March 10, 2026 bachelor insider
Olivia Lewis Makes History as Basketball Referee — Read More Here
Making history!
Bachelor Nation fans got to know Olivia Lewis on Season 27 of “The Bachelor,” and she returned to our screens for Season 9 of “Bachelor in Paradise.”
Since her time on the shows, the fan favorite has been keeping Bachelor Nation updated with her life on social media.
As fans may or may not know, Olivia works as a basketball referee and likes to post about her experiences online.
And this week, the Bachelor Nation star shared the incredible news that she just made history as “the first woman from Board 60 to referee a boys high school final.”
While reflecting on the accomplishment, she expressed, “Friday night, I stepped onto the floor at the Blue Cross Arena and etched my name into history as the first woman from Board 60 to referee a boys high school final. As a Black woman in a space that hasn’t ever looked like me, that moment meant even more.”
In a series of snapshots, Olivia shared that she is the first female in BCA’s “100-plus” year history to work a Sectional Final.
Continuing her reflections, she stated that being the “first” isn’t what matters to her but the representation for generations to follow.
“To me, what matters most isn’t being the “first.” It’s every little girl who sees this and knows she belongs here too,” she said. “In arenas, in rooms, in spaces people once said weren’t for her.”
While proud and excited to be making history, Olivia said that the moment was truly about opening a new door.
She said, “I did NOT step on that floor to prove I belonged, I stepped on it BECAUSE I do and if one little girl in those stands saw that and believed she could too, then this was never just history in the making…. it was a door being kicked open.”
So amazing!
We are incredibly proud of Olivia and all her hard work. What an extraordinary accomplishment! We can’t wait to see what other amazing things she does in her career.
