CLEVELAND – The Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CCA) has announced Officially Human, an organization whose mission is to 'restore respect to game officials and recognize them as authorities on the fields and courts,' as the presenting sponsor of the Excellence in Officiating Awards moving forward. 

The Excellence in Officiating Awards represent a pioneering effort to recognize outstanding referees across NCAA Division II and the second annual awards were announced in August, click here to learn more. 

Officially Human was founded by Brenda Hilton, who has spent more than 20 years in college athletics working with sports officials from the mid-majors to the highest level of Division I.  

"Our association would like to commend Brenda for her efforts with this organization and we look forward to helping continue to stress the importance of officiating across all sports," stated D2 CCA President and Great American Conference Commissioner, Will Prewitt. "Along with our Division I and III counterparts, this organization has been at the forefront of continuing to help create opportunities for a sustainable pipeline of qualified professionals." 

The awards are presented to one male and one female official that officiate in NCAA Division II Championship Regions. Awards are presented by the gender of the official regardless of the sport officiated. 

"Officially Human is proud to sponsor these awards and recognize the officials for their dedication to their craft and the games," stated Officially Human Founder/CEO Brenda Hilton.  

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 61st year. For more information on NACDA and the 19 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com. 

About Officially Human: Based in Lombard, Ill. and founded in 2019, Officially Human is the leader in addressing the growing crisis in officiating that touches every sport, official, and level of competition. Officially Human offers tailored solutions to athletic host organizations of all sizes that improve the stakeholder experience at each of their sporting competitions. The comprehensive solutions package includes digital education, awareness building, event host communication strategies, and organizational support in addressing poor fan behavior. To learn more about Officially Human, visit officiallyhuman.com.