USA Swirm has appointed Chrissi Rawak, current director of the University of Delaware’s athletics department, as its new president and CEO.
Rawak, a former university swimmer at the University of Michigan, will take over former CEO Tim Hinchey.
Rawak joined USA Swimming after nearly nine years as Delaware’s Athletics Director, and was hired for the role in May 2016. She was the first woman to serve as athletics director in Delaware and was recognized as the university’s National Association. Director of the 2024 Athletics Director of the Year.
Swimming and coaching careers
Rawak, a native of Newton, Pennsylvania, grew up competing at Germantown Academy in Fort Washington and was a member of the 1987 National Championship Team.
Growth training under Germantown’s coach Dick Scholberg, focusing on the main events of Rawak, was 1500/1650 free, 200 backs, 400 im. “Everyone was a distance swimmer,” Rawak, who trained under Scholberg, told Swimswam on Wednesday.
She then went to the University of Michigan where she was a member of the women’s swimming team from 1988 to 1992, but served as assistant coach of the women’s team under Jim Richardson from 1992 to 1997. Coaching tenure.
She spoke about how her involvement in the sport as both an athlete and a coach helped her shape the person she is today.
“I’ll tell you who I am for the sport of swimming,” Rawak said. “Discipline, focus, goal orientation, perseverance are all very realistic.
“My experience tells you that coaching is one of the most formative career experiences I’ve had. Let’s be honest, leaving college at the age of 22 and becoming an assistant coach at Michigan State. was certainly a privilege and an honor.
“And what I learned about how to build a team, how to build a program, how to develop young people in person, how to experience it all in a place like Michigan. That was just my alma mater. It was not, it was an outstanding place. It was still. But you could come there and swim for Jim Richardson and John Urbanchek, and with them the coach was incredibly formative. Yes, it really taught me a lot about how you lead and build a team. Whether I was in the athletics world or not, people are people and work with them. , being supportive and bringing out the best of them.
“It’s bigger than you. It’s all bigger than you and you need to.
“I’ve always felt like I was standing on the shoulders of everyone who came before me. It’s the responsibility I have and I’m very excited and proud of. It’s something.”
Rawak’s husband, Glenn, was a member of the University of Michigan men’s gymnastics team from 1988 to 1992.
Post-coaching career
After a five-year coaching stint in Michigan, Rawak worked as director of human resources and business resources at Northwestern University’s Alumni Association and Development Bureau from 1997 to 2003, earning a Masters in Communications.
She then returned to the University of Michigan, where she spent her first seven years at the University Development Office, as assistant vice president of talent management and development operations.
In 2011, she moved to her role as executive senior associate athletic director for Michigan, overseeing the external relations and strategic initiatives she held until 2016.
“Chrissi brings a track record of building key organizations and winning teams,” said Chris Brearton, chairman of the US Swimming Board. “She has firsthand experiences in our sports as both a successful athlete and a coach. Her vision will help us write the next chapter of American Swimming Excellence.”
In May 2016, Rawak was announced as the new director of track and field in Delaware.
She hasn’t been directly involved in swimming since the late 1990s, but she says she has been closely tabs on sports for many years, and Delaware was the first male NCAA qualifier in program history at Toni Sabev last year. I pointed out how I had it.
“Swimming is certainly part of my DNA,” she said. “I’ve been following it since I was 10. I certainly follow it quite a bit and I’m very committed to sports.
“I’m really proud of what we can do in Delaware. When I got here, we weren’t close to relevance, and last year, we were the first NCAA in the history of the program. I was able to send the qualifying round to the men’s competition, so I certainly followed it as you can imagine as a swimming fan and someone who loves the sport and has connections.’
Selection Process and Salary
In October, US Swimming approved the creation of a nine-person CEO Search Task Force to find an alternative to Hinchie. The task force was led by Katie Alice Wilson. Katie Alice Wilson swam at the University of Texas for the same four years that Lawak was in Michigan (1988-92).
Hinchey has been President and CEO of USA Swimming for over seven years since 2017. His departure was the heel of an American team that historically displayed low medal tallies at the Parisio Games, particularly in terms of gold medals.
The American team won eight gold and 28 total swimming medals at the 2024 Olympics, marking the lowest gold medal tally since 1956.
Rawak salary in Delaware is currently listed at $648,383 for the fiscal year ending June 2023. She made money at $704,065 with a bonus of over $55,0682.
I don’t know how her compensation will be in US swimming, but Hinchy made $962,555 in 2023 with a base salary of $690,205.
The US Swimming Search Board forecast range for a CEO’s base salary was $500,000-$600,000. Given that Rawak has made more than that in Delaware, her compensation for USA swimming would be higher than expected.
Swimswam contacted USA Swimming for the 2024 CEO Compensation Salary Base and Bonus. US Swimming must legally disclose these details by November 2025.
Shana Ferguson, who has been interim CEO since Hinchey left late August, will continue her role as Chief Operating Officer at USA Swimming. She will also remain interim CEO until the official launch date of Rawak.
Goals and initial movements
Rawak said he plans to live in Colorado Springs and the exact timeline to arrive at USA Swimming HQ is currently unknown, but plans will be resolved within the next few days.
She was her first priority to hire a managing director for the new national team, and USA Swirming moved from former director Lindsay Mintenko last summer, at the same time that Hinchie left. He said that.
Rawak also spoke about her general outlook on her role in USA swimming and her key priorities, including her performance in the pool and her sport’s growth.
“The role is to continue to grow and enhance the sport of swimming across the country. And in many ways, even around the world. How it impacts the ecosystem of swimming and continues to share great things about sports. And it’s certainly at the Olympic level and it’s still extraordinary. The LA Olympics are here, dominant there and it’s very important to keep Excel going. It is clearly important and very important at first, hiring a managing director for the national team is very important, as it relates to the first priority.
She also talks about the importance of “listening and learning” as connecting with coaches, athletes, fans and parents is most important early in her tenure.
“To be truly intentional and thoughtful about those conversations will be important in the first three to six months, as we understand what the next moment is for us. What are we doing when we move forward, especially in moments of transformational sports?”
