Defensive Lineman Mitchell Stokey Becomes Potential Lifesaver Through Marrow Donation Program

Senior defensive lineman Mitchell Stokey of the Carnegie Mellon University football team found out this past spring that he had not only the chance to help his teammates win their fourth conference championship in five years in 2025—but also the opportunity to potentially save someone's life.

The New Philadelphia, Ohio, native received a surprising email on March 20th, 2025: he was a match for someone battling leukemia. Stokey joined the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) stem cell registry in March of 2023 and on June 25th, 2025, Stokey was in Cincinnati, Ohio, at a donation center.

"This opportunity is a blessing, I could save someone's life," said Stokey. "I want to emphasize that NMDP will cover anything and everything for donors. Daycare for kids, lost wages, travel reimbursement, etc. There is nothing that they can't handle."

He signed up for the registry through the "Get In The Game" initiative, part of the Bone Marrow Foundation and formerly known as "Be The Match." The program was introduced to the team by Tartan Defensive Coordinator Ben Gibboney, who invited players to a campus event to learn about the life-saving impact of stem cell donations. In 2023 alone, 119 donors were registered through this effort at Carnegie Mellon.

"It falls on the leaders of the team to push it and set an example of how being a part of this cause is a great opportunity," said Stokey of Gibboney's leadership in getting the team involved. "We have almost the entire team signed up, including incoming freshmen and transfers. There's a consistent flow of young athletes who choose to be a part of something special."

Since its founding in 1987, the NMDP has impacted more than 140,000 lives through cell therapy. In 2023, a record 7,435 lives were affected—the most in any single year in the organization's history. As a global leader in unrelated blood stem cell transplantation, the NMDP continues to innovate, developing new cell therapies, improving transplant speed and outcomes, and investing in groundbreaking research to support patients worldwide.

"I commend Mitchell's willingness to honor his commitment and potentially help save a life," said Gibboney. "I'm incredibly proud of him. His story truly reflects the kind of person he is. Hopefully, it will inspire others not only to register, but also to follow through with a blood or bone marrow donation if they are a match."

"The team leading NMDP—especially those involved with the Get In The Game initiative on college campuses—have been outstanding partners," Gibboney continued. "Their passion, expertise, and direct engagement with our football program and the Carnegie Mellon community have created a seamless way to support individuals in need."

Stokey has recently been named a nominee for the 2025 Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team, a team that college football student-athletes and head coaches from all levels of the sport are recognized for their commitment to community service and leadership beyond the gridiron.

"I'm incredibly proud of Mitchell as his leadership and courage not only gives someone else a second chance at life, but hopefully inspires others to get involved so we can save as many people as possible," said Carnegie Mellon head football coach Ryan Larsen. "I also want to thank Coach Gibboney for taking on the leadership role with Get In The Game on our campus, its impact goes far beyond our CMU community and helps reinforce that we are coaching the next generation of leaders in our country that can help inspire and bring hope to others in their times of need."

After sitting out the 2021 season due to injury, Stokey was granted a fifth year of eligibility to compete in 2025 and feels his leadership will help this year's team.

"As a fifth-year guy, it could be easy to lean on experience alone, but leadership is more about action than tenure," said Stokey. "My goal this season is to represent the standard we've built and help raise the bar even higher. I want to invest in the younger guys, develop the next wave of leaders, and make sure the culture we've worked so hard to create keeps growing."

Stokey went on and added that with the transition to a new conference, the Tartans have fresh challenges and opportunities, and that he is excited to attack them with this team.

Every three to four minutes, someone in the U.S is diagnosed with a blood cancer. Joining the registry is simple: order a free swab kit, swab your cheek, send it back, and stay connected (NMDP.org).