ST. PAUL, Minn.- The University of Northwestern Athletic Department has officially filled the vacant spot in the Sports Information Department. This week, Jess Poppen was hired as the new Assistant Sports Information Director for the Eagles.
Jess not only has deep ties to the University of Northwestern, but also specifically to the UNW Sports Information Department. Jess graduated from Northwestern in 2017 and played two seasons on the UNW Men's Basketball team. He also served as a vital part of the Eagles' Sports Information Department during his time as a student. Jess served as an Athletic Communications Intern under former UNW Sports Information Director Jay Hilbrands.
Jess had many different roles and responsibilities while serving as an intern in the Sports Information Department that will have well prepared him to step into a full time role in the department. As the Assistant Sports Information Director, it will be part of his duties to serve as the Sports Information Contact for multiple athletic teams at Northwestern. While serving as an intern in the department back in 2017, Jess was named the official Sports Information Contact for the Men's and Women's Golf teams. He also served as the Secondary Contact for the UNW Football and Volleyball programs. The other duties that Jess had in that role included writing post game recaps, serving as the social media manager on game days, announcing and producing broadcasts on the Eagle Sports Network, and serving as the media liaison/announcer/social media manager for the 2017 NCAA Division III St. Paul Regional Volleyball Tournament.
The experience that Jess gained as a student worker at Northwestern has given him the tools to excel as the Assistant SID. Jay Hilbrands, the former UNW SID and current University of Washington Deputy Athletic Director for External Relations, feels very confident in Jess' ability to excel in this new position. "I couldn't be more excited for both Jess and UNW for his appointment to this critical role," Jay said. "Jess' skillset coupled with his diverse set of experiences make him a perfect fit and will add incredible value to the athletic department. His strong alignment with the mission of the institution and his passion for college athletics will greatly benefit the overall student-athlete experience."
After graduating from Northwestern, Jess continued to gain experience in the sports world. He has worked for the Minnesota Vikings on two separate occasions holding a different position each time. His most recent position with the NFL squad came in 2018 when he spent the entire season with the team. Jess worked in the Football Operations department and his duties included but were not limited to hotel and travel preparations for games, game day player operations, transporting players, and handling ticket requests for players.
Jess' most recent position came with a company called Airborne Athletics where he served as a Business Development Representative. While serving in this role, he interacted with college athletic departments of all levels while overseeing sales for Dr. Dish Basketball and AirCAT Volleyball.
Athletic Director Dr. Matt Hill is thrilled to welcome a UNW graduate and former student athlete back to Eagle athletics. "I am excited to welcome Jess back in this role," Dr. Hill said. "His experience as a former Eagle student athlete along with his time working in the Sports Information Department will be valuable to UNW. Jess will be an excellent addition and will serve our students, coaches, and fans well."
Jess' excitement to be back at Northwestern matches Dr. Hill's. "I couldn't be more thrilled to be back with UNW Athletics," Jess said. "UNW was pivotal in shaping me as a person, athlete, and professional. I'm excited to be back working with so many familiar faces from my time as a student athlete and student worker within the department."
