Athletic Director Mark Jackson Reveals What Drew Him to Northwestern
In this story:
Since the departure of longtime Athletic Director Jim Phillips in 2021, Northwestern has struggled to find a suitable replacement to lead its Athletics and Recreation Department. The University is hoping that new AD Mark Jackson, who came to Evanston from Villanova in August, will be the one to stick.
Jackson has garnered praise from coaches at Northwestern, including football's David Braun and men's basketball's Chris Collins, for how he's led the Wildcats in his first eight months on the job. In what has become a difficult time for college athletics in the changing world of NIL, Jackson has already earned a reputation for being innovative and forward-thinking.
On Thursday, Jackson joined Northwestern News Network's SportsNight show to discuss a variety of topics, including the process that led to him leaving a successful tenure at Villanova to become Northwestern's athletic director.
"This was a no-brainer for me," Jackson said. "Villanova is a huge piece of my life and will always be that for me and my family, so nothing but love for that institution. But when you combine all that Northwestern represents academically, athletic success, community driven, to be on the North Shore of Chicago, to have a global influence, to work on an $850 million football stadium, to be in the preeminent athletic conference in the country... It wasn't just an individual decision, it was a family decision that told us that this was a no-brainer."
Northwestern won the NCAA Field Hockey Championship in the fall, while the men's basketball team had its third consecutive winning season despite a year riddled with injuries. Jackson acted quickly with both programs, signing head coaches Tracey Fuchs and Chris Collins to multi-year extensions.
The future appears bright for Northwestern under Jackson's leadership, with a brand new football stadium on the way and multiple programs contending for national titles.
Read More Northwestern Wildcats Coverage
Gavin Dorsey is the Lead Writer for Northwestern Wildcats On SI and covers a handful of other teams in the On SI network. Before joining On SI in February 2025, he wrote for the Star Tribune and Inside NU while broadcasting college sports for both radio and television. Dorsey is a graduate of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism, where he also studied psychology. In his free time, he enjoys running and being outdoors. Dorsey is currently a freelance writer for the Associated Press, covering Chicago area sports teams.
Follow gjdorsey7