COMMISSION:
- This award recognizes the individual deemed as the most outstanding USA national referee at the previous year’s USA Open Championship Event.
COMMITTEE CHAIR:
- Devonie McLarty
CRITERIA:
- Officiated at the USA Volleyball Open Championships as a first and/or second referee in a minimum of five (5) matches at each position; Demonstrated consistent quality and ability as a referee throughout each match he/she has been assigned; Demonstrated leadership quality in his/her capacity as a first and second referee; Demonstrated personal characteristics that are consistent with the high ideals and purposes of the Referees Code of Ethics as approved by the USA Volleyball Officials Development Department; Former recipients are not eligible for this award.
1954: Dan McCue, Dr. Marshall Walters
1962: George Creswell
1963: Noel Crenshaw
1964: Glen G. Davies
1965: Wilbur Peck
1966: Harold Peterson
1967: Catalino Ignacio
1968: Bobb Miller
1969: Dr. Murray Koorhan
1970: William Baird
1974: Thomas Slaymaker
1976: George B. Chain
1979: Jerry Sherman
1981: Winthrop Davenport, Alex Valow, Lea Saari Wagner
1983: Jim Stewart
1984: Scott Luster
1985: Sue Lemaire
1986: Darryl Bender
1987: Mike Schlesinger
1988: Tom Blue
1991: William Madara
1993: Steve Robb
1994: Michael Blalock
1995: Rob Peglar
1996: Greg Baquet, Steve Owen
1997: Doug Wilson
1998: Pati Rolf
1999: Ed “Spook” Halik
2000: Wil Creech
2001: Rick Welch
2002: Scott Atkinson
2003: Steven K. Thorpe
2004: Joel Reinford
2005: Eric Hoffman
2006: Kathy Ferraraccio
2007: Paul Albright
2008: Steve Kenyon
2009: Mary Blalock
2010: Robert Stanek
2011: Rod Rodriguez
2012: Julie Voeck
2013: Clark Radcliffe
2014: Bill Stanley
2015: Michelle Prater
2016: William Thornburgh
2017: Brian Hemelgarn
2018: Jung Park
2019: Keith Murlless
2021: Michael O’Connor
2022: Devonie McLarty
2023: Stephen Shepherd