Marquette, MI – July 22, 2025 – Last year, Negaunee found out that Paul Jacobson was in his final year as a coach and the athletic director. The Miners had some big shoes to fill. However, Negaunee wouldn’t be the only school in Marquette County to be looking for a new athletic director to begin the 2025-26 school year.
Jake Skewis, after two years (2023 – 2025) at Westwood, became the new Athletic Director at his alma mater. Skewis, a former player at Negaunee High School, was notably part of the 2002 State Championship Football Team. He holds a degree from Michigan, an MBA from Purdue, a teaching certificate from Wayne State, and a Master’s in Educational Administration from NMU. Skewis worked for over a decade in finance before moving into education, first as a teacher and coach in the Negaunee district, then as AD at Westwood.
With Jake Skewis leaving Westwood, the Patriots began their search for a replacement. It wouldn’t take long for Westwood to hire Robert Zhulkie, an Ishpeming High School graduate. Zhulkie was a multi-sports athlete participating in football, basketball, and track and field. On the field, Bobby was a standout running back and linebacker who would help his team win back-to-back State Championships (2012 and 2013). In 2014, he earned a spot on the All U.P. Boys Basketball Team. Zhulkie graduated from NMU in 2020 with a dual major in Secondary Health and Physical Education. He had the opportunity to student teach at Kingsford, where he was later hired to teach. Zhulkie will begin a new chapter in his sports career, becoming the NICE Community Schools Athletic Director.
