Lee De Leon
Executive Director | RCAF
In his own words…
Lee De León began in his role as Executive Director of RCAF, Deputy Director of Athletics, for Louisiana Athletics and The Ragin' Cajuns Athletic Foundation in July 2019.
De León (pronounced DAY LEE ON) works in collaboration with University Advancement, the RCAF Board of Directors and the Department of Athletics in providing leadership and guidance to the RCAF's investment cultivation, major gift planning, premium seating and capital campaign coordination, as well as various outreach efforts to the Ragin' Cajuns fan base. De León also serves as a member of the athletic department's executive and senior leadership teams.
Formerly the athletics director at Abilene Christian from 2014-18, De León's career in college athletics features notable stops at Purdue (2018-19), New Mexico (2011-2014) and Arizona (2008-11). At the time of his appointment at ACU, De León was the youngest Division I athletics director in the country.
Under De León's watch, Abilene Christian's annual revenue grew by 81 percent, which allowed for a nearly 40 percent increase in the organization's operating budget. Along with multi-year contracts with Nike, IMG and Vivature, as well as the creation of the Wildcat Club, the official fundraising organization of ACU Athletics, made the tremendous growth possible. In its initial year, the Wildcat Club raised more than $6.25 million through annual fund, capital gifts, endowments and sport-specific donations.
Previously, De León served as executive senior associate athletics director/assistant vice president for development at Purdue, where he managed day-to-day operations of the John Purdue Club, which is responsible for the fundraising efforts for the Boilermakers' 500 student-athletes.
From 2011 to 2014, De León was the associate director of athletics for development at New Mexico. He also served as the executive director of the Lobo Club, UNM's official fundraising organization for athletics that raises funds for all Lobo teams, programs and student-athletes. Prior to New Mexico, De León worked three years (2008-11) at Arizona, first as the director of annual giving before earning a promotion to assistant athletics director for major gifts and annual giving.
Before his time at New Mexico and Arizona, De León spent three years (2005-08) at Houston as assistant director of marketing and director of marketing. De León began his career in college athletics at LSU in 2005 as a marketing assistant.
A native of Houston, De León earned a Bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of Notre Dame in 2004 and a Master's degree in sport management from Texas A&M University in 2005. He and his wife, Lacey, have two sons, Landon and Luke.