NBA referee Violet Palmer returns to college hoops
May 29th, 2009 Posted in NBA basketball newsViolet Palmer is leaving the NBA after 12 years officiating games to become coordinator of womens basketball officials for the West Coast Conference.
Her hiring was announced Thursday.
Palmer became the first woman to officiate a major U.S. professional sport when she made her NBA debut on Oct. 31, 1997. She has spent the last 12 seasons in the NBA, and officiated four playoff games and more than 700 regular season games. She also worked in the CBA and WNBA.
Before working in pro basketball, Palmer spent nine seasons officiating in the womens college ranks. She worked five NCAA womens Final Fours, and officiated in the West Coast Conference, Pac-10, WAC, Big Sky and Big West.
