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CCHA announces Hunt as director of officiating

Former Big Ten referee Marco Hunt makes a call during a Feb. 28, 2014, game in Minneapolis. (Photo courtesy of Jim Rosvold and USCHO.com)

The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), which opens its third season in 2023-24, announced Thursday that Marco Hunt has been named the conference’s Director of Officiating.

“Marco was an outstanding referee who officiated in numerous WCHA Final Fives, NCAA Regionals and Frozen Fours,” said CCHA Commissioner Don Lucia. “He understands what is required to be an elite official and will be able to teach and share that knowledge with our current and future officials. I look forward to Marco joining our CCHA staff and assisting him as we prepare for the upcoming season.” 

Hunt joins the CCHA after spending the last seven years as the primary assistant to the Supervisor of Officials at the Big Ten Conference. There, he assisted in the scheduling for regular season and postseason games, as well as contributed to the league’s supplementary discipline decisions. In addition, he conducted on-site reviews of game officials, video reviews of significant plays and weekly communication with coaches and officials to aid in improvement and development. 

From 1997 to 2017, Hunt was an on-ice official for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) and Big Ten conferences, participating in WCHA Final 5, Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament games for the final 11 years of his on-ice career. Throughout his career, he officiated in seven Frozen Fours, including 2002, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2015. 

“I am thrilled and excited to begin this new venture in my officiating life,” said Hunt. “The future of the CCHA is very bright and I am honored to be a part of it and to have a chance to grow with it. My goal to assist the conference in taking an already talented group and help mold it into one of the best officiating staffs in the county.” 

Hunt officiated Division III hockey games from 1994 to 2008, including national championship contests in 2006 and 2008. The St. Paul Hockey Officials Association President in 2001, he oversaw more than 200 referees and linesmen, managed schedules and section assignments, as well as recruited and trained new officials. 

A native of Woodbury, Minnesota, where he currently resides, Hunt is a 1988 graduate of Bemidji State University, where he played four seasons for the Beavers and won a Division III National Championship in 1986. He earned his MBA from BSU in 1990. 

Hunt will officially take over as the CCHA director of officiating on June 1, replacing Kevin Langseth, who is stepping down from the position at the end of May.

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