Former Arizona athletic director Cedric Dempsey died at 92 on Saturday. Dempsey was the Arizona Athletic Director from 1983 through 1993 and left to become the NCAA Executive Director, where he would remain through 2002. In his 10 years as Arizona's AD, Dempsey hired some of the most influential coaches in school history.
According to Justin Spears of the Arizona Daily Star, Dempsey hired men's basketball coach Lute Olson, Softball coach Mike Candrea, football coacch Dick Tomey, swimming coach Frank Busch and Volleyball coach Dave Rubio as well as women's basketball coach Wendy Larry who later had success at Old Dominion.
Arizona had some of its greatest success with Dempsey as AD. The hiring of Olson set the foundation for Arizona becoming one of the most iconic basketball programs nationally. Arizona was 4-24 during the 1982-83 season when Dempsey made the decision to replace Ben Lindsay with Olson.
Olson raised the entire profile of the Arizona athletic department and Tucson. In five years Arizona went from an after thought to the Final Four and the National Player of the Year, homegrown Tucsonan Sean Elliott. Olson led Arizona to three more Final Fours, including the 1997 NCAA Championship and the 2001 runner-up.
Cedric Dempsey was a huge reason why Arizona had so much success in athletics. Dempsey hired Lute Olson, Mike Candrea, Dick Tomey, Frank Busch and Dave Rubio — who all became UA legends.
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) April 5, 2025
Sad day for Arizona athletics. https://t.co/r3SQVFYiii
In 25 years as Arizona head coach, Candrea created a dynasty that won eight Women's College World Series Championships from 1991 through 2007. Arizona was 95–64–4 in 14 seasons under Tomey which included a Co-Pac 10 Championship in 1993 and a 12-1 record and final ranking of fourth nationally in 1998.
Busch coached Arizona from 1989 through 2011 and led the Wildcats to two National Championships. Busch was also the coach of the 2004 and 2008 US Olympic Swim Teams. Rubio led Arizona to 20 NCAA Tournament appearances, one Final Four, four Elite Eights and eight Sweet 16s in 31 years as head coach.
Dempsey was a 2003 inductee into the NACMA Hall of Fame. As the NCAA ED, Dempsey helped negotiate a $6 billion, 11-year contract with CBS Sports as well a contracts with ESPN. Dempsey is in multiple Halls of Fame and was the NCAA Tournament chair during his time at Arizona.