Northwestern is focusing on Villanova athletic director Mark Jackson as the college’s new athletic director, sources advised ESPN.
Jackson has emerged from a area of three finalists, and a deal is predicted to come back collectively within the close to future, sources stated.
Jackson would take over for Derrick Gragg, who was reassigned in June. He’s set to change into the third athletic director for the college since Jim Phillips left to simply accept the ACC Commissioner job in December of 2020.
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Jackson brings in depth expertise within the athletic director’s chair and within the soccer house. Villanova gained two nationwide titles in basketball throughout Jackson’s 9 years as AD. He developed a fame there as a powerful fundraiser and an administrator able to spearheading vital facility initiatives.
Jackson additionally brings in depth NFL and school soccer expertise. That features soccer oversight at each Syracuse and USC throughout his stints within the athletic departments there.
Earlier than Villanova, Jackson labored because the senior affiliate director of athletics and chief innovation officer at USC. He labored intently with the soccer program there and helped with the renovation of the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Jackson additionally labored for the then-Oakland Raiders because the group’s director of soccer growth. He has sturdy ties Pete Carroll, who he labored for on the New England Patriots and alongside at USC.
Northwestern spent a lot of final season coping with the reverberations of the firing of coach Pat Fitzgerald within the wake of hazing allegations inside the program. Interim coach David Braun earned the everlasting job by going 8-5 and retaining this system collectively.
Additionally looming at Northwestern is a stadium overhaul of Ryan Subject that has Northwestern enjoying some residence video games in a makeshift stadium this yr.
