“Everything will be alright if we just keep dancing like we’re twenty-two…”
The music echoes through the Skolnick household, and Jordan Skolnick knows almost every lyric. As a girl dad to daughters Zoe and Mae, Delaware’s new director of athletics jokes that Taylor Swift plays “at all hours of the day.” But in many ways, that lyric mirrors where Delaware Athletics stands right now, with optimism, energy, and confidence in the direction it’s moving.
After nearly a year leading the department on an interim basis, Skolnick is officially stepping into the role full-time, with the university removing the interim tag and entrusting him with the future of Blue Hens Athletics.
“I am tremendously grateful to President Carlson and the Board of Trustees for their trust and belief in me to lead Delaware Athletics and Campus Recreation,” Skolnick said. “Over the last 10 months leading our department, my enthusiasm and optimism for our future success have only grown stronger because of the incredible people we have here at UD. I am deeply committed to our student-athletes’ success in the classroom, having a world-class experience that prepares them for life after graduation, and winning championships. The best is yet to come and I could not be more excited to continue as a Fightin’ Blue Hen!”
Skolnick stepped in following former athletics director Chrissi Rawak’s departure — Rawak had been announced as the next CEO of USA Swimming in February before later stepping away from that role to focus on family. What began as a moment of uncertainty has evolved into a period of stability and momentum for Delaware.
Now, Skolnick is no longer the face of transition. He is the long-term steward of the department’s vision.
Before assuming the top role, Skolnick served as senior deputy athletic director for revenue generation and sport administration, overseeing fundraising, ticketing, and sport oversight. He joined Delaware in 2016 following five years at the University of Michigan, where he directed athletic fundraising initiatives for one of the nation’s largest collegiate athletics programs.
A Department On The Rise
The University of Delaware is in the midst of an ambitious transition in its athletics history. The Blue Hens’ move from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Conference USA has placed the program in the national spotlight. It’s the culmination of years of investment in facilities, scholarships, and student-athlete support, areas Skolnick helped lead long before assuming the top chair.
“This move shows that we belong at this level,” Skolnick said. “We’ve been on national television multiple times, and we’ve had incredible support from our university, our board, and our community. It’s an exciting moment to show the country who Delaware is.”
In October, Delaware’s football broadcasts on ESPN and ESPN2 drew a combined audience of more than a million viewers, a big benchmark for a program that once competed largely under regional coverage.
Steady Through Change
Change has defined Delaware’s past year — an interim president in Laura Carlson, an interim athletics director in Skolnick, and the largest structural realignment in the institution’s history. Yet rather than feeling constrained, Skolnick says the dual-interim dynamic created a sense of urgency and alignment.
“Every decision we make right now is about moving Delaware forward,” he said. “We’re not sitting still. If you’re stagnant in this industry, you fall behind quickly. So we’re staying aggressive and working together.”
Carlson’s “One UD” theme has resonated throughout the department, reinforcing collaboration across academics, campus recreation, and athletics. Skolnick’s responsibilities have made him a bridge between university leadership and the external community.
“We are focused on being the best version of ourselves — we are just getting started,” Skolnick said.
From Brandeis To Newark
Skolnick’s career has been shaped by the very experiences he now helps foster. A former soccer student-athlete and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president at Brandeis University, he’s spent his professional life focused on building programs that give others the same transformative opportunities.
“Athletics is where you learn to become the best version of yourself,” Skolnick said. “That sense of teamwork, feedback, and commitment … it shaped who I am. I wanted to help create those same experiences for others.”
His path wound through some of the country’s top athletic programs: Yale, North Carolina, and Michigan. At Michigan, he worked alongside Rawak on a $355 million athletics campaign — the first comprehensive effort of its kind in Ann Arbor. When Rawak was named Delaware’s athletic director in 2016, she recruited Skolnick to lead fundraising and external relations in Newark. The results followed quickly.
At UD, Skolnick launched the Delaware First campaign for athletics, raising $39 million of a $64 million goal in under two years — funding that brought the Whitney Athletic Center to life. Under his leadership, self-sustaining revenue has grown 60 percent since his arrival, including a 53 percent increase in football ticket sales and a 44 percent increase in overall ticket revenue.
Those numbers represent a core belief that’s defined Delaware’s modern era: investment drives excellence.
The Jump To FBS
The Blue Hens’ decision to move to the FBS level wasn’t impulsive. It was the result of years of preparation and data analysis. Skolnick and his team conducted a comprehensive review of the department’s readiness, from facilities and scholarships to operational budgets and fan engagement.
“We found that we were very well positioned,” he said. “We’ve been investing in athletics intentionally for a long time. That allowed our teams and staff to be ready for the transition.”
Delaware also added women’s ice hockey as part of its move, enhancing gender equity and expanding the university’s athletics profile. Skolnick laughs when describing the logistics of converting the ice arena from Olympic to NHL size — “a lot more equipment and a few new headaches” —, but he emphasizes the broader significance: it’s a tangible sign of progress.
Navigating The New Landscape
As the college athletics world adjusts to revenue sharing, NIL, and the House settlement, Skolnick has been intentional about defining Delaware’s place in that landscape. Every FBS program, he notes, is navigating the same unknowns.
“The timing was wild,” he said. “We’re moving to FBS, adding women’s hockey, and the entire industry is shifting at once. But it’s also freeing. No one’s standing on stable ground right now, so we have the chance to do things the Delaware way.”
That means prioritizing relationships, retaining student-athletes, and emphasizing the dual commitment to academic and competitive excellence. The department’s 650-plus student-athletes posted a 3.4 GPA last year, a figure Skolnick cites with pride when discussing the program’s culture.
“It shows who our student-athletes are,” he said. “No matter how far we travel, no matter what conference we’re in, they’re committed to being students first.”
Fundraising And Future Growth
Skolnick’s background in development continues to shape Delaware’s next chapter. The department is channeling momentum from the FBS move into new fundraising initiatives, beginning with the Student-Athlete Excellence Fund, a vehicle for scholarships, academic support, and wellness programs.
“We have to keep investing in our people,” Skolnick said. “That’s what separates good programs from great ones. The facilities matter, the resources matter, but it’s the people that make Delaware special.”
While specific capital projects have yet to be publicly announced, Skolnick hints that long-term facility enhancements remain part of the university’s vision. For now, the focus is sustaining the progress that’s already in motion and ensuring every team, all 22 programs, have what they need.
Culture And Connection
If there’s a phrase that sums up Skolnick’s leadership approach, it’s connection. He’s quick to mention colleagues by name, crediting coaches, staff, and campus partners for their roles in Delaware’s momentum.
“Everyone’s rowing in the same direction,” he said. “We’re building something that the entire state can be proud of.”
And beyond the boardrooms and donor meetings, there’s still the dad with two little girls eating popcorn in the stands. Skolnick smiles when he talks about them.
“They love coming to games, cheering on the Hens, wearing their Delaware gear,” he said. “Seeing them look up to our student-athletes … that’s what makes this so meaningful.”
The Road Ahead
With the interim tag removed, Skolnick now officially leads Delaware Athletics into its next era — one defined by growth and national traction.
“I love it here,” he said. “I believe in this university and its potential. There’s so much more ahead, and I want to help be part of realizing that.”
Whether measured in fundraising milestones, conference realignment, or the energy inside the Whitney Athletic Center, Skolnick’s fingerprints are already all over Delaware’s modern era.
For now, the rhythm continues on campus, in the arena, and sometimes, through a Taylor Swift soundtrack drifting from the Skolnick home in Wilmington.
Because for Delaware Athletics, everything really will be alright … if they just keep “feeling 22.”
