USA Swimming has hired University of Delaware athletic director Chrissi Rawak as its new president and CEO, the first step in a leadership makeover after substantial changes in the aftermath of the Paris Olympics.
Rawak, a collegiate swimmer specializing in distance events at Michigan from 1988–92, has been the athletic director at Delaware for eight years.
Part of her work there was guiding the Blue Hens to FBS football membership in Conference USA, which will begin this year. Prior to her time at Delaware, Rawak was the senior associate AD at her alma mater, and also was an assistant swim coach for the Wolverines.
“I never in a million years imagined this would be an opportunity that I would have,” Rawak tells Sports Illustrated. “The experiences that I have had leading organizations and building organizations, and then certainly the passion I have and the love I have for this incredible sport—full-circle moment is absolutely a phrase I’ve used to describe it.”
Rawak replaces Tim Hinchey, who stepped down in September when it became uncertain whether his contract would be renewed. The vacant national team managing director position is likely to be addressed next, with interviews ongoing to replace Lindsay Mintenko, who also stepped down in the wake of underwhelming American performances both in Paris and in the 2023 World Championships.
The United States won more swimming medals in Paris than any other country (28) and more golds (eight), but those numbers fall short of what have become standard American Olympic performances. It was the fewest U.S. swimming golds since 1988 and fewest total medals since 2004, and there are three more events in the Olympic program now than there were then. The American men did not win an individual gold until the final event of the Games when Bobby Finke captured the 1,500-meter freestyle.
That followed a dismal American performance at the 2023 world championships, where Australia won the gold-medal count 13–7. There were some within the national swimming ranks calling for change coming out of that meet, but USA Swimming largely stood pat. Heading into an Olympic cycle that will conclude with the Summer Games on home soil in Los Angeles, the urgency to improve has picked up.
“Being unprecedentedly successful [in 2028] is going to be really important for us, and something that I’m confident in,” Rawak says. “I know we have brilliant coaches across this country. I know we have athletes that are committed to being exceptional, and my responsibility is, number one, hire a national team managing director to help really lead that initiative and partnership with me.”
Mintenko’s lack of coaching experience and overall leadership skills were viewed as detriments by many in the USA Swimming hierarchy. In the past that position has been filled by former coaches who were providing hands-on feedback to swimmers and coaching staff on the pool deck. The expectation is that her successor will be someone with a coaching background.
The scope of USA Swimming’s ambition was clearly stated when it moved the 2024 Olympic Trials from a 15,000-seat basketball arena in Omaha to the NFL venue in Indianapolis, Lucas Oil Stadium. That resulted in record crowds and rave reviews from the swimmers, likely cementing the event as a stadium-sized spectacle going forward. (The 2028 Olympic swimming competition will be held in SoFi Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers.)
Now USA Swimming just has to make sure it has a team capable of performing well in that venue. That’s why Rawak was hired, with more new leadership on the way.
“We’re all recognizing the incredible importance of the Olympics on home soil and what that does for us,” Rawak says. “But for me, it’s about what are we doing to lead up to that? But there’s no doubt that our success in L.A. is critically important.”
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Publish date : 2025-02-19 09:06:00
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