COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Paul Carnathan of Lilburn, Ga. has been named the second recipient of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference’s (NCHC) annual Mark Rudolph Officiating Achievement Award for the 2014-15 season, NCHC Director of Officiating Don Adam announced Saturday, Sept. 12. Carnathan, an Amherst, Mass. native, recently completed his second season as an NCHC linesman and was presented with the award on Saturday night at a dinner attended by all NCHC referees, Colorado-based linesmen and the conference staff in Colorado Springs.
Carnathan, a reagent sales specialist for Beckman Coulter, a company that manufactures and markets products that automate complex biomedical testing, was an original member of the NCHC officiating staff for the conference’s inaugural 2013-14 season after enjoying many successful seasons of officiating international and professional hockey. The University of Colorado graduate who majored in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, honed his officiating skills in the Denver metropolitan area, not realizing how successful his officiating career would become.
After two successful seasons in the United States Hockey League (USHL), Carnathan graduated to the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) in 2001 where he has been selected to officiate the Kelly Cup Finals on three different occasions. In 2002, Carnathan, who still also works ECHL games, added the American Hockey League (AHL) to his resume as he would go on to man the lines in four Conference Finals, as well as working both the 2009 and 2010 Calder Cup Finals. Carnathan has been a USA Hockey National Officiating Staff Instructor since 1993, which has allowed him to regularly give back to the program that has afforded him so many opportunities in his own officiating career.
Carnathan and his wife of 12 years, Diane, relocated to the greater Atlanta area in 2010 when they both gained employment with Emory University working in their HIV Research Laboratory. During his four years as a senior research specialist and laboratory manager at Emory, Carnathan was selected to officiate three International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championship Tournaments in Canada, Slovakia and Belarus. In addition, Carnathan gained valuable communication and leadership skills at Emory while leading 20-plus graduate students and technicians in a research setting – skills that are showcased on the ice in every NCHC game that he works.
“Carny, who we refer to as ‘The 93 Car’ [NCHC #93], is a natural leader both on the ice and off. He is his own worst critic and because he knows the game so well, he’s already evaluated his own performance before I can get to the locker room after a game,” Adam said. “His success is based upon his passion for officiating and his drive to be the best every time he steps on the ice. Carny’s skill, passion and knowledge are contagious and he makes officials around him better.”
Carnathan, who also worked in research laboratories at both the University of North Carolina and the University of Pennsylvania prior to Emory, was selected to work the 2014 NCHC Playoffs and the inaugural Frozen Faceoff. Prior to the 2014-15 season, Carnathan vowed to be better and while always leading by example on the ice, he was. Carnathan was again selected to work both the 2015 NCHC Playoffs and the Frozen Faceoff, but this past season he was also chosen to work the Frozen Faceoff’s championship game. After working a 2015 NCAA Regional Tournament, Carnathan was selected to officiate the IIHF’s Gold Medal game at the 2015 World Championship in the Czech Republic.
Paul and Diane, the proud parents of four-year-old Max, both regularly participate as riders/fundraisers in the AV200 - a 200-mile bike ride around Georgia that benefits AIDS vaccine research at Emory University in Atlanta.
The NCHC is proud to recognize Paul Carnathan for his skill, leadership and dedication, both on and off the ice.
“It’s a real honor to be able to work with so many quality individuals on our officiating staff in the NCHC. It’s always special to observe how these individuals are able to face the many challenges in their daily lives, while dedicating total commitment to provide our conference with top notch officiating every weekend during the season,” NCHC Director of Hockey Operations Joe Novak said. “Carny exemplifies this with his work ethic, dedication and professionalism in everything he does. It has been a pleasure to observe his growth throughout his career, from the time he began officiating in Colorado to what he has been able to accomplish in both our conference and internationally. Carny is certainly deserving of this award and the recognition.”
The NCHC’s Mark Rudolph Officiating Achievement Award is named in honor of Mark Rudolph, a long-time official and distinguished administrator who resides in Colorado Springs, Colo. and established USA Hockey’s National Officiating Program, among many other accomplishments. The creation of the award was first announced on Aug. 26, 2014 and is presented to a member of the NCHC officiating staff following each season at officiating camp. NCHC linesman John Philo was the inaugural recipient of the Mark Rudolph Officiating Achievement Award for the 2013-14 season.
Each year the award is presented to an individual who, through dedicated effort and service, both on and off the ice, has achieved a distinguished accomplishment during the previous NCHC season, and who by his actions has significantly enhanced the NCHC and its officiating program.
The NCHC will be holding its two remaining Linesmen Camps in Minneapolis and Detroit over the next two weekends after holding Referee Camp and one Linesmen Camp in Colorado Springs over the weekend.
--NCHCHockey.com--