Cedric Dempsey

{{Infobox college coach

| name = Cedric Dempsey

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1932|4|14}}

| birth_place = Equality, Illinois, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2025|4|5|1932|4|14}}

| death_place = San Diego, California, U.S.

| alma_mater =

| player_sport1 = Football

| player_years2 = c. 1953

| player_team2 = Albion

| player_sport3 = Basketball

| player_years4 = ?–1954

| player_team4 = Albion

| player_sport5 = Baseball

| player_years6 = ?–1954

| player_team6 = Albion

| player_positions =

| coach_sport1 = Basketball

| coach_years2 = 1959–1962

| coach_team2 = Albion

| coach_years3 = 1963–1965

| coach_team3 = Arizona (assistant)

| coach_sport4 = Cross country

| coach_years5 = 1959–1962

| coach_team5 = Albion

| admin_years1 = 1965–1967

| admin_team1 = Arizona (assistant AD)

| admin_years2 = 1967–1979

| admin_team2 = Pacific (CA)

| admin_years3 = 1979

| admin_team3 = San Diego State

| admin_years4 = 1979–1982

| admin_team4 = Houston

| admin_years5 = 1983–1993

| admin_team5 = Arizona

| admin_years6 = 1994–2002

| admin_team6 = NCAA (president)

| admin_years7 = 2007–2010

| admin_team7 = AAFL (commissioner)

| overall_record = 29–35 (basketball)

| bowl_record =

| tournament_record =

| championships =

| awards =

| coaching_records =

}}

Cedric Warren Dempsey (April 14, 1932 – April 5, 2025) was an American sports administrator who became the third executive director of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) from 1994 to 2003.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/05/sports/colleges-ncaa-selects-arizonan-as-director.html|title=N.C.A.A. Selects Arizonan As Director|last=Thomas|first=Robert McG.|date=November 5, 1993|work=New York Times|accessdate=21 October 2011}} Before leaving the post in 2002, Dempsey restructured the organization, cracked down on gambling in college sports, emphasized financial responsibility, and negotiated major television contracts with ESPN and CBS.{{cite news|title=NCAA can be trusted now, thanks to Dempsey|date=January 16, 2002|work=Arizona Daily Star}}

Dempsey served as the athletic director at the University of the Pacific (1967–1979), San Diego State University (1979), University of Houston (1979–1982) and the University of Arizona (1983–1993). Dempsey's tenure at Arizona was noted for raising the university's national prominence in NCAA sports, particularly in basketball, football, softball and golf.{{cite news|title=NCAA Will Name Dempsey as Director College sports: Arizona athletic director picked to replace Schultz as head of governing body.|last=Robbins|first=Danny|date=November 3, 1993|work=Los Angeles Times|page=C2}} He also served as Commissioner of the All American Football League (2007–2010).{{cite web | url=http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0109125.html | title=Biographical note on Cedric Dempsey | work=infoplease}}

Dempsey died in San Diego, California on April 5, 2025, at the age of 92.{{Cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/cedric-dempsey-former-ncaa-president-led-time-transition-120532524 |title=Cedric Dempsey, the former NCAA president who led in time of transition and growth, dies at 92 |website=ABC News |agency=Associated Press (AP) |access-date=April 14, 2025}}