Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Jacqueline Blackett Announces Retirement from Columbia Athletics
1/28/2026 1:00:00 PM | General
Longtime Deputy Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator to conclude distinguished career on March 31, 2026
NEW YORK — Columbia Athletics' Deputy Athletics Director, Physical Education & Recreation/Senior Woman Administrator, Jacqueline Blackett, has announced her retirement, effective March 31, 2026, bringing to a close a 37-year tenure that has shaped generations of Columbia student-athletes, coaches, and staff.
Blackett joined Columbia in 1989 as head coach of women's cross country and track & field before transitioning to an administrative role in 1993. For nearly three decades, she has served as a key member of Columbia's senior management team, partnering closely with the University's last three Athletics Directors and contributing to the strategic success and support of thousands of student-athletes.
"Jackie has been the heartbeat of our department for nearly four decades," said Campbell Family Director of Athletics Peter Pilling. "Her leadership, generosity and commitment to our student-athletes have elevated our athletics program in countless ways. She has shaped how we operate and made this department better every day. Jackie has left an indelible mark here, and we cannot thank her enough for all that she has done for our Columbia Athletics community."
A central figure in the department's daily operations, Blackett has served as sports program administrator for nearly all 31 Columbia varsity programs at some point in her tenure.
From 1993 to 2010, Blackett oversaw Columbia's compliance and student-athlete services, strengthening institutional processes and building trust with coaches, student-athletes, and campus partners. In recognition of her exceptional leadership, she was named the 2009 Jostens Administrator of the Year in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) by the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA).
Blackett has also made an impact on NCAA Division I governance. Since 2002, she has served on numerous national committees, beginning with the Division I Academic/Eligibility and Compliance Cabinet (AEC), which was charged with creating and implementing the Academic Performance Program, the NCAA's standard for measuring academic outcomes across Division I. She chaired the AEC from 2005–07 and later lent her expertise to the NCAA Soccer Rules Committee, the Women's Soccer Regional Selection Committee, and the NCAA Division I Academic Cabinet, serving as its Chair from 2013–14.
Her influence continued through roles on the NCAA Council, the Women's Basketball Oversight Committee, the Division I Committee on Academics (COA), the Penalty and Appeals Subcommittee, the Transfer Working Group, the co-chair of the Wrestling Academic Enhancement Committee, and as the COA's representative to the Council's Legislative Committee and the NCAA Modernization subcommittee.
Before arriving at Columbia, Blackett served as the head cross country and track & field coach at her alma mater, the University of Rochester, where she led the Yellowjackets to a program-best second-place finish at the 1989 NCAA Championships. In 2023, Blackett was inducted into the Rochester Athletics Hall of Fame.
Blackett's impact on numerous individual student-athletes, along with her decades of service and leadership, has left an indelible mark on Columbia Athletics. Plans to celebrate her career will be announced at a later date.
Blackett joined Columbia in 1989 as head coach of women's cross country and track & field before transitioning to an administrative role in 1993. For nearly three decades, she has served as a key member of Columbia's senior management team, partnering closely with the University's last three Athletics Directors and contributing to the strategic success and support of thousands of student-athletes.
"Jackie has been the heartbeat of our department for nearly four decades," said Campbell Family Director of Athletics Peter Pilling. "Her leadership, generosity and commitment to our student-athletes have elevated our athletics program in countless ways. She has shaped how we operate and made this department better every day. Jackie has left an indelible mark here, and we cannot thank her enough for all that she has done for our Columbia Athletics community."
A central figure in the department's daily operations, Blackett has served as sports program administrator for nearly all 31 Columbia varsity programs at some point in her tenure.
From 1993 to 2010, Blackett oversaw Columbia's compliance and student-athlete services, strengthening institutional processes and building trust with coaches, student-athletes, and campus partners. In recognition of her exceptional leadership, she was named the 2009 Jostens Administrator of the Year in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) by the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA).
Blackett has also made an impact on NCAA Division I governance. Since 2002, she has served on numerous national committees, beginning with the Division I Academic/Eligibility and Compliance Cabinet (AEC), which was charged with creating and implementing the Academic Performance Program, the NCAA's standard for measuring academic outcomes across Division I. She chaired the AEC from 2005–07 and later lent her expertise to the NCAA Soccer Rules Committee, the Women's Soccer Regional Selection Committee, and the NCAA Division I Academic Cabinet, serving as its Chair from 2013–14.
Her influence continued through roles on the NCAA Council, the Women's Basketball Oversight Committee, the Division I Committee on Academics (COA), the Penalty and Appeals Subcommittee, the Transfer Working Group, the co-chair of the Wrestling Academic Enhancement Committee, and as the COA's representative to the Council's Legislative Committee and the NCAA Modernization subcommittee.
Before arriving at Columbia, Blackett served as the head cross country and track & field coach at her alma mater, the University of Rochester, where she led the Yellowjackets to a program-best second-place finish at the 1989 NCAA Championships. In 2023, Blackett was inducted into the Rochester Athletics Hall of Fame.
Blackett's impact on numerous individual student-athletes, along with her decades of service and leadership, has left an indelible mark on Columbia Athletics. Plans to celebrate her career will be announced at a later date.
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