Media Whiz Kid
Jordan Sarnoff stands on the court in Columbus, Ohio, before FDU vs. Purdue in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Photo: Paul Vernon/FDU Knights Athletics
Jordan Sarnoff — the country’s youngest Division I sports information director (SID) — is a senior in FDU’s sport management program. He spearheaded media relations for Knights men’s basketball during its historic run in March and was featured during the game against Florida Atlantic University on truTV, skyrocketing him to his own fame.
On the radio, including Sirius XM NBA Radio and BarStool radio, Sarnoff discussed his path to becoming SID for the Knights.
“I always worked in the backend of sports and on the media side; I never had that moment of ‘maybe I don’t belong here’ or ‘maybe what I am doing is bigger than me,’” said Sarnoff on Barstool’s show in March. “I saw the impact it had on our student-athletes, on our department and on just what we were able to do for the University at large.”
And thanks to his media-savvy skills and love of the game, David Worlock, NCAA director of media coordination/statistics and media coordinator for March Madness, offered Sarnoff the opportunity of a lifetime — the chance to serve on the national media coordination committee at the Men’s Tournament Final Four in Houston, Texas.
In a tweet, Worlock wrote, “We can’t do this for everyone who deserves it but we’re doing it this year for @JordanSarnoff. He will be joining us in Houston to assist with our media coordination efforts at the Men’s Final Four. Appreciative of his work and the resulting attention of the SID profession.”
Sarnoff’s time at FDU prepared him for the events leading up to March Madness and beyond. “This was an opportunity I could not pass up,” says Sarnoff. “The opportunities that I’ve gained at FDU are not ones I could have had anywhere else.”
During his senior year of high school, Sarnoff walked into the Knights Athletics Department and spoke with then-assistant athletic director for communications Bryan Jackson, in search of a job. He told Jackson that he would be attending FDU, and would love a position in the athletics department, after working for four years with his alma mater, Fort Lee (N.J.) High School.
“Over the last three years, we have seen Jordan flourish in highlighting the student-athletes and our coaches within the New York metropolitan media,” says Jason Young, senior associate athletic director of external affairs. “His ability to build relationships is what makes him special, and FDU has benefited from his relentless passion. We look forward to seeing him progress in his career at FDU and beyond the banks of the Hackensack in the future!”
Now that Sarnoff has had time to reflect on this past season, he’s looking toward the future. “It was a surreal moment. Being on the court during a historic moment for FDU and then getting to work at the Final Four are moments that have not only made my time at FDU memorable, but also have helped prepare me for future roles. And until then, we have a lot more to do here to showcase the talented coaches, student-athletes and programs at FDU.”