“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve college basketball in this capacity for the last several years,” Adams said. “I have been involved in officiating for a long time, and I worked for the NCAA, the Horizon League, the Great Lakes Valley Conference, the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference and the Indiana High School Athletic Association. All of those organizations are based in Indianapolis, so it just feels right to end this chapter at the Final Four in my hometown.”
During his tenure, Adams refined the officials’ evaluation form, which is used by several conferences during the regular season to allow for more consistency in grading officials across the country. In addition, he was instrumental in developing online educational videos that aided officials with proper mechanics and interpretations. Adams also created the standards that are used for officials to be eligible to work the championship. Since 2009, 58 officials have made their tournament debut, and 12 others called their first Final Four.
Prior to taking his current role, Adams evaluated officials for the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship for nine years, and served as the coordinator of men’s basketball officiating for three different leagues across each of the NCAA’s three divisions.
"I know I speak for countless people in the NCAA men’s basketball community, including member conferences and institutions, head coaches, past and present committee members, our broadcast partners at CBS and Turner and college basketball fans everywhere, when expressing gratitude for everything John has done for the game,” said Dan Gavitt, the NCAA’s vice president for men’s basketball.
“John has led the national program effectively, resulting in more consistency and clarity in officiating across the country. His effort in teaching a national standard for officiating fouls committed by on-ball defenders this season is an example of John’s good work. During his tenure, officiating entered a significant new phase with the growth of high definition broadcasts and instant replays. John’s direct, accessible and energetic approach to developing officials and communicating with stakeholders helped usher NCAA officiating into this new era of increased accountability.”
A search for Adams’ replacement will begin this fall, with the goal of finding that person during the upcoming season. The new coordinator will not have any responsibilities until after the 2015 Men’s Final Four, which takes place April 4 and 6 in Indianapolis.
