Missouri hires Desiree Reed-Francois from UNLV as AD

Updated Aug. 8, 2021 6:49 p.m. ET

Associated Press

Missouri hired UNLV athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois as its AD on Sunday.

Reed-Francois, who has been AD at UNLV since 2017, will replace Jim Sterk, who stepped down two weeks ago.

She will become the second woman hired as an athletic director in the Southeastern Conference and the first at one of the league’s 13 public schools. Candice Storey Lee was named AD at Vanderbilt, the SEC’s lone private school, last year.

“This is a transformational day for Mizzou Athletics,” Missouri President Choi said in a statement. “Desiree Reed-Francois brings an unsurpassed passion for student-athletes and bold, visionary skills that will propel a championship culture at MU. As a proud member of the SEC, we are energized to go into the next era of Mizzou athletics with Desiree Reed-Francois at the helm.”

Reed-Francois previously worked at Virginia Tech, where she oversaw day-to-day operations of the football program and at Tennessee, where she was the first woman to be the lead administrator of an SEC men's basketball program.

“My family and I are excited to join the Mizzou Family, and I cannot wait to get started,” Reed-Francois said. Go Tigers!”

During her time at UNLV, the school opened a $35 million football complex and negotiated a deal to for the Rebels' football program to play its home games at Allegiant Stadium, new home of the Las Vegas Raiders.

The former rower at UCLA has also worked at Cincinnati, Fresno State, San Jose State and California.

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