A University of Michigan athletic official a strong record in fund-raising was named the new athletic director at the University of Delaware.
Incoming University of Delaware President Dennis Assanis announced 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, a UD release stated.
The appointment is effective June 5.
Rawak spent more than a decade in athletics at Michigan. 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 a $100 million gift.
Her responsibilities at Michigan 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, the release stated.
“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, PA, 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 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.
Rawak succeeds Eric Ziady, who resigned after a turbulent period at the post that included the departure of football coach K.C. Keeler, the struggles of his successor Dave Brock and delays in renewing the contract for men’s basketball coach.
Ross’ contract was later renewed, but the coach lost recruiting momentum. Ross was let go earlier this year.
Some Blue Hen fans have been unhappy with a decision to not upgrade football facilities at a time when its rivals were making upgrades.
