Desireé Reed-Francois was named the R. Ken Coit Director of Athletics at the University of Arizona in 2024 and has quickly positioned Arizona Athletics as one of the most financially and competitively ascendant programs in the country. An alumna of the University of Arizona College of Law, she has led a comprehensive transformation of the department, aligning competitive excellence, student-athlete development, and long-term financial sustainability.
Under her leadership, Arizona has delivered one of the most successful stretches in school history, highlighted by a Men’s Basketball Final Four appearance, a College World Series berth, back-to-back national championships in triathlon, and multiple Big 12 Conference titles.
Equally significant has been the department’s financial turnaround. After inheriting a $39 million deficit, Arizona is now on pace to fully balance its budget, reflecting a disciplined and strategic approach to revenue generation and operational efficiency.
A cornerstone of that strategy has been the creation of Arizona Sports Enterprises (ASE), which has redefined the department’s business model. Through ASE, Arizona secured a combined $87.7 million in naming rights agreements in a single year—anchored by a $60 million-plus partnership establishing Casino Del Sol Stadium and a $27.7 million agreement transforming McKale Center into McKale Center at ALKEME Arena. The department also executed a long-term extension with Nike through 2033, reinforcing Arizona’s position as a premier national brand and deepening a strategic partnership that supports performance innovation, recruiting, and global visibility. These landmark deals represent the largest publicly known sponsorships of their kind in Big 12 history and underscore Arizona’s emergence as a national leader in innovation and revenue generation.
That momentum extends to the classroom. Arizona student-athletes posted a record 3.412 GPA in Fall 2025—the highest semester GPA in department history—while extending a program-record streak of semesters with a GPA above 3.0. Nearly 78% of student-athletes earned a 3.0 or higher, with more than half above 3.5 and over a quarter achieving a perfect 4.0.
Reed-Francois has also driven record-setting philanthropic momentum, positioning Arizona Athletics for one of the most successful fundraising years in department history, while reinforcing a culture centered on accountability, alignment, and long-term success.
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Nationally, she serves as President of the FBS Athletics Directors Association and as a member of the NCAA Division I Cabinet, helping lead key policy and governance decisions across college athletics.
Prior to Arizona, Reed-Francois served as Director of Athletics at the University of Missouri, where she was named the 2023–24 NACDA Athletics Director of the Year and led a period of significant growth and national visibility. During her tenure, Missouri achieved a top-10 football ranking and a New Year’s Six bowl appearance, increased attendance and fan engagement, and posted record-setting fundraising totals, including the largest gift in program history ($60M). She also guided the department to its first budget surplus in six years while enhancing the student-athlete experience, improving academic outcomes, and making key head coaching hires that produced immediate competitive success.
Before Missouri, she served as Director of Athletics at UNLV, where she led a comprehensive revitalization of the department. Her tenure included more than $70 million in facility upgrades, the opening of a $35 million on-campus football training complex, and a landmark partnership with the Las Vegas Raiders tied to Allegiant Stadium. She hired multiple head coaches who earned conference Coach of the Year honors and elevated the overall competitiveness, visibility, and infrastructure of UNLV Athletics.
She and her husband, Josh, are the parents of Jackson, a men’s basketball letterwinner.
