CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Dan Mitchell, a senior majoring in English and journalism, was hired last week by Fox Sports Net Arizona to work as a student reporter covering UA athletics for the network this school year.

UA senior hired by Fox Sports Net to cover Wildcat sports

After weeding through more than 50 candidates for a student reporter position, Fox Sports Net Arizona has made its final cut, selecting UA senior Dan Mitchell as the newest member of its broadcast team.

"I was really shocked," said Mitchell, a Chandler native majoring in English and journalism. "I really honestly didn't think I'd get the job. When they called and told me, I was really caught off guard."

Mitchell was selected last week after his on-camera poise and sports knowledge set him apart from the rest of the group, according to Brett Hansen, public relations director for FSN Arizona.

"(Mitchell) just stood above everybody else," Hansen said. "There were a lot of qualified candidates, but he was pretty smooth on camera. He was able to handle all the questions we had and was able to ad-lib. He just seemed at ease."

The network first announced plans last month to hold auditions for two student reporter positions, with students from Arizona State vying for a chance to report on Sun Devil sports and UA students competing for a shot at covering Wildcat athletics.

There were a lot of qualified candidates, but he was pretty smooth on camera. ö Brett Hansen, public relations director for FSN Arizona

Tryouts at the UA were held two weeks ago in the Lohse Room in McKale Center, with 54 UA students showing up to audition. Each student took a written sports quiz ÷ questions ranged from topics about UA athletic patriarch John "Button" Salmon to listing each of the UA's 18 NCAA sanctioned sports ÷ along with completing a two-minute mock report in front of a camera.

Mitchell said the idea of being on air is something new to him, but added that he plans to run with it as far as he can.

"I don't know what to expect yet," Mitchell said. "I'm a print journalism concentration and I've always been leaning toward writing. This is something different for me, being in front of the camera instead of behind."

Mitchell said he does have some radio experience ÷ he hosted a radio show on KAMP Student Radio for two years ÷ and spent the past summer in Washington with an internship that allowed him to work on a television production for the Senate Democratic Technology and Communications Committee.

ASU broadcast communication junior Darnell Calhoun was chosen out of close to 50 candidates as Mitchell's Sun Devil counterpart for the network.

Mitchell said he is unsure of what exactly he will be asked to cover for the regional network, but said he expects to have his first piece air within the next couple of weeks. He expects it to be related more toward fan interests than stories about the actual games.

"They told me they're looking for me to do more campus related stuff," Mitchell said after taking a trip to FSN's Phoenix based newsroom last week. "We haven't really set a date yet. I was pushing for this week, but next week is more realistic. We just have to come up with something for me to do.

"This is new for them, its something no other Fox affiliate does," Mitchell said of his new gig. "I'm excited to see what I get to do."