General 12/9/2020 2:15:00 PM

Alumni Profile: Rob Novak

Rob Novak is one of the best distance swimmers in program history. During his four-year tenure on Main Street, Novak won four 1000-meter freestyle races, while also earning a total of eight top-3 finishes throughout his career, including three in his senior campaign.

Novak graduated from Canisius with both a bachelor's degree in accounting and accounting information systems in June 2013 before completing his master's in sport administration in September 2013.

A Buffalo native, Novak currently resides in Austin, Texas, where he was recently promoted to Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Athletics Director for the University of Texas. With his current position, he is the youngest-sitting CFO at the Power 5 level in NCAA Division I athletics.

Novak recently took some time to speak with GoGriffs.com about how the swimming and diving team helped shape him into who he is today, some of those who had the biggest impact on him while he was at Canisius, while also offering advice for current Griffs' student-athletes.

GoGriffs.com: When did you attend Canisius and what degree did you receive?
Novak: August 2009 through June 2013. I got my B.S. in Accounting & Accounting Information Systems in May 2013 and finished my M.S. in Sport Administration in June 2013 with a graduation date of September 2013

GoGriffs.com: How did being a member of the swimming and diving team at Canisius help shape you into the person you are today?
Novak: Being a member of the team had an immeasurable impact on my life and paved the way for my personal growth and development. As a combined program, we had one of the larger teams on campus, and everyone associated with the team was focused on building a community, caring for one another, and challenging ourselves to be the best student-athletes we could be. Over the course of my career, we went from finishing in eighth place at MAACs to securing a second-place finish, building an environment and pathway for sustainable success.

GoGriffs.com: When was the last time you have been on campus?
Novak: Spring 2019. I was able to fly home to Buffalo for a few days to visit friends and family, including a trip to the KAC! After my trip to Buffalo, I spent the next few weeks in Orlando with our men's tennis team as their Sport Administrator, where [Texas] won the 2019 NCAA Team Championship.

GoGriffs.com: What persuaded, or attracted, you to attend Canisius?
Novak: The caliber of the accounting program, the close knit campus community, and the new coaching staff. Coach Scott Vanderzell was hired at the beginning of my senior year of high school and made an immediate impact on the program. After my campus visit, spending time with the team and meeting with accounting faculty, I committed on early signing day, knowing Canisius was the best place for me.

Rob Novak Headshot

GoGriffs.com: Who had the biggest influence on you while at Canisius?
Novak: This one is a tie for me. Jude Caserta and Traci Murphy were both essential in my success as a student-athlete at Canisius and now as a professional. Jude tells the story far better than I do, but I walked into her office in Sept. of 2010 and said, "I think I'd like your job one day," and the rest is history. Jude provided a pathway for the practical application of my accounting skills within an industry that I am so passionate for. Jude and Bill Maher gave me every project they could think of over the next three years, continuing to build and develop my skill set to prepare me for a successful career.

Traci guided me through life at Canisius; academic and athletic commitments, professional aspirations and everything else that comes with being a student-athlete. Learning how to balance my intellect and aspirations while driving meaningful success as a person is no easy feat, and it did not matter what roadblock I encountered. Traci was there to coach me up and get me back on track. Since leaving Canisius, I remain in close contact with both of them, and had the opportunity to work the 2017 and 2018 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships with Traci, while she was a member of the Swimming & Diving Committee.

GoGriffs.com: What advice do you have for current, or perspective, student-athletes at Canisius?
Novak: Lean into every opportunity presented to you at Canisius. One of the absolute best components of Canisius is the caliber of individuals associated with the College. There were countless faculty and staff who took a personal interest in my success, challenging me to grow, providing opportunities to give back, and developing practical skills to jump start my career. I remember when I first met Dr. George Kermis in 2009, he told me you can excel at two of four things in College: academics, athletics, work and personal life, which I immediately accepted as a challenge to balance all four effectively, while having the best collegiate experience. Dr. Kermis, of course, has a well-known knack for challenging all of the accounting students to exceed expectations and drive results.

GoGriffs.com: Do you have — or had — any form of contact with anyone within the swimming and diving program currently, or any of your former teammates?
Novak: Without a doubt! I am fortunate enough to remain in contact with some of my teammates and coaches on a daily basis. Group texts certainly help drive the conversations, now that we are spread throughout the country. Plus, any opportunity I have to travel typically allows me to see teammates in their new locales.

GoGriffs.com: Having competed in swimming and diving collegiately, do you still have any involvement with the sport?
Novak: Yes! After graduating from Canisius, I have remained close to the sport through my career. In my role at American University, I was fortunate to be able to work closely with the swimming and diving team and travel to their competitions while assisting the coaching staff. Since joining Texas, I've continued to support both of our swimming and diving programs, while also working their NCAA Championships. I was able to work at both the 2017 and 2018 Men's NCAA Championships where the Texas men won their 13th and 14th team national titles. The following year, I served as the Meet Administrator for both the men's and women's swimming and diving championships held on the UT-Austin campus. Having the opportunity to plan and host the national championships in my own sport has been one of the most rewarding components of my career to date.

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