USC hires Washington’s Jennifer Cohen to be its athletic director

USC has hired Washington athletic director Jennifer Cohen to be its athletic director, a source with knowledge of the hire not authorized to speak publicly told The Times.

USC president Carol Folt called a news conference for 1 p.m. Monday to announce the hire. Cohen, 54, a native of Arcadia, will be the first female athletic director in USC history.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel was the first to report the hire.

Cohen has spent the last 24 years at Washington, where she has been the athletic director since 2016. Before taking over as athletic director, she led the department’s fundraising.

In early August, Cohen steered the Huskies to join USC and UCLA in the Big Ten starting in the fall of 2024. Washington will reportedly make about half a share of the conference’s media rights distribution, while the Trojans and Bruins will make full shares from the start.

Check back soon for more updates on this developing news story.