PULASKI, TENNESSEE - Officials at Martin Methodist and the TranSouth Conference in the NAIA wanted to generate some interest for men's basketball. They wound up making history. <br>
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Mona Miller, Erica Bradley and Leigh Anne Webb officiated Martin Methodist's 82-44 victory Tuesday night over Atlanta Christian, apparently becoming the first all-female crew ever to work a men's college basketball game. <br>
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Martin Methodist athletic director Jeff Bain said Wednesday, ``We didn't know what we were doing until we did it.'' <br>
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Bain recently checked with the NAIA, then the NCAA. Officials are not tracked, but the only all-female crew used before worked an exhibition game at Louisiana State a few years ago. <br>
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They even e-mailed the women who worked that exhibition, and they knew of no other such crew working a regular season game. <br>
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NAIA president Steve Baker called it a good step for women in athletics. <br>
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Baker said, ``I don't think it's a big deal. I think it's an example of three quality referees who happen to be female.'' <br>
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Bain and Transouth commissioner E.L. Hutton had talked of using an all-female crew a few years ago. Bain reminded Hutton when assignments were made for this season, and they scheduled the women for Martin Methodist's season opener. <br>
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They didn't publicize the crew, and the coaches didn't tell the players until shortly before tipoff. About 300 people attended, and Hutton heard one fan at a concession stand admit he didn't realize women were calling the game. <br>
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Hutton called the crew a breakthrough, and plans to ask them if they will work together again for a rescheduled game in late December. <br>
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Bradley, a fourth-year NAIA official, told The Tennessean men officiate plenty of women's games. <br>
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``So we're kind of leaking over into their realm and proving that we can do as equally as good a job as they do.''
