Incoming University of Delaware President Dennis Assanis announced today that Christine Rawak, executive senior associate athletic director at the University of Michigan, will become the University of Delaware's new director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Services.
Her appointment is effective June 5.
“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Chrissi Rawak today as the University of Delaware’s new athletic director,” Assanis said. “Chrissi is an outstanding leader with a long history in athletics, development and alumni relations. She has a true commitment to both the student-athlete experience and inclusive excellence – and these are commitments that we both share. Athletics strengthens the University’s connection with our students, alumni, faculty, staff and the greater community, and I’m confident that she will be able to work with the excellent team already in place here to build on our past successes and lead the program to even greater achievements.”
Rawak has spent more than a decade in athletics at Michigan, where she currently oversees external relations and strategic initiatives. In Ann Arbor, she launched the first comprehensive athletics fundraising campaign raising more than $316 million to date. She personally raised more than $170 million, including securing an unprecedented $100 million gift. Her oversight responsibilities include fundraising, ticket sales, brand management, external communications, public relations, marketing, advertising, community relations, graphic design and creative, research, analytics and database management, digital and social media, constituent engagement, radio and television, corporate sponsorship, trademarks and licensing, events and game day experiences.
“I am truly honored and humbled for the opportunity to join the Delaware family,” said Rawak, “and I am grateful for the trust that President Assanis has in me and in my abilities to lead this department. The University is a world-class institution with a community with a clear passion and pride for athletics and for the state of Delaware. My family and I cannot wait to become Blue Hens.”
Rawak will become the sixth director of Athletics at Delaware since the position was established in 1940. She is the first woman to hold the position on a permanent basis. The director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Services reports directly to the president and is a member of the University’s senior staff. The position leads the University of Delaware’s intercollegiate athletics program consisting of 21 Division I men’s and women’s sports and the University’s recreation services, which offers intramural sports, club sports and fitness opportunities to all students.
As a student at the University of Michigan, Rawak was a member of the varsity swim team and student government president before earning her bachelor’s degree in sports management and communications in 1992. After graduation, she joined the athletics department as an assistant swim coach.
Prior to assuming her current position at Michigan, Rawak spent seven years in Michigan’s Office of University Development as the assistant vice president of talent management and development operations. From 1998-2004, she worked as director of personnel and business resources in the Office of Alumni Relations and Development at Northwestern University while earning a master’s degree in communication from Northwestern.
A native of Newtown, Pennsylvania, she is married to Glenn Hill, a former gymnast at the University of Michigan, and they are the parents of Blake, Evelyn and Grace.
The appointment has been well-received. For comments, see the related article.
About the search
The University conducted a national search for the position with the assistance of Parker Executive Search. Alan Brangman, interim executive vice president and treasurer, chaired the search committee.
“We conducted a comprehensive and rigorous search for this important position, and there were a number of talented individuals interested in this post,” Brangman said. “Christine Rawak quickly emerged as an individual who could lead our athletics program to the next level. I know she will be a great Blue Hen.”
Also serving on the search committee were Tony Allen, trustee and alumnus; Dennis Assanis; incoming president; David Brock, head football coach; John Cochran, chairman of the Board of Trustees; Dawn Elliott, director of the Biomedical Engineering Program; Jeff Garland, vice president and University secretary; Stuart Grant, trustee; Sue Groff Costa, director of the Office of Equity and Inclusion; Barnett Harris, a member of the men’s basketball team; Carol Henderson, vice provost for diversity; Frank Newton, acting vice president and chief of staff; Joe Purzycki, alumnus and donor; Lynn Snyder-Mackler, professor of physical therapy; Wendy McFarlane-Smith, head cross country, track and field coach; Darelle Riabov, alumna and donor; José-Luis Riera, dean of students; Monica Taylor Lotty, vice president for development and alumni relations; and Meghan Winesett, a member of the field hockey team.
"I am grateful to the members of the committee for all their great work in this historic decision," Brangman said.
Matthew Robinson, professor and director of the Sport Management Program in UD's Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, has served as interim director since January. He will return to his faculty position.
“My thanks to Alan Brangman and the members of the search committee and to Matt Robinson for steering us through this time of change in Athletics,” Assanis said. “His deep knowledge of athletics issues and his personal leadership were invaluable to the department and to the University.”
