cultures and perspectives. It’s an experience he now draws on when mentoring players navigating their own paths.
Returning to Creighton as a coach and student
Returning to Creighton as a coach felt natural. To Ballock, Bluejay Basketball has always been about something bigger than the game. The relationships never changed, he says of the people he met during his four years as a player.
“They cared about who I was as a person and not just a basketball player,” Ballock believes, and that sense of community carried him through time away and welcomed him back.
A similar pull brought Ballock back to Creighton for graduate school. While coaching full time, he earned his Master of Science in Organizational Leadership in 2025.
“A master’s degree from Creighton is very meaningful in any walk of life,” he says. “The MSOL program allowed me to explore different leadership styles and better define the leadership qualities I want to embody.”
Finding balance as a whole person
Balancing practices, games, film study, coursework and family life was not always easy. His advice to other adult learners? Take it one day at a time.
Today, Ballock’s definition of success continues to evolve. Marriage, future family plans and coaching ambitions all factor in. When asked how education, coaching and family will ultimately fit together, his answer is refreshingly honest: “I’m trying to figure out how they will all fit together, one a day at a time.”
Alumni considering their next step can look to Ballock’s story as a reminder that learning doesn’t stop—and that there’s always a path back to Creighton.
Ready to write your next chapter? Explore Creighton’s degrees designed for adult learners—from the bachelor’s in leadership to the master’s in organizational leadership and the doctoral degree in interdisciplinary leadership. You can also choose from on-demand, noncredit professional development programs and courses—each designed to meet you where you are and help you get where you want to go.
