Ashley Moyer-Gleich checked her email Saturday just before heading to the airport for what she thought would be her last game of the season.
Then the news came that she still had a game to play.
Moyer Gleich will soon become the second woman in NBA history to officiate a playoff game. She was one of 36 referees announced Thursday by the league as referee selections for the first round of the playoffs, which begin this weekend.
“It's surreal,” Moyer Gleich said. “That’s true.”
She joins Violet Palmer as the only women selected by the NBA for a playoff assignment. Palmer appeared in nine playoff games from 2006 to 2012.
Moyer Gleich, a former Division II player at Millersville University in his native Pennsylvania, was promoted to full-time NBA referee in November 2018. She played in more than 200 regular season games in six seasons, appearing in one of three games. The first playoff selections from the league this year are Marat Kogut and JT Orr.
“I played four games last year as a reserve, so naturally my goal was to be a reserve again because that's what's going to keep my career growing,” Moyer said. Gleich said. “And I saw my name on the list of field personnel…I mean, my mom was with me, she came on a little trip for the last two games, and I opened that email. You came with me.’ And share the news, it was really amazing. ”
Full list of first round referees selected by the NBA: Ray Acosta, Brent Barnakey, Curtis Blair, Tony Brothers, Nick Butchart, James Capers, Sean Corbin, Kevin Cutler, Mark Davis, J.B. DeRosa, Mitchell Irvin, Tyler Ford, Brian Forte, Scott Foster, Pat Freier, Jasin Goble, John Goble, David Guthrie, Bill Kennedy, Courtney Kirkland, Carl Lane, Mark Lindsay, Ed Malloy, Gediminas Petraitis, Kevin Scott, Aaron Smith, Ben Taylor, Dedrick Taylor, Josh Tibben, Justin Van Dyne, James Williams, Sean Wright, Zach Zarba, Kogut, Orr. Moyer Gleich.
“Congratulations to the 36 officials who have had the prestigious honor of being selected to referee the NBA Playoffs,” said NBA Director of League Operations Byron Spruell. “We are grateful for the professionalism, dedication and teamwork our officiating staff shows every day throughout the season.”
The league reduces its roster of referees each round, usually culminating in a 12-man list for the NBA Finals. These referees are presented with white warm-up jackets during the finals, a long-standing tradition in the league.
Moyer Gleich isn't there yet, but he's one step closer.
“As much as the playoffs are coveted, the white jacket is even more coveted,” she said. “Obviously, that's an aspiration and a long-term goal. And hopefully, I'll continue on the same trajectory and continue to increase my responsibilities on the floor and maybe go from umpire to crew chief at some point and then hopefully it'll work out.” 'And I think it's going to be monumental for a woman to break through and get that opportunity, whether I'm the first or not.' ”
