Arizona has confirmed the appointment of Desireé Reed-Francois, bringing her in as the new athletic director following a run at Missouri.

Early Monday, it was reported that the Wildcats were expected to hire Reed-Francois away from the SEC to lead the program into the Big 12. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported it was a move that was surprising for many, but the deal is done.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Desireé to the University of Arizona family, and we could not be more excited about the leadership experience and outstanding credentials she brings,” said President Robert C. Robbins. “Respected nationally for her commitment to student-athletes, Desireé has a history of success everywhere she’s served and is exactly the right person we need to modernize our athletics operations and usher in an ongoing culture of success in all aspects of Athletics. This is a tremendous win for our university and I cannot wait for her to get started.”

Reed-Francois will begin her tenure with the Wildcats on March 3. There is a press conference to introduce Reed-Francois set for 9 a.m. MST Tuesday morning.

Arizona is giving Reed-Francois a five-year deal with a base salary of $1 million that will be elevated to $1.2 million in the final year of the contract. There are opportunities for incentives included “based on the department’s athletic and academic success” along with retention bonuses after the fourth and fifth years of employment.

“There are very few institutions that would entice me to leave an SEC athletics department with strong momentum,” said Reed-Francois. “The University of Arizona has tremendous potential and is an institution — and an athletics program — on the rise, and I want to be a part of shaping that future. We will provide a world-class student-athlete experience, which includes competing for championships and being among the nation’s elite. I am grateful to President Robbins and the Arizona Board of Regents for this incredible opportunity.”

Arizona is facing a number of challenges ahead of the move to the Big 12, but Reed-Francois steps in as a proven leader to help push the Wildcats forward.