Arizona will renew acquaintances with former athletic director Greg Byrne, now at Alabama, in Saturday's basketball game against the Crimson Tide in Birmingham, Ala.
Here's how quickly things change in college sports these days: Byrne, Arizona's athletic director from 2009-17, hired just three coaches who remain on the UA's staff: men's tennis' Clancy Shields; men's golf coach Jim Anderson; and beach volleyball coach Steve Walker. That's it. All the other Byrne head coaching hiresΒ β women's golf's Laura Ianello (Texas), football's Rich Rodriguez (West Virginia), women's basketball's Adia Barnes (SMU), among othersΒ β have departed.
Arizona athletic director DesireΓ© Reed-Francois is all smiles as she begins a press conference on the renaming of the University of Arizona football's venue to Casino Del Sol Stadium on Nov. 17, 2025.Β
Moreover, none of those from Byrne's high command, associate ADs such as Rocky LaRose and Mike Ketcham, remain in the UA athletic department. Eight of the nine people in AD DesireΓ© Reed-Francois' executive leadership staff were hired by Reed-Francois in the last 20 months, including Rachel Blunt, Kate Brennan, Tony Daniel, Morgan Domenick, Brian Rooney, Bud Sasser, Mike Smith and Will Wheeler. The ninth member of the leadership group, Kristen Arquilla, was hired by ex-AD Dave Heeke in the summer of 2023.
