From the Gridiron to the Hardwood

By Patrick Bohn, February 18, 2026

When he’s not suiting up in Bomber blue, football player Andrew Mendel dons Trojan green and goes from player to coach.

As head coach of the Newfield High School boys' varsity basketball team, Andrew Mendel '27 has brought his energy from the football field at Ithaca College to Sue France Gymnasium.

(Photo submitted)

In ancient Greek mythology, a contingent of ships sailed from, among other places, the island kingdom of Ithaca to besiege the city of Troy. A few millennia later, on the night of January 21, a contingent of cars descended from Ithaca College’s South Hill to pay a visit to another group of Trojans, this time in Newfield, N.Y.

But the occupants of the cars pulling into the parking lot of the Sue France Gymnasium at Newfield High School weren’t soldiers bent on destruction. Rather, they were members of the Ithaca College football team, who on that night were focused on supporting the Newfield Trojans’ boys’ varsity basketball team, coached by their teammate, defensive lineman Andrew Mendel ’27.

When Mendel isn’t standing in a football huddle at Butterfield Stadium, he’s drawing up plays on the sidelines of the basketball court as the Trojans’ first-year head coach. And along with his energy, enthusiasm, and coaching knowledge, he’s brought reinforcements to Newfield, in the form of the teammates who routinely show up to cheer on his squad.

Mendel has been a defensive linemen on the football team for three seasons. (Photo courtesy of Ithaca College athletic communications)

“Andrew always tells me when some teammates are planning to attend a game,” said Newfield athletic director Hank Neubert ’02. “But they keep coming and coming and sometimes, by the time the game tips off, we have close to 50 college football players in our gym.”

Though he relishes the energy his teammates bring to his game, Mendel remains focused on the sidelines as he guides his team.

“There’s nothing I enjoy more than coaching,” says Mendel, with a confidence and assertiveness in his voice you might not expect from in someone only a few years older than the players on his roster.

Then again, Mendel is a strategic leadership major at Ithaca, so his poise is to be expected. And, he isn’t some rookie coach. A native of Shrub Oak, N.Y., and a multi-sport athlete at Lakeland High School, his natural leadership skills led him be an assistant coach for the boys’ JV team while playing on the varsity. The opportunity ignited a passion in him.

“I loved going into the gym and connecting with players on a personal level,” he said.

That spring, he started a summer AAU program for underclassmen who were going to be on the varsity team in the coming year, coaching 9th and 10th graders with equal amounts of youthful enthusiasm and seasoned professionalism.

“Andrew walked in as prepared as any coach I’ve seen. He’d done a ton of research on not just our program, but on the individual players on the roster. I had a few other teachers and coaches come in to meet with him, and he blew everyone away.”

Hank Neubert ’02, Newfield High School Athletic Director

“I learned how to have fun but also get the job done,” he said of the experience.

With a longstanding love of coaching—and a future goal of being the youngest Division I head coach in history—Mendel jumped at the opportunity for the Newfield job, emailing Neubert as soon as he saw the opening.

The athletic director admits to being intrigued by Mendel’s initial email inquiring about the job but being blown away when Mendel came to the school for the interview.

“Andrew walked in as prepared as any coach I’ve seen,” Neubert said. “He’d done a ton of research on not just our program, but on the individual players on the roster. I had a few other teachers and coaches come in to meet with him, and he blew everyone away.

Mendel's teammates often come out in droves to support Trojan hoops, turning the usually reserved atmosphere of high school basketball into a raucous event. (Photo

“We quickly realized we were going to have to find a way to tell our superintendent that we were going to be hiring a 20-year-old to be our head basketball coach,” he laughed.

After hiring such a young head coach, Neubert did what any experienced administrator would do and observed Mendel’s first practice—for exactly 15 minutes.

“I’ve coached basketball for 20 years,” he said. “And I’ve never run a practice like he did. Those 15 minutes were so intense and organized that I knew the team was in good hands and went home for dinner instead.”

For his part, Mendel felt right at home working with high school student-athletes.

“Young adults have a unique opportunity to bond with kids,” he said. “I was in high school three years ago, so I know what the kids are going through. I can relate to them easily, and I think they appreciate that. But at the same time, they respect that I’m their coach, this is my job, and I take it seriously.”

And although Neubert could rest easy knowing his players were in good hands, a new problem—albeit a good one—was on the horizon.

“Andrew being the head coach means that his team is an extension of our family, and we’re going to bring the same energy to his games that our fans bring to ours.”

Nicholas Matos '27, captain of the Ithaca College football team

Word of Mendel’s hiring had quickly spread through the Bombers’ team chat, and he asked his teammates to come to an early-season game.

“In high school basketball, you try to limit the noise at certain times in order to display good sportsmanship,” Neubert said. “But when an opposing player went to shoot a free throw, those guys were so loud, it almost blew the roof off. I had to run over there to tell them to keep it down.”

Mendel laughs at the memory. He can hardly blame his teammates, who are more used to the raucous noise associated with IC football games, for their energy as spectators.

Mendel says his career goal is to be the youngest NCAA Division I head basketball coach in history. (Photo courtesy of Ithaca College athletic communications)

“It was electric seeing—and hearing—all those guys in the stands,” he said. “Newfield is a small school with a small-school mentality, so having the Ithaca College community show up for them is amazing. Because those guys aren’t just coming here for me, they’re coming to support my players.”

Team captain Nicholas Matos ’27 said the outpouring of support didn’t surprise him.

“Our team culture is that we’re going to be there for each other in everything we do,” he said. “Andrew being the head coach means that his team is an extension of our family, and we’re going to bring the same energy to his games that our fans bring to ours.”

In many ways, that makes Mendel’s story not just one of being an atypical high school coach, but of a young man whose passion for coaching has led to the blending of two communities into one.

“Andrew brought Ithaca College and Newfield together, and it’s been magical,” Neubert said. “As his coaching career continues here, there are going to be a lot of special moments because of that.”