The University of Missouri is finalizing a deal to make UNLV's Desiree Reed-Francois the Tigers' next athletic director, a source confirmed to The Athletic. Yahoo Sports first reported the news.

Reed-Francois, who is currently the athletic director for the Rebels, would replace Jim Sterk, who stepped down last month. Sterk had been Missouri's athletic director since 2016 after stops at San Diego State, Washington State and Portland State.

Reed-Francois became the first Hispanic female and woman of color athletics director at the FBS level when she took over at UNLV in 2017. She was previously the deputy athletics director at Virginia Tech.