NAPERVILLE, Ill. — The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) is proud to announce its new partnership with Officially Human, becoming just the fourth Division III conference to partner with the organization.
Founded in 2019 in Lombard, Illinois, Officially Human is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and restoring respect to game officials through increased education and communication to all stakeholders.
Officially Human is a national leader in addressing the growing officiating crisis and is led by CEO Brenda Hilton, a 24-year veteran of collegiate officiating and current Big Ten Conference Senior Director of Officiating. Hilton has built a team dedicated to promoting sportsmanship and fair play while fostering education and open communication among administrators, coaches, officials and fans.
"I am excited to welcome Executive Director Lexie Vernon and the CCIW membership to the Officially Human mission of elevating sportsmanship and fostering greater respect for game officials,” said Hilton. “I look forward to seeing the conference implement meaningful initiatives throughout the coming year that advance these important values."
The CCIW will provide member institutions with resources created by Officially Human throughout the partnership. This content is designed to educate and inform student-athletes, coaches and fans, fostering greater respect and appreciation for game officials.
“Our partnership with Officially Human reflects the CCIW’s commitment to sportsmanship, respect, and a positive competitive experience for everyone involved in intercollegiate athletics,” said CCIW Executive Director Lexie Vernon. “Officials are essential to the success of our contests, and this partnership provides an important opportunity to support, educate, and engage our campus communities around the critical role officials play in the student-athlete experience.”
With the addition of the CCIW, Officially Human has grown its partnership base to over 40 organizations. The CCIW is proud to support Officially Human as its advocacy continues to lead the sports industry in promoting the fair treatment, recruitment and retention of sports officials.
ABOUT THE CCIW
The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin was founded in 1946 and is one of the nation’s premier NCAA Division III conferences. The CCIW sponsors championship competition across 26 sports and is committed to supporting academic excellence, competitive success, student-athlete development, and the Division III philosophy.
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The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) was founded in 1946 and currently services nine member institutions including Augustana College (Rock Island, Ill.), Carroll University (Waukesha, Wis.), Carthage College (Kenosha, Wis.), Elmhurst University (Elmhurst, Ill.), Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, Ill.), Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.), North Central College (Naperville, Ill.), North Park University (Chicago, Ill.) and Wheaton College (Wheaton, Ill.).