Mike Ketcham joined the University of Arizona Athletics Department in August of 2010 and now serves as Senior Associate Athletics Director for Men’s Basketball and Football Administration as the sport supervisor for the two programs. In addition to his duties as sport supervisor for Men’s Basketball and Football, Ketcham also manages fundraising and major gifts for the Wildcat Club.
In his current role, Ketcham oversees the day-to-day operations of the Wildcats’ men’s basketball, football, men’s golf and women’s golf programs, including budgets, scheduling, travel, personnel matters, compliance and fundraising.
Ketcham is a member of Arizona Athletics’ Executive Council, advising Vice President for Athletics Dave Heeke on upper echelon matters concerning the department. He is also actively engaged in identifying, cultivating and securing major gifts for the department’s fundraising arm, the Wildcat Club.
His tenure began as Associate Athletics Director for Major Gifts before being elevated to his current position of Senior Associate Athletics Director in 2014. Ketcham began his role as sports supervisor for Arizona Basketball in 2011 and for Football in 2014.
During his time with Arizona Football, the Wildcats have won the Pac-12 West Division Championship and competed in both the Pac-12 Championship Game and the VIZIO Fiesta Bowl. The program also earned an appearance in the New Mexico Bowl while producing an All-American in linebacker Scooby Wright.
Arizona Basketball has earned two trips of the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, four Sweet 16 appearances, three regular season Pac-12 championships and a pair of Pac-12 Tournament titles during Ketcham’s time with the program. A Players Program has also produced a pair of top ten NBA draft picks in Stanley Johnson and Aaron Gordon while being ranked in every Associated Press poll since the start of the 2012-13 season.
In Ketcham’s tenure with the department, he has played an integral fundraising role in two major capital campaign projects undertaken by Arizona Athletics.
The $72 million Lowell-Stevens Football Facility, opened in August 2013, is a state-of-the-art, comprehensive home for the Arizona football program that houses the team locker room, athletic training and strength and conditioning facilities, coaches offices, meeting rooms, auditoriums and Bear Down Kitchen.
Completed in the fall of 2014, the $30 million Phase I of the McKale Center Renovation Project upgraded Arizona’s iconic basketball arena with new locker rooms, a new playing surface and new interior amenities, as well as new arena seating, new restrooms and new concessions areas.
Ketcham’s background also includes extensive fundraising experience as both a championship-winning collegiate golf coach and a high school athletic director.
Prior to his arrival in Tucson, Ketcham spent four years as Athletics Director at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Ketcham oversaw a 19-sport athletic program at Dowling Catholic, as the Maroons won numerous state championships during his tenure. In 2009-10, his final year at the helm, the school finished second in the highest class in Iowa’s overall state ranking of high school athletic programs.
A 1988 graduate of the University of Arkansas, Ketcham was the head men’s golf coach at his alma mater from 2001-06. During that time, he led the Razorbacks to three NCAA Regional berths and two appearances in the NCAA Championships, as well as mentoring one of the 19 All-Americans in program history.
Ketcham was named NCAA South Region Coach of the Year in 2003 after taking Arkansas back to the NCAA Championships following a four-year absence. During his tenure at Arkansas, Ketcham also served Vice President of the Golf Coaches Association of America, Chairman of the All-American Golf Committee and head coach of Team USA at the 2004 Junior World Cup.
Under his direction, the United States won the 2004 Junior World Cup while establishing a new tournament record for score in relation to par (-32).
From 1996-01, Ketcham served as head men’s golf coach at Oregon State, where he worked closely with Byrne during the latter’s tenure as Associate Athletics Director for Development.
Ketcham led the Beavers to four NCAA Regional appearances and a spot in the 2001 NCAA Championships during his time in Corvallis. OSU finished second at the 2000 Pac-10 Championship under his guidance, a showing that still stands as the best in program history. The 12th-place finish under Ketcham’s direction at the 2001 NCAA Championships is also still the second-best in program history, and the best since 1959.
Ketcham got his start on the Division I coaching level at San Jose State from 1994-96, where he led the Spartans to a 10th-place finish at the NCAA Championships in his final campaign. He was also named Big West Conference Coach of the Year and guided longtime PGA Tour member Arron Oberholser to first-team All-America honors in 1996.
Ketcham broke into the coaching ranks in style at Scottsdale Community College from 1992-94, winning back-to-back JUCO national championships in 1993 and 1994, while also earning National Junior College Coach of the Year honors in both of those seasons. During his tenure at SCC, Ketcham also served as head coach for Team USA at the 1993 World University Games.
Ketcham was a two-year letterwinner at Arkansas in 1986 and 1987. He helped the Razorbacks reach the NCAA Championships in both of his seasons on the team.
The Ottumwa, Iowa, native and his wife, Kathy, have two children, Kelsey and Michael. Kelsey is UA grad, and Michael is also attending Arizona.
