Rusty Wellman with fellow referee and longtime friend, Dale Goodwin.

Longtime volleyball referee, Rusty Wellman, became the seventh member of the Spokane Area Volleyball Referees Association’s Hall of Fame, inducted at the organization’s annual banquet Nov. 19. He has officiated volleyball for 34 years, all but five of those out of the Spokane board. He officiated in one NCAA Tournament, several NWAC championships and WIAA state tournaments. He is a longtime advanced trainer of officials in Spokane.

Juli Argotow-Jones was voted by her peers as Referee of the Year. She served as line judge for the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament in Pullman. Other award winners were: Dale Goodwin, Partner of the Year; Alan Hirayama, Contributor of the Year; Devin Darrough, Line Judge of the Year; Jason Gonwick, Most Improved and Best Third-Year Official; Jeff Davis, Best Second-Year Official and Tyler Martindale, Rookie of the Year.

Officers for 2019 are: President Keith Ward; vice president Ben Goodwin; past president Patty Kells; members-at-large Jones, Brent Radford, Linda Kildew and Darrough. Debbie Spray, Dale Goodwin and Hirayama are advanced trainers/rating committee; Lisa Paull, Margie Ray and Wellman, Appeals Committee; basic trainer Barb Twohig; treasurer Phil Robinson; assigner Bob Francis; assistant assigner Hirayama.