Rice University Athletics
Armstead Named Executive Senior Associate AD & Senior Women Administrator
3/16/2026 9:54:00 AM | General
Begins duries on April 1
Houston- Rice Vice President and Director of Athletics Tommy McClelland announced on Monday the addition of Marquita Armstead to the department's leadership team as the Owls' Executive Senior Associate AD & Senior Women Administrator.
Armstead will have administrative oversight of the Academic Advising, Compliance, and Student-Athlete Development offices. She will serve as the liaison to the Office of Admissions and to the Rice University Committee on Athletics (RUAC). As Rice's Senior Women's Administrator (SWA), she will serve as the department's deputy Title IX coordinator and the primary point of contact for the Faculty Athletic Representative. She will also have administrative oversight of several varsity sports.
"Marquita brings a wealth of experience and a proven record of leadership that will greatly strengthen our department, McClelland said. "Throughout the search process, it became clear to everyone involved that she was the ideal person for this important role. Her commitment to student-athlete success, both academically and competitively, aligns perfectly with our mission at Rice, and we are thrilled to welcome her to our leadership team."
"I am truly honored to join the Rice Athletics family and become part of a university with such a strong tradition of academic and athletic excellence," Armstead stated. "Rice's commitment to developing student-athletes both on the field and in the classroom is exceptional, and I am excited to contribute to that mission. I am grateful to Tommy McClelland, the search committee, and the entire senior leadership team for the opportunity and their trust. I look forward to working alongside our coaches, staff, and student-athletes to continue building a culture of excellence, growth, and success."
Armstead brings nearly 20 years of administrative experience to South Main, most recently at the University of Nebraska, where she served as the Executive Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator.
Marquita Armstead served as Nebraska's Executive Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator from February 2022 to June 2024. Armstead came to Nebraska from the University of South Florida, where she served in a similar role.
In her position with the Huskers, Armstead was the sport administrator for men's basketball and volleyball. She was a member of the Big Ten Sport Management Council and oversaw athletic medicine, sports psychology, the athletic performance lab (NAPL), strength and conditioning, performance nutrition, Title IX, and gender equity.
Armstead was a member of the South Florida athletics administration from March 2016 to January 2022. She originally joined USF as Associate Athletic Director for Compliance, before being elevated to Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Senior Woman Administrator in August of 2017.
In her role with the Bulls, Armstead served as the sport administrator for men's and women's basketball and previously oversaw softball, men's soccer, women's tennis, and, as the secondary sport administrator, football. Armstead also oversaw several USF student-athlete support departments, including academic services, student-athlete enhancement, sports medicine, nutrition, sport psychology, student rights and responsibilities, and Title IX.
In addition to her work at USF, Armstead has a strong background in athletic administration at four other schools. Before her time at South Florida, Armstead worked at Georgia Tech from 2012 to 2016, where she served as Director of Compliance for her final three years in Atlanta. Prior to Georgia Tech, Armstead was the Director of Compliance at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga for six years. She also served internships in compliance at Mississippi State and Ohio University.
Armstead earned her bachelor's degree from Mississippi State in 2005 and earned a master's of sports administration from the school in 2006. She received a Master of Business Administration degree from Tennessee Chattanooga in 2013 and is a 2012 NCAA Leadership Institute graduate. Armstead is married to Demetric Armstead, and the couple has a son, Braylon.
Armstead will have administrative oversight of the Academic Advising, Compliance, and Student-Athlete Development offices. She will serve as the liaison to the Office of Admissions and to the Rice University Committee on Athletics (RUAC). As Rice's Senior Women's Administrator (SWA), she will serve as the department's deputy Title IX coordinator and the primary point of contact for the Faculty Athletic Representative. She will also have administrative oversight of several varsity sports.
"Marquita brings a wealth of experience and a proven record of leadership that will greatly strengthen our department, McClelland said. "Throughout the search process, it became clear to everyone involved that she was the ideal person for this important role. Her commitment to student-athlete success, both academically and competitively, aligns perfectly with our mission at Rice, and we are thrilled to welcome her to our leadership team."
"I am truly honored to join the Rice Athletics family and become part of a university with such a strong tradition of academic and athletic excellence," Armstead stated. "Rice's commitment to developing student-athletes both on the field and in the classroom is exceptional, and I am excited to contribute to that mission. I am grateful to Tommy McClelland, the search committee, and the entire senior leadership team for the opportunity and their trust. I look forward to working alongside our coaches, staff, and student-athletes to continue building a culture of excellence, growth, and success."
Armstead brings nearly 20 years of administrative experience to South Main, most recently at the University of Nebraska, where she served as the Executive Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator.
Marquita Armstead served as Nebraska's Executive Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator from February 2022 to June 2024. Armstead came to Nebraska from the University of South Florida, where she served in a similar role.
In her position with the Huskers, Armstead was the sport administrator for men's basketball and volleyball. She was a member of the Big Ten Sport Management Council and oversaw athletic medicine, sports psychology, the athletic performance lab (NAPL), strength and conditioning, performance nutrition, Title IX, and gender equity.
Armstead was a member of the South Florida athletics administration from March 2016 to January 2022. She originally joined USF as Associate Athletic Director for Compliance, before being elevated to Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Senior Woman Administrator in August of 2017.
In her role with the Bulls, Armstead served as the sport administrator for men's and women's basketball and previously oversaw softball, men's soccer, women's tennis, and, as the secondary sport administrator, football. Armstead also oversaw several USF student-athlete support departments, including academic services, student-athlete enhancement, sports medicine, nutrition, sport psychology, student rights and responsibilities, and Title IX.
In addition to her work at USF, Armstead has a strong background in athletic administration at four other schools. Before her time at South Florida, Armstead worked at Georgia Tech from 2012 to 2016, where she served as Director of Compliance for her final three years in Atlanta. Prior to Georgia Tech, Armstead was the Director of Compliance at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga for six years. She also served internships in compliance at Mississippi State and Ohio University.
Armstead earned her bachelor's degree from Mississippi State in 2005 and earned a master's of sports administration from the school in 2006. She received a Master of Business Administration degree from Tennessee Chattanooga in 2013 and is a 2012 NCAA Leadership Institute graduate. Armstead is married to Demetric Armstead, and the couple has a son, Braylon.
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