USC reportedly makes athletics director hire as President Carol Folt sets announcement
USC is ready to hire its next athletic director, and the replacement for Mike Bohn will reportedly come from the Pac-12.
Washington’s Jennifer Cohen is the choice as the school’s new athletic director, Pete Thamel of ESPN reported. Cohen has been the AD at Washington since 2016 and has overseen the program reaching the College Football Playoff. She’s a member of the CFP Committee, named to that position in March. Bohn resigned about 3 months ago.
USC has scheduled a 1 p.m. PT news conference with president Carol Folt for “a special announcement regarding USC athletics.”
Cohen has served at Washington for 24 years, and before being named AD, she primarily led the athletics department’s fundraising efforts, according to her UW bio.
Cohen secured a 10-year, $119 million apparel partnership with adidas that launched July 1, 2019, and she hired a slew of coaches, including: Kalen DeBoer (Football), Jen Llewellyn (gymnastics), Derek Olson (beach volleyball), Mike Hopkins (Men’s Basketball) Tina Langley (Women’s Basketball) Nicole Van Dyke (Women’s Soccer), Alan Murray (Men’s Golf), Yasmin Farooq (Women’s Rowing), Maurica & Andy Powell (Cross Country/Track & Field).
Cohen was named a finalist for Sport Business Journal’s Athletic Director of the Year in 2019 and in the spring of 2020 SBJ recognized her as part of their All In: Leaders in Diversity and Inclusive Hiring series that highlighted men and women across pro and college sports who have led by example in the hiring decisions and efforts they have made to advance the sports business careers of women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Cohen has signed the Collegiate Coaching Diversity Pledge and is a member of the National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches. Cohen also served a two-year stint on the Division I Baseball Committee.