Northwestern Hires Villanova Athletic Director Mark Jackson

EVANSTON, IL — Mark Jackson, who has been the athletic director at Villanova University since 2015 , has been named Northwestern University's new vice president for athletics and recreation.

Through he officially begins work in Evanston on Sept. 1, Jackson plans to split his time between Evanston and suburban Philadelphia in the near term while he finishes off some remaining commitments at Villanova, university officials announced Thursday.

Jackson said he was extremely grateful to University President Michael Schill and Peter Barris, who chairs Northwestern's board of trustees for picking as the new athletic director of the Big Ten's only private member.

“Northwestern University is world-class in all of its endeavors, and its mission, values, and pursuit of excellence in academics and athletics are not only aligned with my beliefs and approach but are a model for intercollegiate athletics," Jackson said in a statement. "I cannot wait to engage with Wildcat student-athletes, coaches, staff, faculty, alumni, and fans, and my family and I look forward to wearing the Purple!”

During his tenure at Villanova, Jackson oversaw more than 600 student-athletes across two dozen varsity programs that experienced some notable successes, including two men’s basketball national championships and 34 conference titles. He was also awarded the Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year Award from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics in 2020.

University officials hired consultants from TurnkeyZRG to assist with the candidate search. The board's search committee was chaired by Trustee Chip Morris, CEO of a San Francisco Bay Area-based implantable medical device company.

“Mark brings a unique combination of experience, values, and rigor that resonated strongly with the search committee," Morris said, noting that the committee included coaches and faculty.

“We believe in Mark’s ability to build on the success and momentum of our student-athletes and coaches during a period of great change in college sports to ensure Northwestern athletics continues to represent the excellence of our great institution," he added.

Before taking the job at Vilanova, Jackson was "senior associate director of athletics and chief innovation officer" at University of Southern California and an "executive senior associate athletic director" at Syracuse University, overseeing capital projects, fundraising campaigns and varsity program operations and development, according to university officials.

Schill expressed his confidence in Jackson’s leadership.

“Mark has been extraordinarily successful at Villanova in supporting students’ athletic and academic achievements. After talking to him, I trust that he will prioritize the welfare of our student-athletes and give them the support they need to succeed,” Schill said in a statement. "I am fully confident in Mark’s ability to lead Northwestern Athletics to new heights and am excited to see how he will transform our program.”

Jackson succeeds Derrick Gragg, who has transitioned to a new role as Northwestern’s "vice president for athletic strategy." University officials said Gragg will now focus on navigating the evolving landscape of college athletics and advising Schill on strategic initiatives.

The athletic director's hiring comes after a year of on-field success for Northwestern's sports teams, including a record seven conference championships and success in the field hockey, lacrosse, men’s basketball and softball programs.

Meanwhile, the Wildcats football program prepares to kick off the first of two seasons in a temporary lakeside facility as construction continues on an $800 million, 35,000-seat football field and concert venue.

Jackson is a Boston native who played college football at Colby College in Maine before working as a as a coaching assistant for the NFL's New England Patriots from 1998 to 2000 and the director of football development with the then-Oakland Raiders from 2007 to 2008.

"Mark combines a unique mix of success and experience both in professional and collegiate sports as well as a sharp understanding of the expectations of elite academic profiles,” Bill Belichick, former head coach of the New England Patriots, said in response to Jackson's appointment. “I look forward to Mark’s impact with Northwestern.”