(From left to right) Natalie Sago and Jenna Schroeder.Photo: Fernando Medina/Getty ImagesNatalie Sago and Jenna Schroeder have made NBA history as the first female referees to work on the same court.Sago, 31, and Schroeder, 35, were two of the three people on the officiating crew that oversaw the game between the Charlotte Hornets and the Orlando Magic on Monday.Sean Wright rounded out the trio as crew chief, according toreferee assignmentsposted on the NBA website.(From left to right) Jenna Schroeder, Sean Wright, Natalie Sago.Fernando Medina/Getty ImagesPrior to Monday’s historic game, Sago had officiated 63 games in two NBA seasons.She previously officiated four seasons in the NBA G League and three seasons in the WNBA. She also worked the NBA G League International Challenge at NBA All-Star 2018 in Los Angeles.Meanwhile, Schroeder, who started on staff in the 2019-20 season, had refereed 27 regular season games.In addition, she officiated three seasons in the NBA G League and two seasons in the WNBA.Jenna Schroeder.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“This is a big deal,” Schroeder toldESPNahead of the game. “It’s like my feminist dreams come true, that like my personal values are colliding with my professional values and it’s awesome.““It’s so cool,” Sago added. “All of us, we’re so happy and excited to work together. We just have a good group of females, we’re all close, we have great relationships and we share these moments.“The NBA welcomed its first female referees in 1997, with Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner joining the ranks.Since then, seven women have worked as full-time NBA referees.There are currently five women — Sago, Schroeder, Simone Jelks, Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling and Ashley Moyer-Gleich — working full-time as NBA referees, according to the league’s2020-21 officiating staff roster.
(From left to right) Natalie Sago and Jenna Schroeder.Photo: Fernando Medina/Getty Images
Natalie Sago and Jenna Schroeder have made NBA history as the first female referees to work on the same court.Sago, 31, and Schroeder, 35, were two of the three people on the officiating crew that oversaw the game between the Charlotte Hornets and the Orlando Magic on Monday.Sean Wright rounded out the trio as crew chief, according toreferee assignmentsposted on the NBA website.(From left to right) Jenna Schroeder, Sean Wright, Natalie Sago.Fernando Medina/Getty ImagesPrior to Monday’s historic game, Sago had officiated 63 games in two NBA seasons.She previously officiated four seasons in the NBA G League and three seasons in the WNBA. She also worked the NBA G League International Challenge at NBA All-Star 2018 in Los Angeles.Meanwhile, Schroeder, who started on staff in the 2019-20 season, had refereed 27 regular season games.In addition, she officiated three seasons in the NBA G League and two seasons in the WNBA.Jenna Schroeder.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“This is a big deal,” Schroeder toldESPNahead of the game. “It’s like my feminist dreams come true, that like my personal values are colliding with my professional values and it’s awesome.““It’s so cool,” Sago added. “All of us, we’re so happy and excited to work together. We just have a good group of females, we’re all close, we have great relationships and we share these moments.“The NBA welcomed its first female referees in 1997, with Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner joining the ranks.Since then, seven women have worked as full-time NBA referees.There are currently five women — Sago, Schroeder, Simone Jelks, Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling and Ashley Moyer-Gleich — working full-time as NBA referees, according to the league’s2020-21 officiating staff roster.
Natalie Sago and Jenna Schroeder have made NBA history as the first female referees to work on the same court.
Sago, 31, and Schroeder, 35, were two of the three people on the officiating crew that oversaw the game between the Charlotte Hornets and the Orlando Magic on Monday.
Sean Wright rounded out the trio as crew chief, according toreferee assignmentsposted on the NBA website.
(From left to right) Jenna Schroeder, Sean Wright, Natalie Sago.Fernando Medina/Getty Images
Prior to Monday’s historic game, Sago had officiated 63 games in two NBA seasons.
She previously officiated four seasons in the NBA G League and three seasons in the WNBA. She also worked the NBA G League International Challenge at NBA All-Star 2018 in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, Schroeder, who started on staff in the 2019-20 season, had refereed 27 regular season games.
In addition, she officiated three seasons in the NBA G League and two seasons in the WNBA.
Jenna Schroeder.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“This is a big deal,” Schroeder toldESPNahead of the game. “It’s like my feminist dreams come true, that like my personal values are colliding with my professional values and it’s awesome.”
“It’s so cool,” Sago added. “All of us, we’re so happy and excited to work together. We just have a good group of females, we’re all close, we have great relationships and we share these moments.”
The NBA welcomed its first female referees in 1997, with Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner joining the ranks.
Since then, seven women have worked as full-time NBA referees.
There are currently five women — Sago, Schroeder, Simone Jelks, Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling and Ashley Moyer-Gleich — working full-time as NBA referees, according to the league’s2020-21 officiating staff roster.
source: people.com
