 – Fourteen new individuals will be enshrined in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Officials Hall of Fame and 21 individuals will be honored as the OHSAA…){kind=link}
“We appreciate the commitment and dedication of all of our officials across the state,” said Beau Rugg, OHSAA Director of Officiating and a member himself of the OHSAA Officials Hall of Fame. “Each year we take great pride in celebrating the distinguished careers of our hall of fame inductees and officials of the year. Officiating is a service, and each of these individuals is to be celebrated for their excellence in that service.”
2025 OHSAA Officials Hall of Fame Induction Class: Milt Anthony, Westerville (Basketball) – posthumously; Mary Black, Dayton (Volleyball); Daniel Delande, Shadyside; (Basketball, Softball) – posthumously; James Fox, Poland (Cross Country, Track & Field); Ralph Green, Toledo (Football, Basketball, Softball); Jim Johnson, Mason (Football, Basketball); Matthew Kleiner, Monroe (Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Baseball, Softball); Ken Kuhlman, Waterville (Football, Basketball); Kenneth Mills, Poland (Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Baseball); Rodney Nichols, Hillsboro (Basketball); Jonathan Ross, Columbus (Volleyball, Basketball, Lacrosse); Glen Smith, Bucyrus (Cross Country, Track & Field); Lee Spitzer, Columbus (Lacrosse); and Kevin Sulecki, Mentor (Football).
2024-25 Officials of the Year: Baseball: Jon Saphire, Worthington; Boys Basketball: Dan Holland, Fort Loramie; Girls Basketball: Rebecca Olmstead, Conneaut; Boys Cross Country: Kristopher Marshall, Milford; Girls Cross Country: Dr. Allison Jones, Austintown; Field Hockey: Todd Shapiro, Cleveland; Football: Rick Barnes, Pickerington; Gymnastics: Trisha Sefakis, Cincinnati; Ice Hockey: Robert McGreal, North Olmsted; Boys Lacrosse: Wally Petry, Cincinnati; Girls Lacrosse: William Andres, Pickerington; Boys Soccer: Ed Shoemaker, Vandalia; Girls Soccer: Zack Kinsey, East Liverpool; Softball: Maria Hottinger, Hilliard; Boys Swimming and Diving: Eric Turner, Springfield; Girls Swimming and Diving: Joe Vogt, Massillon; Boys Track and Field: Mike Nissenbaum, Powell; Girls Track and Field: Dave Milkovich, Copley; Boys Volleyball: Tim Meyer, Cincinnati; Girls Volleyball: Anne Bean-L’Heureux, Athens; and Wrestling: Paul Coffland, Cadiz.
OHSAA 50-Year Officials: Raymond Anthony, Columbia Station; Richie Bellas, Kinsman; Gene Bishop, Milford; Rex Durdel, Twinsburg; John Evans, Massillon; Michael Fruth, Wellston; Donald Hange, Defiance; Richard Hanna, Cuyahoga Falls; James Herold, Canal Winchester; David Hershey, Westerville; Philip Horvath, Wadsworth; Thomas Jones, Cincinnati; Ron Knight, Warren; Joseph Koler, Wheeling, WV; David Madaras, Pemberville; Donald Marsh, Jr., Roaming Shores; James McPike, Edgerton; Paul Meuleman, Pioneer; Louis Mouser, Jr., Huntsville; R. Thomas Neighbarger, Cortland; Stephen Oren, Lima; Julius Palazzo, Columbus; Phillip Rhonemus, West Union; Terry Roy, Fayetteville; Thomas Rutledge, Chesterland; Donald Sabo, Ravenna; Rita Schnipke, Fort Jennings; Randy Schreiber, Zanesville; William Scott, Huron; Paul Sells, Westerville; Kathryn Sowers, Cincinnati; Connie Steinbrunner, Celina; Danny Strain, Greenfield; James Thielen, Darbydale; Rodney Thompson, Orrville; James Troyer, Columbus Grove; Stan Urankar, Cleveland; Michael Uszak, Avon Lake; John Vicarel, Youngstown; Joel Vogt, Massillon; Bill Welch, Salem; and Michael Whitley, Huntington, WV.