New process for selecting officials to work the Women's NCAA tournament

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Basketball Committee Actions
July 18th, 2006

Received from Michelle Perry on 7-17-06, concerning basketball officiating:

Please see the recent actions that were taken by the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee relative to women’s basketball officiating.

REQUIRED TESTING. Effective with the 2007 championship, to be eligible for nomination an official must complete FOUR requirements, including attending a regional officiating clinic, submission of the background check release form by the required deadline, submission of the sports wagering questionnaire AND SUCCESSFULLY PASSING THE PRESEASON ONLINE TEST.

This test will be 35 randomized questions. Each official will have TWO opportunities to take the test. They must pass the test with an 80% or above. Should an official not achieve that score on the first or second attempt, they will not be eligible for nomination to that year’s championship.

Officials will be notified of this requirement at the regional officiating clinics and will have an opportunity to take a practice test online to prepare for the required preseason test. The deadline for taking the actual test will correspond with the current background check and sports wagering questionnaire deadline.

NUMBER OF GAMES REQUIRED FOR NOMINATION. Effective with the 2007 championship, to be eligible for nomination an official must have officiated a minimum of 25 collegiate women’s games during the current season, including a minimum of 20 Division I women’s basketball games which can include work during the conference tournament. PLEASE NOTE: This is not conference games – but total women’s games.

NOMINATION PROCESS. Effective with the 2007 championship, conferences will nominate and rank those officials who have worked more than 10 games during the season. ADDITIONALLY, they will nominate and rank those officials who have worked less than 10 games during the season.

PRE-ASSIGNMENT OF OFFICIALS. Officials will no longer be pre-assigned to a round of the tournament. The committee will select the 96 officials who will work first-round games as well as the 56 officials who will remain on site to work second-round games. Subsequent rounds will be assigned based on an officials performance.

NOTIFICATION OF OFFICIALS. Officials will no longer be told what game they will be working prior to arriving at the site. The committee members will notify the officials as to what game they have been assigned and with whom they are working at the officials meeting held prior to the competition.

NOMINATION OF OFFICIALS. In addition to the officials nominated by the conference coordinators, the national coordinator and regional advisors may nominate an official should they feel their performance during the year warrants consideration.