Albion College mourns loss of Cedric Dempsey
April 7, 2025
The Albion College community and college athletics in general are mourning the loss of Cedric Dempsey, who after playing, coaching, and administrating athletics at Albion transformed the University of Arizona into a national powerhouse and then led the NCAA into the mega operation it is today. He died Saturday in San Diego at age 92.
Dempsey ’54 and his wife, June, have been loyal and generous supporters of Albion College for more than three decades.
“I had the honor of meeting Ced and June early on in my tenure. His love and care for Albion and his gratefulness for his experiences on our campus as a student and coach was palpable,” Albion College President Wayne Webster said. “His impact on college athletics is legendary as he led the NCAA into the modern area. We are proud that this work was inspired by his experience as an Albion Brit and give our sincere condolences to his wonderful partner, June, and the rest of the Dempsey family.”
Cedric Dempsey (in white) during competition at Albion College
Raised in Illinois, Dempsey played football, basketball, and baseball at Albion. He served as the college’s men’s basketball and cross country coach from 1959-62. Three years later, in 1965, he became Albion’s associate athletic director.
Cedric Dempsey coaching an Albion athlete.
He later served as athletic director at Pacific in California, before stints at San Diego State, Houston, and Arizona. In 1994, Dempsey became the executive director/president of the NCAA. During his tenure at the NCAA, Dempsey helped that organization strike lucrative television deals with ESPN and CBS that brought in $6.2 billion over an 11-year span.
“Ced was instrumental in shaping the NCAA as it moved into the new century, overseeing a restructuring of the organization, and strengthening the foundation of college sports for years that followed his tenure,” NCAA President Charlie Baker stated.
Dempsey was awarded Albion’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1993. Two years later, he was awarded an honorary degree, doctor of laws, from Albion. A member of multiple Halls of Fame, Dempsey is survived by his wife and two children.