Nov. 17, 2012

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- University of Texas women's athletics director Chris Plonsky has been named one of 11 members of USA Basketball's Board of Directors for the upcoming 2013-16 term, the organization announced earlier this week.

The 11-member 2013-16 USA Basketball Board of Directors includes: chairman Jerry Colangelo (2009-12 USA Basketball chairman and managing director of USA Basketball's 2006-08 and 2009-12 men's national teams), NBA appointees Kim Bohuny (NBA Senior Vice President, Basketball Operations-International) and Mark Tatum (NBA Executive Vice President of Global Marketing Partnerships), NCAA appointees Dan Gavitt (NCAA Vice President of Men's Basketball Championships), Mark Lewis (NCAA Executive Vice President of Championships and Alliances) and Plonsky, Scholastic Director Bob Gardner (National Federation of High School Associations Executive Director), At-large/Independent Director Billy Hunter (Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association), National Organizations Representative Jim Carr (NAIA President and Chief Executive Officer) and athlete representatives Chauncey Billups (co-captain of USA Basketball's 2010 World Championship gold medalist team) and Katie Smith (three-time Olympic gold medalist in 2000, 2004 and 2008 and three-time FIBA World Championship medalist in 1998 [gold], 2002 [gold] and 2006 [bronze)).

The USA Basketball Board of Directors is comprised of three Professional Directors (appointed by the NBA), three Collegiate Directors (appointed by the NCAA), two Athlete Representatives (elected by active athletes), one Scholastic Director (appointed by the National Federation of High School Associations), one At-Large Independent Director (nominated by the Nominating & Governance Committee and elected by the Board of Directors) and one Organizational Member Director (elected by other members of USA Basketball that meet the Amateur Sports Act's definition of National Competition Organizations).

USA Basketball's Nominating & Governance Committee currently consists of former USA Basketball president and former NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik, University of Delaware Director of Athletics and 2009-13 USA Basketball Board of Directors member Bernard Muir, and 2009-13 USA Basketball Board of Directors athlete representative and 2000 U.S. Olympic gold medalist Steve Smith.

Plonsky has served as women's athletics director at The University of Texas since 2001. She also has supervised external services for UT men's and women's athletics since 1993. As women's AD, Plonsky directs Texas' 11-sport program comprised of more than 240 women student-athletes.

The external services area includes serving as UT Athletics' chief liaison with multimedia rights holder IMG College, whose staff performs corporate sponsorship sales and radio network/Internet/TV production and distribution. IMG College's sponsorship sales for UT Athletics and the Frank Erwin Center rank among the highest in the nation and features elements appearing in signage, game-day publications, consumer and retail promotions, radio, Internet and video.

Plonsky also supervises UT's trademark and licensing staff, which works directly with IMG College's Collegiate Licensing Company. The University of Texas generates more trademark royalties (passing the eight-figure mark several times in recent years) than any other CLC client.

2013-16 USA Basketball Board of Directors

(UT)