University of Idaho named Terry Gawlik as the next Director of Athletics following approval by the State Board of Education Wednesday.
Gawlik will be the first woman to hold the position at University of Idaho.
“I am very honored to accept this position and become a member of this great Vandal community,” Gawlik said in a news release. “My passion is developing people – our student-athletes, our coaches and our staff. Together we will continue to build championship programs. I know President Green has a great vision for this institution and for the athletic department. I will work every day to lead and help facilitate this vision.”
Gawlik is the former senior associate athletic director for sports administration as well as the senior women’s administrator at the University of Wisconsin. She was with Wisconsin for 14 years. While with the Badgers, Gawlik was responsible for the oversight of the athletic department’s Gender Equity Plan. She was also the university’s Title IX coordinator.
Outside her responsibilities at Wisconsin, Gawlik chairs the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and previously held the same role with NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer and NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball committees.
Gawlik has an extensive background in athletics, both as a coach and an athlete. She graduated Southwestern University in 1981 with a degree in physical education and English. In her time there she was also a volleyball and basketball athlete. She graduated from Texas State University with a master’s in physical education and educational administration while also coaching volleyball and women’s basketball at Mary-Hardin Baylor.
“Terry Gawlik is a talented leader who brings vision, enthusiasm, experience and integrity to this position,” UI President Scott Green said in a news release. “We are thrilled to add someone with a decades-long track record of commitment to student-athlete success – in competition, in the classroom and in the community. She is the right leader for our Vandal Athletics program as we build a culture of excellence now and for many years to come. Terry has extensive experience in NCAA men’s and women’s athletics which has allowed her to develop a broad network of coaches and administrators that sets her apart.”
The hiring comes nearly a year after UI fired former Athletic Director Rob Spear for mishandling allegations of sexual assault against a football player in 2013.
Gawlik will begin Sept. 1 on a base annual salary of $200,000 and runs through 2024.
Meredith Spelbring can be reached at [email protected]