Georgia Tech’s win over Lamar was not significant in many ways, but was historic in one way. The three-person officiating crew included G League referee Clare Aubry, who in calling the Yellow Jackets’ 75-60 win over the Cardinals at McCamish Pavilion is believed to be the first woman ever to officiate a Tech men’s basketball game.
Aubry shared officiating duties with Roger Ayers and Jeffrey Anderson, two referees who frequently call ACC games. Aubry has been calling games in the G League, which employs several female officials. That has been far less common in men’s college basketball. In the 2018-19 season, there was only one female referee in Division I men’s basketball. The Big 12 had its first female referee for men’s basketball last season. But Aubry and Jenna Reneau will join the ACC’s referee rotation for men’s basketball.
“I thought she did a great job,” Tech coach Josh Pastner said. “She’s a big-time official. She’s officiates in the G League, she’s going to be in the NBA. So we’re lucky that the ACC’s able to have big-time officials, and she’s one of them. She’s a high-level official.”
The Tech football game had a similar first in September. In the Jackets’ win over Kennesaw State on Sept. 11, field judge Karina Tovar called her first game as the ACC’s first on-field official.
