The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Plonsky named to Sports Business Journal’s Champions Class of 2026
04.17.2026 | Texas Athletics
Longtime Texas Athletics administrator is one of six honorees recognized for influence on sports industry overall.
AUSTIN, Texas — University of Texas Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director and Chief of Staff Chris Plonsky has been named to Sports Business Journal's 2026 Class of Champions: Pioneers & Innovators in Sports Business. Plonsky was recognized earlier this week in Los Angeles at the CAA World Congress of Sports.
In addition to Plonsky, the prestigious six-person Class of 2026 includes James Brown (CBS Sports broadcaster), Steve Greenberg (Allen & Co.'s sports specialty practice), Andy Lansing (Levy), Billy Payne (former chairman of Augusta National) and Arn Tellem (Detroit Pistons vice chairman). This year's Champions are recognized not only for their success in finance, media, college sports, concessions and other sectors, but also how they influenced the industry overall through their work and forward thinking.
In nearly four decades at The University of Texas, Plonsky has advocated for the advancement of the Longhorns' women's programs while helping the athletic department grow into one of the most successful in the country. Plonsky has worked in college athletics since 1976, where she was a three-year basketball student-athlete and undergraduate media relations assistant at Kent State University.
Plonsky has served in her current role as Chief of Staff and Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director since September of 2018. She has served as UT's senior woman administrator for NCAA and conference meetings since the late 1990s and previously was Texas' women's athletics director from 2001-17. Plonsky worked as the supervisor of athletics external services for men's and women's athletics from 1993-2017 and served as women's sports information director from 1982-86.
In her current role, Plonsky supervises staff leaders in student services: academic/learning, compliance/risk management and sports medicine/health and wellness/strength performance. The latter area includes nutrition, behavioral health and applied sports science. With the ever-growing changes of NIL, Plonsky assists with 4EVER Texas, the programming that pertains to student-athlete career readiness, leadership development, branding and personal development.
Plonsky's contributions outside of Texas Athletics have been vast, including serving as past president of NACDA, NACMA and Women Leaders in Sport. Among her many honors, she has been inducted into the NACMA, CoSIDA and Texas Sports halls of fame.
