A Fairleigh Dickinson University junior is making waves during March Madness as a full-time staffer for the school’s athletic department.
Jordan Sarnoff — a Fort Lee, N.J. native — is the director of sports information and athletic media relations for the Knights.
Sarnoff, who is a sports management major, serves as the primary athletic media relations contact for men’s basketball, women’s bowling, women’s lacrosse, men’s soccer and softball at FDU in Hackensack, according to the school’s website.
He is currently the youngest D1 men’s basketball sports information director (SID) in the country.
The college student was highlighted on the March Madness broadcast during FDU’s 78-70 loss to Florida Atlantic in the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on Sunday.
Jamie Erdahl — the host of NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” — served as the sideline reporter for CBS, and shared more of Sarnoff’s story.
“He’s fulfilling a destiny at this point,” Erdahl said, explaining that Sarnoff got into sports because of his mom.
Director of athlete media relations at FDU, Jordan Sarnoff during the Knights’ 78-70 loss to Florida Atlantic in the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on March 19, 2023. Twitter/March Madness “At 12-years-old, [he] went to the [Bruce Beck Sports Broadcasting Camp],” Erdahl said. “His mom made him go and he figured out what television broadcasters need to make great TV.
“He met famed Mets PR guy, Jay Horwitz, and he realized, ‘Wow, all the players love Jay Horwitz, and he gets free gum. I want to be a sports PR guy.’
“And so he walked into the the athletic department at FDU as a senior in high school and said, ‘I am coming here next year. Can I be a sports information director student?’ — and here he is as a full-time guy as a junior.”
Director of athlete media relations at FDU, Jordan Sarnoff during the Knights’ 78-70 loss to Florida Atlantic in the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on March 19, 2023. Twitter/March Madness One of the CBS broadcasters calling the game called Sarnoff’s career journey “unbelievable.”
“He has class tomorrow, but yet he is organizing interviews for [FCU men’s basketball coach] Tobin Anderson and all of his players and he’s done a remarkable job all week.”
Jordan Sarnoff during March Madness 2023. Twitter/@JonRothstein The attention around the school skyrocketed after Fairleigh Dickinson stunned Purdue in a 1-16 NCAA Tournament matchup on Friday night.
Prior to FDU, Sarnoff spent four years as the sports information director and public address announcer for the Fort Lee Public Schools Athletic Department in Northern New Jersey.
Sarnoff previously served as the social media coordinator for the Super Football Conference (NJSFC) — and held various volunteer roles with New Jersey District 6 Little League.
