Chris Plonsky to step down from current Texas Athletics leadership role – The Daily Texan

Texas Athletics announced a major leadership change Tuesday as Chris Plonsky, chief of staff/executive senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator, will retire at the end of the 2026-27 academic year.

The 2026-27 academic year marks Plonsky’s 39th year at the University of Texas, where she currently supervises staff leaders in a variety of student-athlete services.

While Plonsky is set to step down from her current role, which she’s held since 2018, she will not leave Texas Athletics. Plonsky will have a different role at Texas, which will be announced at a different time, as also stated by Texas Athletics.

“(Plonksy) is an absolute rock star,” Texas Athletics Director Chris Del Conte said. “She’s a legend who has poured her heart and soul into the University of Texas and our athletics department for four decades. She’s a trailblazer who advocated for the advancement of women’s sports while also having a huge impact on our men’s sports programs and helping our athletics department grow into one of the most powerful brands in the world.”

Plonsky first arrived on the Forty Acres back in 1982, where she served as the women’s sports information director from 1982-86. Following a seven-year absence, Plonsky returned to Austin in 1993 to become Texas’ associate athletics director for external services.

Since beginning her second stint at Texas, Plonsky has moved into several different roles within the Texas athletics department.

Plonsky served as senior associate AD for men’s and women’s athletics from 2001-02, and from 2002-17 she was Texas’ director of women’s athletics while also having a major role in men’s athletics.

Plonsky is a member of the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor, the NACMA Hall of Fame, the College Sports Communicators Hall of Fame and the Greater Austin Sports Foundation Hall of Honor, and was a member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame 2025 class.

“She has worn many hats, served in virtually every role possible and worked with so many legendary figures on our great campus,” Del Conte said. “But at the end of the day, she has always remained steadfast in putting our student-athletes first and foremost in everything she does. Her passion, pride and dedication to the Longhorn family, our student-athletes and coaches, and The University of Texas are unmatched.”