{"id":27901,"date":"2026-01-16T13:06:58","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T19:06:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thexradio.com\/news\/?p=27901"},"modified":"2026-01-16T13:06:58","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T19:06:58","slug":"ihsa-announces-2025-26-officials-of-the-year-in-22-ihsa-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thexradio.com\/news\/sports\/more-sports\/27901-ihsa-announces-2025-26-officials-of-the-year-in-22-ihsa-sports\/","title":{"rendered":"IHSA Announces 2025-26 Officials of the Year in 22 IHSA Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"pdfprnt-buttons pdfprnt-buttons-post pdfprnt-top-right\"><a href=\"javascript: window.print()\" class=\"pdfprnt-button pdfprnt-button-print\" target=\"_self\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thexradio.com\/news\/wp-content\/plugins\/pdf-print\/images\/print.png\" alt=\"image_print\" title=\"Print Content\" \/><span class=\"pdfprnt-button-title pdfprnt-button-print-title\">Print<\/span><\/a><\/div><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) is proud to announce its 2025-26 Officials of the Year in 22 IHSA sports.\u00a0 To be considered for this honor, an official must first be nominated by an Officials Association recognized by the IHSA or by an IHSA administrator. IHSA staff members then vote on the winners based on factors such as character, skill as an official, and levels worked in the IHSA State Series.<\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s winners will be recognized during the 2026 IHSA Officials Conference, which will be held July 10-11 in Normal, Illinois.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe IHSA Officials of the Year exemplify professionalism, consistency, and respect for the game,\u201d said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. \u201cTheir dedication extends far beyond enforcing the rules. They help teach sportsmanship, maintain competitive balance, and uphold the values of education-based athletics. We truly appreciate the efforts of every IHSA official around the state and are excited to be able highlight these 22 exemplary individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>See the full list of honorees by sport below:<br \/>\n<strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0&#8212;2025-26 IHSA OFFICIALS OF THE YEAR&#8212;<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<table style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>SPORT<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><strong>OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><strong>HOMETOWN<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Boys Soccer<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Mariusz Folta<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Arlington Heights<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Girls Soccer<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Dylan Kramer<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Elmhurst<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Football<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Chris Hartbank<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Mattoon<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Boys Basketball<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>James Kowzan<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>DuQuoin<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Girls Basketball<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Michael Bell<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Charleston<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Boys Lacrosse<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Greg Smith<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Bartlett<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Girls Lacrosse<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Jay Abbassian<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Evanston<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Baseball<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>John T. Allen<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Carterville<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Softball<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Fred McNeeley<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Princeville<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Girls Volleyball<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Derek Sieg<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Normal<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Boys Volleyball<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Pat Doyle<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Manhattan<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Boys Swimming &amp; Diving<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Michael Baughman<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Geneva<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Girls Swimming &amp; Diving<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Janet Stern<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Deerfield<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Water Polo<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Mark Menis<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Naperville<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Cross Country<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Gary P. Gullone<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Galena<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Boys Track &amp; Field<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Arthur P. Ashbrook<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Makanda<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Girls Track &amp; Field<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Shawn Strachan<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Reynolds<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Girls Gymnastics<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Betty Bennett<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>East Dundee<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Competitive Cheerleading<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Carla Taylor-Walton<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Kokomo, IN<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Competitive Dance<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Lisa Djani<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Chicago<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Boys Wrestling<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Dion Wiley<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Richton Park<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Girls Wrestling<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Rich Vine<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>Aurora<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) is proud to announce its 2025-26 Officials of the Year in 22 IHSA sports.\u00a0 To be considered for this honor, an official must first [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27901","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-more-sports"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - 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