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Great American Conference Official Ronnie Standridge Earns Region Excellence in Officiating Honor

CLEVELAND — The Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) has announced the recipients of its third annual Excellence in Officiating Awards, honoring outstanding referees across NCAA Division II.

The awards recognize one male and one female official in each of the eight NCAA Division II championship regions (Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, Southeast, South Central, and West), regardless of sport. Regional winners were selected by a vote of the conference commissioners within each region.

Great American Conference (GAC) softball umpire and former football official Ronnie Standridge has been selected as the Central Region male honoree. Standridge has umpired softball in the GAC since 2015 and was one of the conference's original football officials, serving as a referee from 2011 to 2021 before joining the replay staff for the United Athletic Conference and Ohio Valley Conference.

"Ronnie has been essential to our officiating program in multiple sports," said GAC Commissioner Will Prewitt. "Whether it's being a crew chief for softball, mentoring countless younger football
officials, or helping out at multiple championships, he's made a positive impact on the Great American Conference with his professionalism and character."

A native of Russellville, Ark., Standridge continues to serve the GAC as a football officiating evaluator and basketball championship clock operator, while also assisting with softball championship
operations. He is an inductee of the Arkansas Officials Association Hall of Fame.

"Ronnie has been a mainstay in officiating in Arkansas, both on the high school and collegiate level," said Ouachita Baptist athletic director David Sharp.  "His passion and enthusiasm for officiating are always evident.  This is a well-deserved honor."

About D2 CCA: Initiated in 1992 to promote its member conferences and institutions, D2 CCA has made its mark in providing a united front for NCAA Division II athletics. Created after the break-up of the College Division Commissioners Association, D2 CCA continues to create lines of communication and opportunities for its member conferences. The D2 CCA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 62nd year. For more information on NACDA and the 19 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.