The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Chris Plonsky receives Texas Exes Top Hand Award
04.03.2009 | Texas Athletics
April 3, 2009
AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas Women's Athletics Director Chris Plonsky attended the Texas Exes Council meeting on Friday afternoon to give an update on the Longhorns, but the Exes ended up giving Plonsky something too.
After Plonsky's address, Texas Exes President Pam Willeford presented Plonsky with the Top Hand Award. It's an honor that is bestowed only periodically at the discretion of the president to someone who has gone "above and beyond" to work with the Exes, Willeford said.
"Chris looks for ways to work with the Exes," Willeford said. "We are always on her radar screen. She sees the big picture."
Plonsky first joined the UT Athletics family in January 1982 as women's sports information director, and was with the Women's Basketball team during the Longhorns' undefeated run to the 1986 national championship. After leaving later that year to work with the BIG EAST Conference, Plonsky returned to UT in 1993 as associate athletics director for external services under DeLoss Dodds.
Plonsky is one of only a few recipients of this award who is not also a Texas Ex. Though she spent her youth in Pennsylvania and Ohio and later graduated from Kent State, Plonsky says she feels like a Texan -- and a Longhorn -- now.
"What an honor. This is overwhelming," Plonsky said after receiving the surprise award. "Every time I wake up in the morning I know how lucky I am to work at this place. I know how special it is. Being here has been the best part of my life."