College hoops is overhauling its refereeing, as the ACC spearheads a new officiating alliance alongside the Big East, American, Atlantic 10, Ivy League, CAA, Big South, and Metro conferences.
Former DI referee and ACC, Big East, and American Supervisor of Officials Pualani Spurlock-Welsh will oversee the partnership, which aims to recruit and retain staff, coordinate travel, and beef up referee training and evaluation.
Spurlock-Welsh officiated DI basketball for 18 years — including four Final Fours — asserting her experience as NCAA officiating has come under increased scrutiny in recent years.
The alliance is looking to construct a tiered pipeline that allows newer refs to work their way up from mid-majors to powerhouse conferences.
“You have a chance to move up as you get experience and become more familiar,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips told USA TODAY. “It’s a training mechanism for women’s college basketball overall.”
