 NCHC Director of Officiating Don Adam presents the Mark Rudolph Award to Justin Hills (right) |
 Justin with his wife, Megan, daughter, Avery, and son, Jaden. |
SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Justin Hills of Moorhead, Minn. has been named the sixth recipient of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference’s (NCHC) annual Mark Rudolph Officiating Achievement Award for the 2018-2019 season, NCHC Director of Officiating Don Adam has announced. Hills, who was born in Grand Forks, N.D., completed his sixth season as an NCHC linesman in 2018-19. He was presented with the Rudolph Award on Saturday, Sept. 21 at a ceremony attended by all NCHC referees, regional NCHC linesmen and NCHC staff, as well as Hills’ family, in Saint Paul, Minn.
When he’s not on the ice, Hills, an outdoor and water enthusiast, is a computer technician for North Dakota State University, where he has been employed for the past 12 years. Hills joined the NCHC officiating staff for the conference’s inaugural season after enjoying many successful seasons in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). When Hills is not kayaking, swimming or paddle boarding, he is often with his family or mentoring young USA Hockey officials at local arenas.
“Justin has been a pleasure to have on our staff from day one. His work ethic, professionalism and consistency, both on and off the ice, have been a staple for our staff,” Adam said. “Hillsie is always harder on himself than I ever could be and he does not prioritize games -- every college hockey game is equally important to him. It’s always a pleasure working with officials who give more than they take.”
During the NCHC’s 2014-15 season, the NCHC’s Officiating Program made the decision to become more active in fundraising for those who need assistance, and the “Movember Foundation” was selected as a charity that is committed to men living happier, healthier and longer lives. The foundation concentrates on three key areas of men’s health – testicular cancer, prostate cancer and suicide prevention. As the NCHC Officials’ fundraising efforts continued to grow, Hills volunteered to assist in a more hands-on manner. In 2017, Hills set up the officiating staff’s first Movember silent auction at a University of North Dakota home game and has done so each season since to help raise money for the cause. Along with the NCHC’s Movember golf tournament held annually in the St. Louis area and a silent auction also held at the University of Denver, Hills’ efforts combined with other officials and their wives, helped the NCHC Officiating Staff raise more than $25,000 for Movember last season.
Hills started his officiating career in youth hockey when he was only 14 years old while in Grafton, N.D. He officiated the AAA North American Pepsi Cup for years on end, before turning to high school hockey during his college years. After officiating North Dakota high school hockey, Hills made the transition to Minnesota high school hockey in 2010 after relocating to Moorhead, Minn. Hills officiated the famed Minnesota High School State Tournament on one occasion prior to making college hockey his priority.
While Hills continues to officiate high school hockey, which has included several Minnesota sectional tournaments, his resume also includes stops in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) and the United States Hockey League (USHL). Hills also officiated an outdoor game during 2011 Hockey Day Minnesota in Moorhead. Hills went on to work six seasons in the WCHA where he worked multiple WCHA Final Five Championships. Hills was also rewarded for his hard work as he was selected to work multiple NCAA Regional Tournaments and ultimately the 2013 NCAA Frozen Four in Pittsburgh.
After college hockey conference realignment in the summer of 2013, Hills transitioned to the NCHC where he instantly became a valued member of the officiating staff. A tireless worker, Hills has officiated every NCHC Frozen Faceoff since the conference’s inaugural season, including multiple championship games. In addition, Hills has continued to excel working multiple NCAA Regionals while representing the NCHC.
“It has been a pleasure having Justin on the NCHC’s Officiating Staff and we’ve enjoyed watching him grow every year. Justin’s success speaks for itself and he’s consistently one of our top linesmen,” said NCHC Commissioner Josh Fenton. “More importantly, we’re proud of Justin’s initiative in starting the Movember silent auction held at North Dakota, which contributed to the staff surpassing its goal of $20,000 during the 2018-19 season.”
Hills and his wife of seven years, Megan, were married in 2012 in Moorhead, where they still reside. The Hills have a three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Avery, and a one-year-old son, Jaden.
"I’m so happy for him. He loves college hockey!," said Megan, a former oncology nurse of five years.
Both Justin and Megan regularly participate in the Roger Maris 61 for 61 run/walk bone marrow drive and donate their time to many community-driven fundraising efforts for those facing difficult circumstances. Two recent, but notable efforts included a baby that had been physically abused while incurring brain damage and a young man from Grafton, N.D., who had been diagnosed with brain cancer.
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 award was officially established prior to the 2014-15 season and is presented to a member of the NCHC officiating staff following each season at officiating camp.
Criteria for the Mark Rudolph Award recipient shall be 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.
PREVIOUS MARK RUDOLPH OFFICIATING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS
--NCHCHockey.com--