Tuesday, October 11, 2016

PORTLAND – In the 101st edition of GNAC Insider, host Rob Lowery talked with NCAA National Coordinator of Men’s Basketball Officiating J.D. Collins about recent rule changes to the way NCAA men’s basketball games are officiated. Central Washington quarterback Justin Lane and Montana State Billings basketball player Alisha Breen also joined the show, which aired live Tuesday at 7 p.m. Pacific.

After nearly two decades officiating NCAA Division I men’s basketball, including a pair of Final Four games, J.D. Collins took over the position of Coordinator of Men’s Basketball Officiating at the NCAA national office. Collins’ career as a referee ended in 2009 when he began coordinating officials for various Division I conferences. In the summer of 2015, Collins took his current position with the NCAA. Last week, Collins made a video announcement about a handful of changes in the way in which referees will officiate in the 2015-16 men’s basketball season.

Lane guided the Wildcats to a 42-17 win over defending GNAC Champion Humboldt State on Saturday. The quarterback completed 26 of 38 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns in the victory and was nominated for GNAC Offensive Player of the Week. Lane averages 247.8 passing yards per game this season and leads the GNAC in passing touchdowns with 16. He has also led the Wildcats to wins in four of their first five games against Division II opponents this year, which is the first time CWU has done that since the Wildcats’ 2012 GNAC Championship season.

Breen was selected to Division II Bulletin’s preseason Super 16 list on Friday. The senior forward is coming off a season that saw her earn First Team All-GNAC honors as she helped Montana State Billings reach the NCAA Tournament. Breen averaged a conference-best 17.4 points per game last year and tallied 5.4 rebounds per game. The Yellowjackets will tip off the 2016-17 season in San Marcos, Calif., playing UC San Diego, which was a finalist in the West Region last Spring.