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≡ RAWAK TAKES OVER ≡
USA Swimming hired a former swimmer and a rising collegiate sports executive with more than 30 years experience to be the federation’s new President and Chief Executive Officer in the run-up to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, announcing Chrissi Rawak on Wednesday.
A swimmer at the University of Michigan, she won four varsity letters from 1988-92 before becoming an assistant coach for the Wolverines. After five years, she left for Northwestern, then returned in 2004 and became a highly-successful fund-raiser, rising to Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development in 2011, and Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director in 2015.
She was hired in 2016 as the Director of Athletics and Recreation Services at the University of Delaware (NCAA Division I), and supervised 21 sports in 2023; Delaware had an athletics budget of $37.5 million for 2025.
Said Rawak in the announcement:
“I can’t wait to collaborate with our coaches, athletes, staff, alumni, volunteers, sponsors, and fans to strengthen the USA’s position as the world’s top swimming nation. We will focus on growing our sport across the country, continuing to prioritize athlete safety and education, and preparing for a historic performance at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.”
USA Swimming announced the departure of chief executive Tim Hinchey on 29 August 2024, ending a seven-year term heading the organization. Chief Operating Officer Shana Ferguson has served as the interim chief executive until the search effort for a new federation head was completed.
The search effort was led by NU Advisory Partners, working in coordination with USA Swimming Board of Directors task force led by Katy Arris Wilson and Sabir Muhammad.
Rawak’s work at Delaware was with an athletic department that parallels USA Swimming in total budget. Although the budget is projected at $37.5 million for 2025, the Fightin’ Blue Hens had a budget of $45.0 million for 2022-23; USA Swimming had 2023 revenue of $45.2 million in 2023 and $44.4 million in 2024.
Hinchey had lost the confidence of an important constituent group – swimming coaches – with post-Olympic letters expressing concerns from the American Swimming Coaches Association and the USA Swimming Coaches Advisory Council. The latter expressed dissatisfaction, stating “Membership and retention rates continue to decline, and an increasing number of swimmers are leaving USA Swimming for AAU” and decrying a “General distrust toward USA Swimming leadership.”
The ASCA letter was blunt:
“The American Swimming Coaches Association is deeply concerned with current USA Swimming membership trends, our perceived weaker performance on the world stage, and significant coach feedback expressing dissatisfaction with our national governing body. We see the next four years being some of the most important in our sports history domestically.
“We are calling for a well-designed and transparent quad plan, from the grassroots to national team levels, that allows our sport to capitalize on the next four years, culminating with a home Olympics.”
In selecting Rawak, USA Swimming clearly heard the complaints, and brought in a swimmer, who also happens to have deep experience in fund-raising and sports administration. A new National Team Director must also be hired, with the expectation that a current or former coach will be in that position.
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