So, when she arrived in Newark in 2016, that’s precisely where Rawak began. Her first order of business was charging the organization, more than 160 people deep, with identifying and articulating the values that would guide Delaware Athletics forward. Together, coaches and administrators developed four foundational principles: Integrity, Inclusivity, Excellence and ProUD (intentional emphasis on the last two letters).

“We value and respect tradition,” says Rawak. “We don’t lose sight of history, but we never stop driving toward the future.”

Relationships win

Such drive begins with people. Or as Sarah Jenkins, head coach for Women’s Basketball puts it, “We expect to win, and the biggest component of that is the ability to build relationships.”

That could mean writing thank you notes to the members of the custodial staff, as Jenkins does. It could be one of her players saying, “I’ve never heard anyone say ‘I love you’ as much as I’ve heard it here.” It could be returning to UD, where Jenkins previously served as assistant coach, and seeing every other head coach in the crowd of her official press conference.

“We’re a family here, and it’s a real one,” she says. “We want to see each other succeed.”

Success comes in many forms.

For lacrosse alumnus Chris Guttilla, BE84, it’s about expanding the Blue Hen network and investing in students. That’s what led Guttilla, a self-ascribed “wise-ass Long Island kid who didn’t even know Delaware was a state” to a 40-year Wall Street career in wealth management.

Guttilla had initially come to UD in 1979 to play lacrosse and study accounting, but an undiagnosed struggle with dyslexia made him quickly regret his major. It was only after speaking to the father of his teammate, Steve Shaw, BE86, that Guttilla forged a new path.

“Mr. Shaw put his arm around me and told me I was a mentor to his son, Steve. Then he asked if I liked my major, and I said, ‘No, I struggle to stay focused.’

He said, ‘Chris, I think you are a natural-born salesman. Come to my house, spend some time with me, and I'll help you prep for an interview.’”

That conversation would become the genesis for Blue Hen Watch, a networking program launched in 2018 by Guttilla and Shaw to connect lacrosse alumni with current players. To date, the Watch has mentored more than 100 student-athletes and helped dozens more land their first jobs.

Elijah Conte, AS16, is one such beneficiary. During the program's annual dinner reception in New York City, Guttilla asked the young history major, “What do you want in a job?”

“To prove myself,” Conte replied.

Guttilla helped arrange a few interviews, which Conte aced. By June, the Blue Hen had five offers.

“Chris said, ‘You don’t owe me anything, but if someone needs help, do the same for them,’” Conte recalls.

In true Blue Hen form, Conte has paid it forward, mentoring students and most recently hiring Evan Gavalakis, BE21, as a fellow financial advisor in his firm, Stifel. 

“Each player I’ve interacted with has been intelligent. They follow up. They ask the right questions and have the right characteristics,” says Conte. “When there was an opportunity to make a new hire, it was a no brainer.”

Investments win

Some athletic programs are interested only in developing the sport-specific talents that come in handy on a court or field. But UD isn’t interested in athletic gifts alone. UD focuses on nurturing and supporting entire individuals—fully actualized people who will go on to change the world in a myriad of ways that don’t involve cleats or turf grass. 

It’s a value shared across teams.

“Some athletic departments build their programs sport by sport,” says Dan Watson, HS95, deputy athletic director for sports performance and campus recreation. “Not here. We’re the anti-silo. Every sport has access to the same resources.”

Two of these resources are leadership programs for students and staff, respectively known as BLUE (Building Leaders Utilizing Education) and GOLD (Growth-Oriented Learning and Development). Both provide workshops and seminars on critical thinking, communication, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and both work to grow talent from within. For UD employees, this translates to measurable professional development, with 33 promotions—nearly 20% of all full-time staff—in the past year alone. 

For students, the goal is deeper—and lifelong. Led by Jenn Judy, AS02, a former field hockey player and senior associate athletic director for student-athlete success, BLUE helps students become “the best holistic versions of themselves.”

Beyond the training programs are physical resources, the most prominent of which is the Whitney Athletics Center. Launched with a transformational $10 million gift from Ken, BE80, and Liz Whitney, the 90,000-square-foot facility is a hub for academics, career readiness, leadership development, strength and conditioning, athletic training, sports medicine, nutrition and wellness. In other words, it’s a space that exemplifies the core values of Delaware Athletics. 

“Before I came to UD, my whole life was focused on competitive sports,” says Whitney, who played golf at UD. “The life lessons of teamwork, leadership, humility with success, resilience with adversity, and, really, the connection between hard work and results played a huge role in who I am today.”

His namesake building will now help propel the leaders of tomorrow.

“It was designed from the very beginning to be a place where people immediately feel inspired to work and aspire to be the best for themselves and their teammates,” says Rawak.

Tara Cousins, AS24, feels the energy every time she steps in. A point guard for Women’s Basketball, president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and a biology major with a minor in Africana Studies, Cousins credits the space with embodying the broader cultural values of Delaware Athletics.

“I walk in and see players from field hockey, track, soccer,” she says. “It’s a family here. I’ve met so many different people with different personalities and backgrounds. I wouldn’t be who I am if it wasn’t for all the love I’ve received from everyone in Delaware.”

Love wins

Love, in many ways, brought Ben DeLuca to UD.

His wife, Laurie, HS02, spent “the four best years of her life here,” and Rawak’s vision and passion for the program made the Men’s Lacrosse head coaching offer an easy one for DeLuca to accept.

“Chrissi wants to win in all sports and compete with the best of the best,” he says. “That’s what Men’s Lacrosse has always done. We play at the highest level.”

But player evolution is slow. Growth takes time. Work requires daily investments.

“We’re getting our guys to understand that it’s their habits that will lead to success down the line,” says DeLuca.

That could mean getting drafted to the Professional Lacrosse League, as Tye Kurtz, HS23, and Owen Grant, HS23, were earlier this year. Or it could be the opportunity to play a NCAA tournament game against the number-one seed in the country, as the team did this spring.

In the locker room before the match, the conversation centers around belief, says DeLuca, a reminder that “we can compete against anybody and win.”

After the abrupt and painful end, words are harder to come by, but the message remains the same.

“We tell our guys how much we love them and how proud we are,” says the coach. “We remind our guys that it’s more than just the result of a game we’re after; that the process to be successful—on the practice field, in the weight room, in life—is what matters most; that we’re trying to produce winners more than wins.”

Which we are. That's what it means to be Blue Hen built.