Chris Plonsky, women's athletics director at the University of Texas at Austin, has been elected to chair the Division I Management Council for 2003. Plonsky, whose overall term on the Council lasts through January 2006, served as vice-chair of the 49-member group in 2002. Plonsky succeeds Percy Bates, faculty athletics representative at the University of Michigan, whose term on the Council ended with the conclusion of the NCAA Convention.

Plonsky, in her 15th year at Texas, directs all of the women's athletics department's corporate sponsorship and advertising, broadcasting, photography and new media/Internet services.

Under her watch last year, 10 of Texas' 11 women's athletics programs advanced to NCAA postseason competition.

In addition to her duties with the Texas athletics department, Plonsky is a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics executive committee and the National Football Foundation/
College Hall of Fame board. She also is a member of USA Basketball's executive committee, serving a second consecutive term as vice-president for women's programs.

Plonsky rejoined the Texas athletics staff as associate athletics director for external services in 1993 after seven years with the Big East Conference, where she served as the public relations director and associate commissioner for administration. Before that, Plonsky worked as the women's sports information director at Texas from 1981 to 1986. She also served as SID at Iowa State University from 1979 to 1981 and at Kent State University from 1976 to 1979.

Plonsky earned her bachelor's degree in journalism from Kent State in 1979. She was a three-year letter-winner in basketball there and served as team co-captain during her junior season.

In addition to naming a chair for 2003, the Management Council also selected America East Conference Commissioner Chris Monasch to succeed Plonsky as vice-chair. Monasch, who has served on many NCAA committees, including the Division I Baseball Committee, the Division I Committee on Athletics Certification and the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee, has been commissioner of America East since 1997.

Under his guidance, America East has expanded its staff and services, moved its headquarters to Boston and restructured its governance, including the addition of a student-athlete advisory committee.

Monasch was the commissioner of the Northeast Conference from 1987 to 1997. Monasch helped the league expand its sports sponsorship from 12 to 17, including the addition of football.

Before that, Monasch served as an associate athletics director at Seton Hall University for two years and as an assistant athletics director at Fordham University for four years.