IBCA E-Newsletter

2025 Mildred Ball Award

Nick Wininger of Montgomery is the winner of the 2025 IBCA Mildred Ball Award.

Wininger began officiating in 2000 while a student at Indiana University. Over the years, he has called 18 sectionals, 12 regionals, seven semi-states and three State Finals in boys’ basketball (2013-4A, 2016-1A and 2021-4A). He also has called 19 sectionals, 13 regionals, seven semi-states and five State Finals in girls’ basketball (2011-4A, 2014-4A, 2017-2A, 2021-3A and 2025-3A). In addition, he worked the 2009 girls’ Hall of Fame Classic as well as the 2011 and 2023 boys’ Hall of Fame Classic events.

Wininger is in his 25th year as a member of the Southwestern Indiana Officials Association. He served his association as the basketball chairman in 2012-13 and 2013-14, and he also has been a basketball clinician on several occasions. Wininger recently was recognized by the IHSAA with its 2025 Interscholastic Athletic Official Award for girls’ basketball.

A 1999 graduate of Shoals High School, Wininger competed in basketball and baseball and was an all-Blue Chip Conference selection in baseball. He went on to IU, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 2004.

He now is in his 20th year as a junior high history teacher at North Daviess Junior-Senior High School, and he also is the North Daviess High School girls’ golf coach.

An avid golfer, Wininger was runner-up in the 2021 Country Oaks Classic tournament at Country Oaks Golf Course in Montgomery.

Wininger and his wife, Lee Ann, are parents to two children – Hadley, 12, and Holden, 7.

IBCA/MILDRED BALL AWARD

Mildred Morgan Ball served as an IHSAA assistant commissioner from 1977 through 1997, responsible for the licensing and training of contest officials. In addition, she worked with the National Federation of State High School Associations' rules committee. Ball is a 1953 graduate of Gary Roosevelt High School and a 1960 graduate of Indiana University. She was a teacher at East Chicago Washington High School for 17 years before joining the IHSAA staff. Ball was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998, and she is the 2022 recipient of the Richard G. Lugar Award for Distinguished Service. She also is a recipient of the Sagamore of the Wabash, the Benjamin Hooks Award from the NAACP, the John Endwright Distinguished Alumni Service Award from IU's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation in 1996, a Distinguished Alumni Service Award from IU in 2005 as well as other awards from the National Federation of State High School Associations, the Indiana Association of Athletic Officials and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. The IBCA has presented an award to an outstanding basketball official in Mildred Ball's name since 1997.

• 1997: Theresia Wynns, Indianapolis
• 1998: Sue Ross, Fort Wayne
• 1999: Judy Schneider, Indianapolis
• 2000: Mike Crouch, Marion
• 2001: Tim Smith, Mentone
• 2002: Rhonda McGee, Floyds Knobs
• 2003: Rosie Leedy, Thorntown
• 2004: Barbara Guhl, Indianapolis
• 2005: Greta Hawvermale, Indianapolis
• 2006: Patty Broderick, Indianapolis
• 2007: John Patterson, Indianapolis
• 2008: Gene Butts, Warsaw
• 2009: Kim Yelich, Schererville
• 2010: Judy Phillips, Indianapolis
• 2011: Kelly Dennis, Whiteland
• 2012: Roger Holder, Greenfield
• 2013: Mike Smith, New Palestine
• 2014: Phil Vidito, Indianapolis
• 2015: Jay Smith, Syracuse
• 2016: Bob Frye, Indianapolis
• 2017: Larry Sintz, Brookville
• 2018: Michael Zehr, Dubois
• 2019: Andy Simpson, Crown Point
• 2020: Gary Wier, Plainville
• 2021: no winner named (winner from 2020 honored in 2021 because of COVID-19 pandemic).
• 2022: Michael Stoffers, Terre Haute
• 2023: Ron Day, Plymouth
• 2024: P.J. Pitts, Bridgeton
• 2025: Nick Wininger, Montgomery