The University of Delaware will not retain Athletic Director Chrissi Rawak, and will instead begin a national search for her replacement, UD President Dennis Assanis told the faculty senate this week.
USA Swimming announced Rawak as their new CEO on February 19, ending her almost nine-year tenure as the athletics director at the University of Delaware. A week later, though, they announced that she would not take over that role, citing “unforeseen personal circumstances,” with Rawak citing the death of her mother-in-law and health of her father-in-law as the reasons for the about-face.
Within 24 hours, a different story emerged. A complaint about Rawak’s actions while an assistant coach at the University of Michigan in the 1990s was made with the U.S. Center for SafeSport after her announcement as CEO, and when USA Swimming brought the accusation up, Rawak resigned from the role.
That left uncertainty as to whether Rawak would return to the University of Delaware, where she was viewed as a strong supporter of the swimming & diving program – including participating in the full broadcast of a dual meet last month.
“These developments came at blazing speeds, and I was made aware in similar ways as every other person who reads the news. I don’t have access to it and I have not seen it. It’s confidential,” Assanis told the university’s faculty, as reported by the Newark Post. “Somebody did ask me if we had that information when we hired Chrissi nine years ago, and I just want to say for the sake of the audience here, no, I didn’t have that information.”
When asked whether Rawak could reapply for the job, Assanis was non-committal. “What Chrissi Rawak may want to do, I don’t know. I can’t speculate. She may want to apply to be reconsidered for the position, I don’t know at this point.”
The highlights of her tenure at Delaware included leading a $38 million fundraising campaign for the construction of an athletic department facility. She also led a partnership with the Philadelphia Flyers that is set to lead to the addition of a women’s ice hockey program in the near future.
The full accounting of the most transformative project of her time in Newark won’t be made until years into the future: she navigated the University of Delaware to FBS football, which is the top tier of collegiate football with the highest revenue opportunities, but also the highest expenses. The University of Delaware will join Conference USA next season.
The school will still play some FCS teams next season, but will also see a steep increase in competition with games scheduled against high profile programs like the University of Colorado. They will also play a non-conference game against UConn, a basketball powerhouse that has been sunk financially by its FBS football program and perhaps serves as a strong warning for mistakes to avoid by Delaware.
The University of Delaware is a privately governed, state assisted university, meaning that its athletics financials are not made public.
The school averaged 17,329 home fans at football games last season, which is 96% of Delaware Stadium’s official capacity, even while not being allowed to participate in the playoffs because of the transition. That ranked them 8th in FCS football, though it would have ranked them near the bottom of FBS.
Delaware’s swimming & diving programs will join the ASUN Conference next season because Conference USA does not currently sponsor swimming & diving championships.
It was an open secret in the mid 90s that she targeted young women on her team for sexual relationships. She got caught. SafeSport did it’s job like it should. The truth will come out. This is just the beginning of her problems.
I’m gonna guess that the report in 1997 wasn’t the only report made about her. I’ve heard she’s had some skeletons in her closet at UD, hiding things under the rug etc. Don’t feel bad for her until you know all the information. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that USA swimming wouldn’t make themselves look like idiots the day after hiring her just because they felt like it. There was likely a reason. And it’s not up to us to judge if it was fair or not if we don’t have all the info. What if she did something terrible and you’re justifying it? Bottom line is, you just don’t know enough to say she didn’t… Read more »
I think what people are forgetting is that she wasn’t ‘fired,’ according to USA Swimming. Their explanation is that they presented her with the complaint to SafeSport and she resigned.
The extent of jumping to conclusions here – in all directions – should probably be surprising but really isn’t. We live in a time when facts seem less important than spin. A lot of boredom and disillusionment, I guess.
SafeSport aside, it’s hard to go back to a job that you intended to leave for another job and better opportunity. Most employers aren’t going to take you back.
It’s hard to comment on whether her dismissal from the USA Swimming CEO position was justified, as we just don’t have all the info.
But I do think some good objective questions need to be asked regarding a complaint that surfaced after some 30 years. The only thing I’ve read is that SwimSwam seemed to confirm it had nothing to do with a minor. So… did she do something that truly put someone in danger or caused physical harm? Lasting mental or emotional harm? She’s worked steadily in athletics since then… does she have a pattern of this behavior? (Seems the answer is no…) Is there a reason to believe that any young athletes are or will be in any… Read more »
She’s a multi millionaire and not so famous that she can’t show her face anywhere.
Professional reputation maybe, but life? That’s a stretch. She’s already 54-55, can probably comfortably retire.
Life’s not all about the money. There’s also a matter of actually enjoying work and the feeling of contributing to a cause or organization you believe in. Contributing to society in general. Never mind personal honor and reputation.
But yeah, financially she might be Ok, though I’m not her personal accountant.
And did you really just shrug off professional reputation? As if it doesn’t really matter? We live in a soulless world.
I wonder if this is retaliation for “the one individual that just didn’t quite align with their (our) beliefs and values and the things that mattered” to the Michigan’s women’s swim team while she was an assistant.
go to 4:00 on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZJsWjniwks&t=240s
Maybe? It didn’t sound like she could do much or did much about it at the time. It certainly doesn’t sound like a safe sport violation, though if that person had an axe to grind maybe they found something to report.
Who knows? It was one of two things: something egregious that was a real issue, in which case she needed to go. Or something petty that happened once 30 years ago and shouldn’t matter now given her public record since. I’m inclined to believe it was the latter scenario, but I admit I just don’t know.
If it was the latter, it’s both a damn shame USA Swimming didn’t stand up for their candidate and that someone… Read more »
She was in a romantic relationship with one of the girls she was coaching. When this came out, that is why she got dropped like a hot potato.
Ask around with anyone on the women’s team Mid 90s. She had relationships with her very young swimmers while she was coaching them. SafeSport did their job. I am sure the victim’s of her predatory behavior spent decades recovery. And wished SS existed back then.
She dated her swimmers. We all knew about it at UM in the 90s. It was an open secret. She was the queen of the pool dating the most attractive girl on her team. More on this will come out.
Based on the information I know, I feel bad for Chrissi. This whole situation stinks!
You should not feel bad for a coach who dates their swimmers.
I’ve said this before, but I really can’t get over how much she looks like Elizabeth Holmes to me.
I don’t see it
So, a complaint comes 35 years later and your career is at a halt. Imagine if she pulled someone’s hair in pre-school.
Nice victim blame and shame.