Anthony Francis has played an integral role within the McKendree athletics administration since joining the Bearcats' family in April 2017 as the associate director of athletics in charge of compliance. In August 2020, he took the reins as the interim director of athletics at McKendree and had the interim title dropped by McKendree University President Daniel C. Dobbins on March 30, 2021.
Among his many duties as the school’s athletic director, Francis also serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet at McKendree University. Since becoming the full-time athletic director, Francis has begun a transformation of the athletics department as he has brought in numerous new staff members, hired six new head coaches and has helped increase the visibility of McKendree Athletics through the usage of new banners and signs around campus and the athletic facilities.
"Anthony has done a tremendous job leading the athletic department as Interim Director of Athletics in an extremely challenging time for our student-athletes, coaches, and programs," Dobbins said upon naming Francis as the new athletics director. "COVID has impacted every aspect of McKendree athletics, from competing and traveling, to testing, training, practicing, and recruiting. Anthony's steady leadership, positive approach and tireless work ethic results in outstanding experience for our Bearcat student-athletes, coaches and supporters."
During his time as the Associate Director of Athletics, Francis was the sponsor for the Bearcats' Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). The group was involved in several fundraising initiatives tied to NCAA Division II projects over the past several years and was also instrumental in creating an annual year-end program, the Bearcatspys, to honor top individual and team accomplishments throughout the academic year.
In just a short amount of time at McKendree, Francis has become heavily involved in national compliance matters. He serves on the National Association of Athletics Compliance (NAAC) Reasonable Standards Committee and was also a NAAC session speaker at the organization's national convention in 2018 and 2019. Francis was also honored by NAAC in receiving its Rising Star Award in 2019.
Along with his involvement with NAAC, Francis is a member of the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA).
At McKendree, in addition to overseeing the entire compliance department for the Bearcats, Francis also had oversight for the sports of men's and women's soccer, men's and women's tennis, baseball, women's lacrosse, men's and women's golf, and men's and women's powerlifting. He also oversaw the daily functions of the strength and conditioning, sports information and game management offices.
Francis joined the McKendree athletics staff after serving in the compliance office at California Baptist University. Francis arrived at California Baptist in 2013 before taking on the role of assistant director of compliance in January 2014. In that position, Francis helped ensure that the Lancers' programs adhered to all institutional, conference, and NCAA bylaws and regulations. He also monitored the online NCAA Compliance Assistant program, served as a co-advisor to CBU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and assisted with the daily operations of the compliance office.
A member of the National Association of Athletics Compliance (NAAC), Francis also helped prepare squad lists and eligibility reports, monitored weekly practice logs and helped evaluate transcripts of incoming and transfer student-athletes to help determine eligibility at California Baptist. Francis first gained experience in the educational field as a development intern at the University of California at Riverside in the spring and summer of 2013.
Francis arrived in California after spending a decade living in Anchorage, Alaska. The product of a military family, Francis has lived in several different locations around the globe. He was born in Mississippi but has spent time living in Turkey and Maryland as well as Alaska. Francis also lived in the Metro East as his mother was stationed at nearby Scott Air Force Base, where he attended O'Fallon Township High School.
Francis earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Alaska-Anchorage in 2012 and his master's degree in Sport Management from California Baptist in 2014. Francis and his wife, Cerelia, are the proud parents of two sons, Braylon (6) and Tristan (3) and live in Fairview Heights, Ill.
