KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The University of Missouri's new athletics director said student-athletes will be at the forefront of the department's priorities under her leadership.
Mizzou introduced Desiree Reed-Francois, who becomes the first full-time female AD in the school's history, at a Wednesday press conference.
Reed-Francois was hired to replace former Tigers AD Jim Sterk after a short search — 13 days, to be exact — and comes from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, where she served as the Rebels' athletic director.
She previously worked on Whit Babcock's athletic department staffs at the University of Cincinnati as the senior associate AD and at Virginia Tech, where Reed-Francois oversaw the Hokies football program. Babcock served as an associate AD at Mizzou from 2007-11.
Reed-Francois also worked as an associate AD in charge of men's basketball at the University of Tennessee from 2008-12, overseeing current Mizzou men's basketball coach Cuonzo Martin's hiring for the Volunteers.
She said she was inspired to enter the collegiate athletics world by her brother, Roman, who broke his neck playing football and is paralyzed in both arms and legs as a result.
Roman is the reason she remains focused on athletes' well-being and opportunities, she said.
"I'm focused on the student athlete," Reed-Francois said. "These are some passionate and talented and committed student athletes. I'm inspired. They will always be at the forefront of what we do."
She said she wants to make Missouri a place that "attracts the best and brightest" and allows student-athletes to better themselves while winning championships.
“We will have an athletic department that you can be proud of day in and day out," Reed-Francois said.
She said she'll keep what's working and level up in other areas.
Reed-Francois said she knows "our actions will speak louder than my words" as she moves to the "Show-Me State."
When she was hired at UNLV in 2017, Reed-Francois became the first Hispanic women tapped as an AD at the Football Bowl Subdivision level.
While she recognizes the significance and context of her appointment, she hopes one day people won't think twice about it.
“I’m looking forward to the day when no one has to ask me that question," she said.
When Vanderbilt hired Candice Storey Lee in May 2020, she became the first woman and first Black woman to lead an SEC athletic department. Reed-Francois is the second woman and first Hispanic woman.
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