Throughout the 2014-15 school year the Ohio Valley Conference will celebrate the stories of pioneers and leaders from each of our member institutions who paved and continue to pave the way for future generations of student-athletes and administrators. Check back here often as well as check out www.OVCSports.com/Diversity to learn more.
Julio Freire was born in Tijuana, Mexico and raised in Tucson, Arizona.
He would later attend Arizona State University where he was a member of the Sun Devils cross country and track and field teams, competing as a steeplechaser. Freire became a first-generation college graduate when he completed his degree in education at ASU and later went on to earn a master’s degree in counseling from the University of Phoenix.
Freire spent 10 years as a high school teacher, counselor, coach, athletics director and principal in Arizona before moving into intercollegiate athletics.
Freire began is collegiate administration career at Ohio University and had stops at Tennessee Tech and UNLV before
taking over as Director of Athletics at the University of Tennessee at Martin in January 2014.
Freire (
@Julio_SkyhawkAD) recently set down with us to talk about the subject of diversity in intercollegiate athletic.