Jennifer Cohen Named 2024-25 Sandy Barbour Nike Division I FBS Athletic Director of the Year
July 17, 2025 | USC Athletics
LOS ANGELES β Following a year of historic transformation, athletic accomplishment, and academic success at USC, Charles Griffin Cale Director of Athletics Jennifer Cohen has been named the 2024-25 Sandy Barbour Nike Division I FBS Athletic Director of the Year, as announced by Women Leaders in Sports on Thursday.Β
"Receiving this award named after Sandy is especially rewarding for me," Cohen said. "This honor motivates and inspires me to keep paying it forward through service and an unstoppable passion for lifting others towards their fullest potential."
Cohen, who has served as USC's athletic director since August 2023, oversaw the Trojans' entrance into the Big Ten Conference in 2024-25 and led USC to one of the most successful all-around athletic years in department history.
In competition, USC captured two national championships (Men's Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field), three Big Ten titles (Women's Soccer, Women's Basketball, and Women's Outdoor Track & Field), and three national runner-up finishes (Men's Water Polo, Women's Water Polo, Women's Outdoor Track & Field).Β
In total, eight USC programs finished in the top five of their final national rankings, with 16 teams in the top 25. The year concluded with USC finishing No. 2 in the Learfield Directors' Cup, the university's highest finish ever and the top ranking among Big Ten schools.
Cohen also negotiated a landmark multimedia rights agreement with Learfield, reshaping USC's approach to revenue generation, NIL, and fan engagement. Her strategic vision helped USC triple its available NIL resources through partnerships with House of Victory, South Bay Athletic Club, and others, while also driving a record fundraising year, highlighted by a $50 million gift to support the Bloom Football Performance Center.
She also restructured USC Football's operations for long-term success, hiring general manager Chad Bowden to modernize the Trojans' front office and lead a revamped recruiting infrastructure that has already paid dividends with a top-ranked 2026 signing class.
Academically, Trojan student-athletes set new standards in the classroom this year. USC posted department-record cumulative GPAs in both Fall 2024 (3.178) and Spring 2025 (3.240), with 440 student-athletes earning over a 3.0 GPA in the spring, including 163 Dean's List honorees and 61 perfect 4.0s. The department also achieved all-time highs in Graduation Success Rate (94%) and Academic Progress Rate (991).
Cohen will be honored in October during the 2025 Women Leaders in Sports Awards Show during the organization's National Convention in Kansas City.Β
About Women Leaders in Sports
Women Leaders in sports is a privately funded non-profit committed to transforming the landscape of leadership in sports. Since its inception in 1979, Women Leaders has sparked a vibrant movement, uniting over 5,500 members nationwide. Offering comprehensive programs and training, Women Leaders empowers female sports professionals at all levels with its invaluable networking opportunities, career resources, and growth initiatives. Learn more about their mission at womenleadersinsports.org and follow on X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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