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Missouri has made it official. Desiree Reed-Francois will succeed Jim Sterk as Mizzou’s new athletic director.
University of Missouri President Mun Choi made the announcement Sunday.
“This is a transformational day for Mizzou Athletics,” Choi said in the university’s announcement. “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 arrives in Columbia from UNLV. She is the first female athletic director in MU history.
“It is truly an honor to join Missouri’s flagship institution, and I am extremely grateful to search committee Chair Layman and members of the search advisory committee for this incredible opportunity,” said Reed-Francois. “The University of Missouri is a world-class academic institution with a strong commitment to athletics, and a resolve to further enhance its athletics programs to achieve elite national status is all of our endeavors. We have a proud and storied tradition; we compete in the premier athletic conference in the country; and, perhaps most importantly, we have a collective desire to be great. My family and I are excited to join the Mizzou Family, and I cannot wait to get started. Go Tigers!”
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey welcomed Reed-Francois to the conference.
“Desiree brings a variety of quality experiences to student-athletes as a leader on many campuses and in many conferences,” said Greg Sankey, commissioner of the SEC. “As she continues to build the University of Missouri athletics program, I look forward to working with her in her new role as we continue the progress of the SEC – the strongest conference in the country.”
Reed-Francois has prior SEC experience at Tennessee, where she was the first woman to oversee men’s basketball in the conference.
Join us in welcoming our new AD, Desiree Reed-Francois!! #MIZ🐯https://t.co/gxribv86Qg
— Mizzou Athletics (@MizzouAthletics) August 8, 2021
Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.
