The Big Sky, Big West, Western Athletic, and West Coast Conferences will join the Big 12 and Missouri Valley men’s basketball officiating consortium, forming the Collegiate Officiating Consortium- MBB (COC-MBB).
Additionally, the COC-MBB will continue to partner with other power conferences for collaborative officiating efforts in shared regions.
These additions will create a deep officiating pool of the top basketball officials in the country. Additionally, the COC-MBB will create a robust and diverse pipeline for the development of officials through extensive training and education. The COC-MBB will also introduce travel efficiencies for officials, affording them the opportunity to work multiple games in the same region.
Nine-time Final Four veteran John Higgins, who spent 35 years as an on-court official, will serve as the Coordinator of Officials for the COC-MBB. Higgins brings decades of leadership experience, and has officiated 29 NCAA Tournaments, nearly 60 conference tournaments and 40 league title games at the Division I level. Most recently, Higgins was the Coordinator of Officials for the Western Basketball Officiating Consortium.
“I’m thrilled with the addition of these four conferences as well as the added resources the COC-MBB will provide our officials,” said Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark. “This consortium will greatly benefit Big 12 Basketball and our institutions.”
"The Western Basketball Officiating Consortium (WBOC) had the great privilege of having John Higgins serve as our coordinator of officials during the 2023-24 basketball season,” said Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly. “I am excited for The Big West, Big Sky, WAC and WCC to join the College Officiating Consortium and for John to continue to lead our men’s basketball officiating initiatives under the COC-MBB.”
“I’m very pleased with the new additions to the COC-MBB, as well as John Higgins being named the Coordinator of Officials,” said men’s basketball official Roger Ayers, who recently worked the 2024 men’s national championship game. “Under John’s leadership, this consortium will be home to some of the best officials in the game and will be afforded incredible training and developmental resources."
