Roy Gardner Award
Roy Gardner was a basketball official who was a math teacher for 34 years at Batesville High School. He coached basketball at Westland, Rising Sun and Batesville as well as track, baseball and golf at Batesville, with his teams capturing numerous championships. As an official, Gardner worked the 1955, 1956 and 1959 State Finals. He also officiated in the Big Ten from 1959 through 1969, and he called the East-West College All-Star Games in Hinkle Fieldhouse in 1968 and 1969. Gardner was born in 1919 in Lawrenceburg, lettered in basketball and track at Ball State University and passed away in 1977. He was inducted into the Ball State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1981 and the Ripley County Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003. The IBCA has presented an award to an outstanding basketball official in Roy Gardner’s name since 1978.
2022 Winner
Mark Wise
Mark Wise of Crown Point is the winner of the 2022 Roy Gardner Award.
Over 32 seasons as a boys’ basketball official, Wise worked 22 sectionals, 15 regionals, eight semi-states and the State Finals in 1999, 2003, 2006 and 2010. He also called the boys’ Hall of Fame Classic in 1998, and he worked the girls’ basketball State Finals in 1995 and 1998.
Wise is a 1978 graduate of Crown Point High School, where he played basketball and tennis. He went on to Indiana University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business in 1982.
Wise began officiating in 1983 as a member of the Lake County Athletic Officials Association. While in the association, he was a lead clinician, basketball program director, conducted rules meetings and served as a mentor to younger officials.
As an official, Wise received an IHSAA Award as Official of the Year in Boys Basketball in 2012, the Stan Dubis Award from the Calumet Sportsmanship Committee for outstanding contribution, goodwill and achievement in amateur athletics in 2013, and the Harry Werkowski Award as the LCAOA Official of the Year in 2013-14.
Wise often worked with Steve Kvachkoff as an officiating partner and mentioned how Kvachkoff always helped make basketball fun. Other career highlights include working in venues such as Hinkle Fieldhouse, the RCA Dome, Lucas Oil Stadium, Market Square Arena, Conseco/Bankers Life/Gainbridge Fieldhouse and serving as lead official for the Class 4A state title game that included Greg Oden and Mike Conley as Lawrence North seniors.
Professionally, Wise worked in the grocery industry for 43 years, retiring in December 2021. His hobbies included golfing, working out at his local YMCA and spending time with his grandsons.
Wise noted he would not have done any of the above without the support of his wife, Cindy, an elementary school principal in Crown Point and his “No. 1 officiating observer.” The couple has been married for 38 years, and they have two adult sons – Matt and Tommy – as well as four grandsons.

Past Winners
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2021
Jay Slater, Sullivan is being honored in 2021 (Postponed in 2020)
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2020
Jay Slater, Sullivan
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2019
Mike Eason, Cumberland
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2018
Tom Walters, Indianapolis
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2017
Tom Rohr, Montezuma
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2016
Jason Ferguson, Whiteland
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2015
Rex Nichols, Mooresville
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2014
Terry Magnuson, Greenwood
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2013
Mike Waisnora, Crown Point
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2012
Bob Anderson, Indianapolis, and Ray Tebbe, New Palestine
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2011
Mark Baltz, Zionsville
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2010
Larry Nixon, Veedersburg
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2009
Don Nester, Indianapolis
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2008
James Dunlap, Newburgh
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2007
Jerry Taylor, Lafayette
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2006
Ken Gorrell, Franklin
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2005
Garry Leistner, Dubois
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2004
Jimmy Dimitroff, Indianapolis
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2003
Bill Nimnicht, Evansville
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2002
Larry Jones, Logansport
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2001
Larry Maxwell, Martinsville
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2000
Rick Owens, Lynn
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1999
Steve Fisher, Poseyville
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1998
Norm Hathcoat, Pendleton
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1997
Jerry Cook, Elkhart
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1996
Bob Beeson, Elkhart
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1995
Bill Wulner, Lawrenceburg
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1994
Mike Bohan, Brownsburg
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1993
Jim Cox, Jonesboro
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1992
Richard Cook, Michigan City
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1991
no award given
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1990
Steve Cherry, Pendleton
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1989
Melvin Redmond, Mt. Vernon
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1988
Bob Marcinek, East Chicago
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1987
Jesse Lynch, Indianapolis
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1986
Roger DeYoung, Hebron
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1985
Jerry Petro, Franklin
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1984
Jim Wehsollek, Alexandria
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1983
Rich Boer, Gary
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1982
John Lozier, Logansport
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1981
Jerry Larrison, Indianapolis
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1980
Troy Ingram, Richmond
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1979
Wayne Van Sickle, Richmond
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1978
Lowell Smith, Palmyra