Through the years Arizona has been known as a Major League Baseball factory, Point Guard U, for its Desert Swarm defenses and for producing some of the most notable figures in sports: Annika Sorenstam, Rob Gronkowski, Jennie Finch, Tedy Bruschi and Steve Kerr.
But it might be more fitting to refer to the UA as “Athletic Director U."
I don’t know if anyone tracks how many ADs come from any one school, but last week Arizona added its 10th AD to the list of former and current Wildcats who have operated their own athletic department. The 10th Wildcat to become a Division I AD is Tom Theodorakis, the new AD at Army. Theodorakis was a fundraiser in the Arizona athletic department during a period from 2008-20 before leaving for Harvard. He has been the No. 2 man in Army’s athletic department for two years. Here’s the list of his predecessors from Athletic Director U:
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Former University of Houston athletic director Cedric Dempsey speaking in the McKale Room at McKale Center on Aug. 17, 1982, after being named athletic director of the University of Arizona. It was a post he kept until 1993.
– Cedric Dempsey, former UA assistant basketball coach, 1965-67, became the AD at Pacific, San Diego State, Houston and Arizona (1984-94) before becoming executive director of the NCAA.
– Bill Belknap, former UA assistant football coach and assistant AD, 1968-78, became athletic director at Idaho and Wichita State.
– Bob Bockrath, former UA deputy AD and assistant football coach, 1976-91, became AD at Cal, Texas Tech and Alabama.
Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte attends a basketball game Feb. 7, 2022, in Austin, Texas.
– Chris Del Conte, the No. 2 man in the UA athletic department from 2000-06, became AD at Rice, TCU and now Texas.
Baylor Athletic Director Mack Rhoades looks to the fans during a game against Texas Feb. 25, 2023, in Waco, Texas.
– Mack Rhoades, a UA and Rincon High grad, has been the athletic director at Akron, Houston, Missouri and now Baylor.
Utah athletic director Mark Harlan speaks as part of a panel discussion at the Pac-12's football media day event in July 2023 in Las Vegas.
– Mark Harlan, a UA grad and athletic department assistant from 1996-2004, has been the athletic director at South Florida and now Utah.
Erick Harper, director of Arizona football operations, talks with U.S. Army Garrison Commander Col. Timothy Faulkner on the sidelines during practice at Fort Huachuca.
– Erick Harper, director of football operations at Arizona from 2003-11, is now the AD at UNLV.
– Jeremy Donati, assistant AD at Arizona from 2000-03, has been the AD at TCU and now South Carolina.
“While these are challenging times in college athletics, you know what challenges bring? Opportunities,” said Desireé Reed-Francois Tuesday at a press conference introducing her as the University of Arizona's new athletic director. “I am so filled with excitement for the journey ahead.”
– Desireé Reed-Francois, a graduate of the UA law school, has been the AD at Missouri and UNLV, and is now Arizona’s AD.
Reed-Francois has an even deeper tie to Tucson than being a graduate of the UA Law School. Her great-great-grandparents were married in Tucson in 1893 and made Tucson their home.
Contact sports columnist Greg Hansen at GHansenAZStar@gmail.com. On X(Twitter): @ghansen711
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