Northwestern AD Singles Out Volleyball As Sport to Invest In

Northwestern athletic director Mark Jackson told Front Office Sports that the school’s new Ryan Field stadium played a “big part” in his decision to join the program last year. But in the ever-changing college world, overseeing the $862 million stadium is far from the only thing on his to-do list—which includes managing the NCAA’s new revenue-sharing model following the House v. NCAA settlement in June. 

Jackson did not reveal how he and new GM Christian Sarkisian plan to divvy up the revenue-sharing dollars—which is up to $20.5 million per school—though he did admit sports that generate revenue will likely see faster growth.

“Our commitment here is we don’t want one program or one student-athlete in any sport to take a step back. Some are going to step forward quicker than others, particularly those that generate revenue, and that’s sort of been our investment model,” Jackson said.

Riding Volleyball’s Growth Wave

Jackson didn’t mention any of those programs, but it’s well-known that the primary revenue-generating sports in the NCAA are football and men’s basketball. He did, however, highlight his women’s sports programs—specifically pointing out volleyball.

“The one that’s out there that’s right in front of us is volleyball. Volleyball stands out as the fastest-growing sport in America,” Jackson said.

Jackson said Northwestern is noticing attendance growth for its women’s volleyball team, which included the first sellout in program history at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston last year. The game was against Nebraska, a Big Ten rival, and the most famous women’s volleyball program in the country right now. The Cornhuskers are even bringing in strong national viewership and record attendance.

“Use Nebraska as an example. … I think everybody sees tremendous potential there,” Jackson said.

He said his goal is for Northwestern to invest and compete for national championships across several other women’s sports as well, including lacrosse, field hockey, and golf—all of which have won a national championship within the last three years.

Other Big-Ticket Items

Jackson spoke to FOS about a few other major topics in college sports:

• Private equity: Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti told FOS that the conference was exploring potential PE integration, and Jackson said he wants to stay “in lockstep” with Petitti. He admitted the school has been “approached” directly, but has declined any offers. “Fortunately, the way we’re resourced here—a lot to do with our connection to the Big Ten—puts us in a good position where there’s not a lot of need for us to look outside as an institution individually for outside funding.”
• NIL Go: Jackson said the new NIL system has not created any problems for the Wildcats. “We haven’t hit any snags. We’d like to do more [NIL deals].”
• Stadium’s role in recruitment: Jackson admitted that several recruits have been given a tour of the stadium. “This stadium attracts national attention from young men that want to play football. It’s already evidenced in some of the hard-hat tours we’ve done. There’s a wow-factor.” 

The new Ryan Field is expected to be ready for the start of the 2026 college football season. In the meantime, Northwestern will continue to play its games at Martin Stadium with its famous lakefront view.