Mitch Longley is the most prolific thrower in the history of the Westfield State track and field team. He was a seven-time national qualifier, earned All New England honors nine times, and was a five-time Massachusetts State Conference champion while competing in the hammer throw, discus and shot put. 

Longley still holds school records in the hammer throw (173-5) and the 35-pound weight throw (55-6 1/2). Both records were set during his graduation year of 1986. 

Longley's most successful season was as a junior when he claimed both the New England Division III indoor and outdoor titles in the shot put. During the indoor season, he placed eighth at the national championships in the 35-pound weight throw with a then school-record heave of 48-11. In addition, during the outdoor season he was the Mass. State Conference champion in the hammer throw and shot put and finished second in the discus. 

Longley was a three-year captain for the powerful Westfield State track and field teams of the mid 1980s that won the New England Division III championship in 1985 and finished fourth in New England in 1986. 

During his postgraduate years, Longley continued to excel in athletic endeavors. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1986-1990 and participated on its track and field and wrestling teams. He was the shot put champion while stationed at Guantanamo Bay and Camp LeJeune, N.C. 

In 1988 he placed second in the 198-pound weight class at the Virginia state powerlifting championships. 

Longley is employed as a firefighter/EMT in Palm Beach County, Fla., and is the Palm Beach County record holder in the firefighter combat challenge. He participated in the firefighter combat challenge world championships in 1998, 1999, and 2000. He won the Southeast Regional firefighter combat challenge in 2000 with a time of 1:41, then led his squad to an eighth place finish in the USA championships. 

Longley graduated from Marblehead, Mass., High School and finished second in the shot put at the state championships. He still holds the shot put school record of 52-10 1/2. 

Longley resides in Royal Palm Beach with his wife, Margo. They have a son, Spencer, and a daughter, Sarah.