Michael Lipitz will serve as the University’s associate vice president and director of athletics effective Aug. 19, according to a release from University President Ellen Granberg Friday.
Lipitz was the director of intercollegiate athletics at the University of Illinois Chicago since 2019 and will replace Tanya Vogel, who has held various positions in the Athletic Department since 1992. His hiring marks a monthslong search for a new director following Vogel’s announcement stating her departure from GW on May 21.
“GW’s combination of elite academics and elite A-10 athletics located in the nation’s capital provides an unparalleled platform to deliver an exceptional student-athlete experience and to win championships,” Lipitz said in the announcement.
Lipitz championed the University of Illinois Chicago’s move to the Missouri Valley Conference in 2022. During his tenure with the Flames, athletes upheld the best academic standard in school history, averaging a cumulative 3.4 GPA and half of the University’s 300 student-athletes earned Dean’s List honors during the 2023-24 academic year.
Lipitz also oversaw the $5 million renovation of Flames Field, a premier collegiate soccer venue, and the opening of a new softball facility this spring.
Before joining the Flames, he spent nine years at NC State University. During his time as deputy athletics director, he led initiatives to rebuild the Reynolds Coliseum through a $35 million renovation project, as well as the creation of the NC State Athletic Hall of Fame. Prior to joining the Wolfpack, he held a variety of senior leadership roles at the University of Maryland.
At GW, Lipitz will serve as associate vice president, a new role within the department, as well as director of athletics.
“I am delighted to welcome Michael to the GW community,” Granberg said in the announcement. “His proven leadership in athletics, coupled with his expertise in student development and resource management, makes him an ideal fit for GW.”
Lipitz marks the fifth hire for GW Athletics since June, following the departure of several coaches. Gymnastics named alumna Stephanie Worrell as head coach on Tuesday following the naming of Nick Conklu to the men’s soccer coaching staff on July 18. Gary Malebranche joined the women’s soccer coaching staff July 16, and women’s basketball added an assistant coach and graduate assistant to their lineup.
