The AAC, SEC and ASUN conferences will collaborate on officiating, it was announced on Wednesday. Here's the press release:

Commissioner Mike Aresco announced today that the American Athletic Conference, the Southeastern Conference and the ASUN Conference have formed a men’s basketball officiating consortium.

The consortium was established to allow the three conferences to collaborate on all officiating matters related to recruitment, education and training, scheduling and evaluation of officials in the sport of men’s basketball.

Mark Whitehead, recently named coordinator of men’s basketball officials in the SEC, will serve in the same position for The American and the ASUN and will oversee all operations of the consortium.

“I want to thank Greg Sankey for inviting us to join this officiating consortium which includes the SEC and ASUN,” Aresco said. “This partnership will ensure that we have the highest quality basketball officiating as well as the best evaluation and training of our officials group. We look forward to closely working with coordinator of men’s basketball officials Mark Whitehead and our colleagues at the SEC and ASUN.”

“We are pleased to be collaborating with The American and ASUN to continue the enhancement of men’s basketball officiating,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “We are focused on improving the quality of men’s basketball officiating and this consortium, with the leadership provided by Mark Whitehead, provides officials with coordinated assigning between our three conferences, offers opportunity for efficient evaluation and training of officials, and continues the SEC’s efforts to strengthen its commitment to men’s basketball.”

“Partnering with elite conferences in the SEC and The American continues to showcase our commitment to enhancing the level of basketball officiating with our league,” said ASUN Commissioner Ted Gumbart. “We look forward to the men’s basketball officiating consortium providing top-level training as well as systematic assigning and evaluations for our officials. This collaboration will create great benefits for all three conferences.”