BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Gulf South Conference has selected Tasha Smith and John St. Clair to serve as the conference’s new Coordinators of Basketball Officials, with Smith working with women’s basketball and St. Clair handling men’s basketball.
“Tasha and John are the ideal candidates to help the GSC advance its basketball officiating programs,” said GSC Commissioner Matt Wilson. “Both have very successful on-court careers and an abundance of knowledge and contacts within the officiating community. However, what really stands out is their passion for the sport and their desire to be good stewards of both the game in general and officials in particular.”
Smith has been officiating at the collegiate level for a decade most recently working with several Division I conferences including the American Athletic Conference (AAC), Atlantic Sun (ASUN), Conference USA (C-USA), Sun Belt and SWAC. She has also officiated games for the NCAA Division I women’s national tournaments in 2022 and 2023 as well as Division II regional tournaments 2018-21. In 2021, Smith was named the Coordinator of Women’s Basketball Officials for the Sunshine State Conference.
"I am truly honored and humbled for this opportunity to serve the Gulf South Conference,” said Smith. “I would like to thank Matt Wilson and the Committee for selecting and entrusting me in this pivotal role. I am looking forward to working closely with GSC Staff, Coaches, and Officials as we make this transition together and continue the growth of officiating."
St. Clair joins the GSC with 26 years of Division I men’s basketball officiating and 30 years overall, serving as an on-court official for Big 12, C-USA, AAC and Sun Belt among others. During that time he has worked several postseason tournaments ranging from the AAC to the GSC and NCAA Division II regional tournaments. St. Clair began his officiating in 1993 in the Memphis high school area and is 2023 Memphis/Shelby Country Hall of Fame inductee as an official.
“I would like to thank Commissioner Wilson and the interview committee for placing their trust in me to lead the men’s basketball officiating staff moving forward,” commented St. Clair. “Developing meaningful relationships with each GSC head coach, their staff and school administrators served my predecessor well and I hope to continue in that manner. My immediate goal will be to modernize our approach to all phases of officiating for the betterment of the officiating community and the schools we serve.”
ABOUT THE GULF SOUTH CONFERENCE
The Gulf South Conference is a charter NCAA Division II member based in Birmingham, Ala., and has 13 member institutions — Alabama Huntsville, Auburn Montgomery, Christian Brothers, Delta State, Lee, Mississippi College, Montevallo, Shorter, Union, Valdosta State, West Alabama, West Florida and West Georgia. As of 2021-22, the GSC proudly sponsors 19 sports and hosts 18 annual championship events