Kathleen LaRose Position: Senior Associate Director of Athletics

Phone: (520) 621-2473
Email: klarose@arizona.edu

Kathleen "Rocky" LaRose served as interim director of athletics for the University from mid-December 2009 to early May 2010, during the search, hiring and arrival of new AD Greg Byrne.

LaRose is completing her 31st year at the University of Arizona, her 16th year as Senior Associate Director of Athletics and her 21st year as the Senior Woman Administrator. Her interim appointment as director of athletics made her the 10th athletics director in University of Arizona history, and the first woman so named.

As Senior Associate AD LaRose oversees the internal operations of all 19 sports at the UA, being the first woman in her capacity to have day-to-day operational responsibilities over Division I-A football and men's basketball programs. Additionally, over the years she has directly supervised nearly every unit in the department including C.A.T.S. student-athlete services, compliance, Hall of Champions, public relations and special events, business office and the Wildcat Club. She also has chaired the department's Equity committee and directed the NCAA certification process.

LaRose joined the Arizona staff in 1979 as the UA softball coach and worked from 1980 until 1989 in various capacities including coordinator of athletic special events and special projects. In 1987 she was promoted to assistant athletics director for fund development. LaRose is a current member of the Pac-10 Council which governs and regulates all Pac-10 policies, and has served twice as its vice president. On the national level, she was a member of the NCAA Management Council as the Pac-10 representative for four years and was appointed Management Council liaison to the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Board. She also has chaired several Pac-10 committees.

In 1990, LaRose developed the Commitment for Athletes' Total Success (C.A.T.S.), an educational approach used by student-athlete services to better the student-athlete academically, athletically and personally.

Raised in Phoenix, Ariz., LaRose received both her Bachelor of Science and Master's degrees from The University of Arizona. While earning her education, she competed on the UA softball team as a starting infielder and clean-up hitter, leading the Cats to their first conference championship title in 1979.

She competed in the 1979 World Cup Softball championship as a member of the USA National Championship team. She also was a member of the Arete Society (UA's Athletics Honorary) and was the 1978 UA Homecoming Queen.

She is married to Michael Proctor, the University's Vice Provost for Outreach and Global Initiatives and Dean of the Outreach College.