The Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Officials Association was established in 1951 with the purpose of supplying collegiate wrestling referees to the schools of the EIWA conference. The four founding fathers of the EIWOA are Richard DiBatista of Penn, John Engel of Lehigh, Carl Frankett of Moravian and Muhlenberg Colleges and Art Weiss, legendary Clearfield PA High School coach.
In 1951, the EIWA consisted of Army, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, F&M, Harvard, Lehigh, Navy, Penn, Penn State, Princeton, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, Virginia and Yale. Pitt joined a few years later. Boston University, Colgate, Dartmouth, East Stroudsburg University, US Coast Guard Academy, Wilkes, and William & Mary have also been members of the EIWA. Pascal Perri, EIWA and EIWOA Hall of Fame member, served as EIWOA Assignor/ Coordinator of Officials from the later 1950’s through 2013, well over a half century of service to the organization.
EIWOA Hall of Fame Members:
Joe Alissi, Robert Bach, Fred Brown, Dave Camaione, Tom Corey, Bill Cramp, Richard DiBatista, Jan Dutt, John Engel, Carl Frankett, Joe Geesey, John Hosage, Solomon “Spike” Israel, Reggie Jones, Alan Katz, Gary Kessell, Carl Koenig, Charles Kunes, Ed Lanahan, Jake Llewellyn, Pat McCormick, Leland Merrill, Jr., Francis “Yogi” Michael, Pascal Perri, Mark Piven, Fred Richardson, Richard Santoro, Marshall Schlosberg, Joe Solomon, Marty Strayer, John “Moose” Tettis, Art Weiss, Clyde “Red” Witman and Vince Zuaro.
The EIWOA also provides referees for other Division 1, 2 and 3 schools in the Northeast. Currently, the EIWOA has over 75 members.
2009 EIWA at U Penn
2010 EIWA at Lehigh
2011 EIWA at Bucknell
2012 EIWA at Princeton
2013 EIWA at Rutgers
2014 EIWA at U Penn
2016 EIWA at Princeton
2017 EIWA at Bucknell
2018 at Hofstra
2019 at Binghamton
2020 at Lehigh
EIWOA Officials that have worked the Division 1 NCAA Championship Tournament:
Joe Alissi
Joe Bartell
Dave Camaione
Nathan Chatman
George Chilmonik
Rick Cole
Jeff Cook
Tom Corey
Bill Cramp
Ken Daws
Richard DiBatista
Bill Doran
Jan Dutt
John Engel
Carl Frankett
Randy Gehris
Lenny Gino
Brian Green
Nick Grosso
Ryan Hagan
John Hnath
John Hosage
Spike Israel
JR Johnson
John Johnston
Gary Kessel
Henry Kittle
Jake Llewellyn
Brian Manzi
Pat McCormick
Lee Merrill
Francis "Yogi" Michael
John Mulligan
Brian Murphy
Kevin Neville
Pascal Perri
Mark Piven
George Popella
Fred Richardson
Jim Rivello
Angel Rivera
Rey Santiago
Dick Santoro
Marshall Schlosberg
Joe Solomon
Matt Sorochinsky
Ray Sparks
Bill Stecklein
Marty Strayer
Murl Thrush
Clyde Witman
Vince Zuaro