Atlanta Tipoff Club names Chris Plonsky 2023 Naismith Outstanding Contributor to Women’s Basketball
AUSTIN, Texas — For the outstanding contributions and creating a long-lasting positive impact on the game of basketball, Texas Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director Chris Plonsky was named 2023 Naismith Outstanding Contributor to Women’s Basketball by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
Plonsky said, “Basketball long has been a personal love and career passion. I am humbled by and grateful for this honor since so many of our most accomplished and respected basketball leaders, mentors and professionals share it.”
Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club said, “And we cannot celebrate women’s basketball without appreciating the role that Chris has played in its meteoric rise.”
"Thank you to the Atlanta Tipoff Club and Naismith Awards selection committee for this unexpected but appreciated gift. Working with others on behalf of the game continues to be a privilege,” said Plonsky.
In college, Plonsky earned three letters in basketball, is a USA Basketball board member, United States Olympic Committee Collegiate Advisory Council member, and was inducted into the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Hall of Fame in 2021.
Plonsky was on the first varsity women’s basketball team at Kent State and earned three letters from 1976-78. In 1982, joined the University of Texas athletics staff as the Women’s Sports information Director, and was inducted into the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Hall of Fame in 2021.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious national honors in all of college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the family of Naismith Awards annually recognizes the most outstanding men’s and women’s college and high school basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the men’s and women’s college basketball defensive players of the year, as well as lifetime achievement awards to basketball officials and outstanding contributors to the game. UCLA’s Lew Alcindor received the first Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the inaugural women’s recipient in 1983. Corporate partners of the Naismith Awards include Jersey Mike’s and Werner Ladder.
