NEW YORK – Following a national search, the BIG EAST Conference announced the hiring of Pualani Spurlock-Welsh as its Supervisor of Women's Basketball Officials on Thursday afternoon.

"Pualani brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her new role as Women's Basketball Supervisor of Officials," said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. "She has been one of the top officials at the NCAA Division I level, earning four Women's Final Four assignments in her career, including this year's title game, and is highly respected and well-connected within the basketball community.  She will be a tremendous asset to our conference."

In her role, Spurlock-Welsh will oversee the women's basketball officiating program for the BIG EAST, ACC, and American Conference. Additionally, Spurlock-Welsh will lead a newly formalized women's basketball officiating alliance that will be announced later this summer. 

"I am honored and deeply grateful to Commissioner Val Ackerman and her staff for the opportunity to lead our officiating team," Spurlock-Welsh said. "This role is both a privilege and a responsibility, allowing me to continue contributing in a meaningful way to the women's basketball community. Having worked in the Big East since 2011, I understand and appreciate the high standards of excellence that define this conference. I look forward to working with a dedicated group of administrators, coaches, and officials who are deeply committed to the success of our student-athletes and the continued growth of women's basketball."

With over 18 years of experience as a Division I college basketball official, Spurlock-Welsh brings a wealth of knowledge from the hardwood to the supervisor role. She has been a full-time official since 2011, working more than 75 Division I women's basketball games per year, across multiple conferences. 

Spurlock-Welsh has worked the NCAA Tournament since 2011, including seven Regionals and four Final Fours. She has also spent time in the WNBA, NBA G League and internationally. A 1,333-point scorer at Greenville High School in Pennsylvania, Spurlock- Welsh was inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021. She was a member of the Duquesne women's basketball team, where she earned her bachelor's degree before earning her master's degree from Slippery Rock, where she served as a graduate assistant for the women's basketball program.
 
What they're saying about Pualani Spurlock-Welsh: 
ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D.
"We look forward to welcoming Pualani - who consistently earned recognition as one of the top women's basketball officials in the country - to the ACC as our next Supervisor of Women's Basketball Officials. Pualani's experience and expertise in officiating will be a tremendous asset to the league, our schools, our officials and nationally. She is an incredibly accomplished and dedicated official who is well respected, and we look forward to having her leadership in this important position."

American Commissioner Tim Pernetti
"Over the past 18 years, Pualani has distinguished herself as one of the top officials in NCAA women's basketball. We are pleased that she will continue to elevate the game in a new and challenging way as our supervisor of officials. American Conference basketball coaches, officials and student-athletes will be the beneficiary of the relationships she has built and the respect she has earned throughout an outstanding, on-court career."