Plinske named new UW-Whitewater Director of Athletics
Released: April 21, 2004
Paul Michael Plinske, the associate director of athletics at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, has been named UW-Whitewater’s new director of athletics effective July 1, Chancellor Jack Miller announced today.
“Paul comes to UW-Whitewater with strong first-hand knowledge of Division III athletics in Wisconsin and he knows what it takes to build and sustain excellence,” said Miller. “I’m confident he will be a dynamic leader of Warhawk athletics and someone who is dedicated to the quality of the student-athlete experience.”
Plinske will succeed Shawn Eichorst, who left UW-Whitewater in January to become associate athletic director at the University of South Carolina. Bob Lanza, assistant director of athletics, is serving as interim director.
Plinske has been associate director at UW-La Crosse since 1999, where he assists the director in daily program operations. UW-La Crosse has enjoyed a great deal of success in that time, having won 12 national titles since 1999. Plinske also was given responsibility over managing the program’s operating and capital budgets, game and event management, as well as directing the graduate sport administration program.
“I’m extremely excited to have the opportunity to contribute to the overall success of the UW-Whitewater athletic program,” said Plinske. “The job is very attractive given the strong institutional support UW-Whitewater and the community has for student-athletes.”
Plinske said he plans to continue at UW-Whitewater the strong integration of the athletic and academic experience, where both work together to build scholarship, sportsmanship and success in students. The physical and mental training behind athletics and team play “will serve as a conduit for personal growth,” he said, adding that “one of the real strengths of Division III athletics is in being very student-athlete centered.”
Plinske said he also would strive for equal opportunity for all athletic teams and, in contrast to the “major-minor” model of sport in many traditional programs, said policy and budget decisions should enable all programs to achieve excellence. “I’m a firm believer in the total athletic program, and I’ve been reared in that approach here at La Crosse,” he said. “I believe in giving all programs a fair opportunity at success.”
The success enjoyed by UW-La Crosse over the past five years wasn’t by accident, Plinske said, but rather the net effect of good student-athletes, a strong coaching staff and good facilities. “We’ve followed the principle that when you learn how to win, you win all the time,” he said, noting that UW-La Crosse went from the top 15 in 1999 to the top 5 this year in the Director’s Cup.
UW-Whitewater has also enjoyed strong athletic success in recent years, with an NCAA team championship, two national runner-up finishes and five individual NCAA champions since 1999.
Plinske will oversee 20 men’s and women’s athletic teams at UW-Whitewater as well as an overall budget of approximately $1.4 million. He will also administer marketing, fund raising and capital budget responsibilities for the division.
A native of Minneapolis, Plinske received his doctorate in athletic administration from the University of Minnesota. He has a master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Illinois and a bachelor’s in physical education from Bethel College in Minnesota. His area of academic focus has been in athletic fund raising, management, leadership and organizational structures in sport.
Prior to joining UW-La Crosse in 1999, Plinske served as facility and event management intern at the University of Minnesota; track and field coach at Saint Paul (Minnesota) Arlington High School; and a graduate assistant in administrative recruiting at the University of Illinois.
- Brian Mattmiller,npa@uww.edu
