Mitchell (26) made her debut for Otago in 2001 when she was a student at the University of Otago.
But it was a short season for the new flanker because she broke a leg in her first game for the Otago Spirit against Bay of Plenty.
Mitchell grew up in Clinton, where her parents run a sheep and beef farm.
She played rugby for the first time at Menzies College in Wyndham and continued with the sport at university in Dunedin.
Mitchell is one of five players from the 2001 squad who are still playing representative rugby for Otago Spirit.
The others are Beth Mallard, Kamila Wihongi, Gemma Tuhega and Megan Kane.
All of these "stayers" play in the forwards.
Mallard (24), who made her debut for the Black Ferns at the World Cup in 2006, played 21 games for Otago Spirit in the front row between 1999 and 2002 before heading overseas. Her play matured during her two years with the Wasps club in England and she has made a significant contribution to the Otago Spirit since her return two years ago.
Wihongi, a powerful prop, missed last season because of knee surgery.
She will add experience and strength to the Otago scrum.
Carla Hohepa, the flying wing, had an outstanding year for Otago and gained selection for the Black Ferns for the first time.
This is just her third year of rugby after being talked into playing by a friend. Hohepa played for the New Zealand secondary schools netball team and was in the Otago Rebels Development team three years ago. Her most successful sport before starting rugby was touch.
She was a member of the New Zealand team that finished runner-up to Australia in the World Cup in South Africa last year. Megan Deans made her debut last year and made a significant contribution to Otago's dominance in the set pieces.
Sisters Alosina Fanene (prop) and Sene Fanene (first five-eighth) have returned to Dunedin from Oamaru.
Sonia Panapa (midfield), has returned after having a baby.
The most notable of the eight newcomers in the squad are Erin Bailey (flanker) from Canada, Ainslie Johnston (first five-eighth) from Canterbury and Niki Crawford (lock or loose forward) from Southland.
The others are Rachel Ovens, Sarah Goodman, Brittney Haugh, Summer van Lounhout and Jamie Greene.
The selectors have elected to have 30 players in the squad and have included two younger players to develop their game.
