George Washington University President Ellen M. Granberg announced Friday that Michael Lipitz has been named the university’s associate vice president and director of athletics, effective Aug. 19.
Lipitz, a seasoned athletics administrator who has demonstrated a commitment to driving results in competition, the classroom and the community, has been director of intercollegiate athletics at the University of Illinois Chicago since 2019. He previously spent two decades in leadership roles in the Atlantic Coast Conference at North Carolina State University and the University of Maryland.
"I am delighted to welcome Michael to the GW community," Granberg said. “His proven leadership in athletics, coupled with his expertise in student development and resource management, makes him an ideal fit for GW. I'm confident that under Michael's guidance, our GW Revolutionaries will continue to excel not only in competition and the classroom but also as future leaders."
Lipitz is looking forward to returning to the area and to assuming his new role at GW.
“I thank President Granberg, the Board of Trustees and the entire George Washington University community for entrusting me with the leadership of athletics and the GW Revolutionaries,” Lipitz said. “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.”
In five years at UIC, Lipitz led the Flames to the best academic results in school history, elevated its competitive profile by securing membership in the Missouri Valley Conference, generated record levels of financial support for its student-athletes and teams and made a meaningful impact in service to its campus and Chicagoland communities.
UIC student-athletes posted a school-record 93% graduation rate and cumulative 3.4 GPA in 2023-24. Half of the university’s 300 student-athletes earned dean's list honors this year.
After capturing UIC’s first-ever Horizon League Women’s All-Sport Trophy in 2021, Lipitz guided the Flames into the Missouri Valley Conference beginning in 2022-23. Its teams have made an immediate competitive impact, including the women's basketball program that earned consecutive postseason appearances for the first time in school history in 2023 and 2024.
Revenue generation is another hallmark of Lipitz’s career, as UIC secured the largest-ever gift to women’s athletics for its softball program, set records during GivingTuesday for donor participation and dollars raised and received the third-largest scholarship endowment in program history. The athletics department also relaunched its annual giving program to incentivize annual giving and better reward current and future donors, and created a kids club for the school’s youngest fans, showing an eye for building the base from grassroots.
On the facilities front, UIC opened Chicago’s premier collegiate soccer venue in fall 2022 with a $5 million renovation of Flames Field. The Flames Athletic Center basketball practice facility and men’s and women’s basketball locker rooms have all been renovated, while branding enhancements were made throughout athletics facilities following the department’s comprehensive refresh of its athletics brand. A new softball clubhouse debuted this past spring, while the university is also pursuing a comprehensive student-athlete performance center, mirroring GW’s facilities efforts.
Prior to his time in Chicago, Lipitz enjoyed nine years at NC State as deputy athletics director, where he helped to lead the daily operations of an athletics department with 550 student-athletes, 23 sports and 250 employees. His law degree from Villanova University prepared him to oversee personnel and legal matters for athletics, as well as capital projects and facilities and operations, while supervising NC State’s football team, women’s basketball program and multiple Olympic sports, among other strategic projects. Highlights included directing the $35 million renovation of historic Reynolds Coliseum and the construction of a $14 million indoor practice facility for football.
After captaining Maryland's tennis team as an undergraduate, Lipitz graduated with a degree in political science. As a member of Maryland’s professional staff, he spent 11 years in progressive leadership roles with responsibilities that included the oversight of Maryland’s marketing, licensing, ticket sales and video units, while managing relationships with the department's multimedia rights holder, football fundraising organization and letterwinner program. He also negotiated and managed athletics contracts including apparel, concessions, merchandising and personnel agreements.
Lipitz serves in leadership roles at the conference and national levels. He is currently chair of the Missouri Valley Conference Council of Athletic Directors and serves on the league’s Finance Committee and Sports Medicine Committee. He is in his second year on the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Competition Committee. During the 2021-22 academic year, he was one of 10 athletic directors nationally on the NCAA Division I Competition Oversight Committee.
He and his wife, Kerry, met and were married in D.C. and are the proud parents of two sons, Henry (12) and Charlie (9), and a dog, River.
Lipitz succeeds current Athletics Director Tanya Vogel, who announced in May that she would depart the university after decades of service to join the Pictor Group as a consultant.
“GW is poised for greatness,” Lipitz said. “There is a tremendous foundation in place thanks to the leadership of Tanya Vogel and her team. I'm excited to work with the talented and dedicated coaches, staff and student-athletes to elevate the Revolutionaries to even greater heights. My family and I are thrilled to return home to the DMV and be part of the GW community. Raise High!"
What they are saying
"George Washington has hired an exemplary leader for its athletic department. Having had the pleasure to work with Michael over the last few years, it’s easy to recognize that his collaborative skills and foresight regarding this extremely dynamic time are rivaled by few. He will have a tremendous impact on all the varied constituencies he will encounter in D.C. representing the Revolutionaries!"
Jeff Jackson
Commissioner, Missouri Valley Conference
“Congratulations to the leadership of George Washington on their choice for Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics. Michael is an experienced and accomplished administrator. We worked together for 18 years at two Division I universities and his contributions were numerous and significant, especially during his service as Deputy Athletics Director. He will bring an intense focus on achieving excellence in all GW Athletics pursues. He will work collaboratively with staff, athletes and the wider campus community to excel competitively and academically. This begins what will be an exciting chapter in GW Athletics.”
Debbie Yow
Former Director of Athletics, University of Maryland and NC State University
"GW has made a great hire. Michael Lipitz is one of the best administrators I've seen. I worked directly with him and there was never a doubt he was going to try to find a way to help us be successful. His leadership and work ethic will be tremendous for George Washington University. I'm thrilled for Michael and his family, as well as GW."
Brenda Frese
Women’s Basketball Head Coach, University of Maryland
"Michael is an outstanding leader and was incredibly supportive of me and our program at NC State. GW is getting a first-class person in addition to a talented administrator. He will do a tremendous job for GW."
Kevin Keatts
Men’s Basketball Head Coach, NC State University