2016 PRO roster announced
The Professional Referee Organization has announced the roster for 2016, with six new officials being added to its ranks.
Roster: Click here to see the PRO roster in full
There are four new assistant referees for 2016 – Cameron Blanchard, Logan Brown, Jose Da Silva and Jeffrey Greeson – while Jaime Herrera and Rubiel Vazquez are the newly-appointed fourth officials. All were welcomed to PRO with a rapturous applause at the start of the preseason training camp in Phoenix, Arizona.
Read more: PRO kick-off 2016 with successful preseason training camp
Brown has been added to the 50-person AR list after a successful 2015, which included him being assigned to the USL Final crew, alongside Nima Saghafi, Eric Weisbrod, Danny Thornberry and Alejandro Mariscal.
At the other end of the spectrum, Kevin Stott is one of 23 referees on the roster, with the experienced official set to work his 21st season of MLS.
ARs Craig Lowry, Chris Strickland and Kermit Quisenberry are also preparing themselves for their 21st seasons at the top of North America soccer.
Five recognizable names who aren’t on the roster are Greg Barkey, Bill Dittmar, George Gansner, Fabio Tovar and Paul Scott, after they all announced their retirements at the close of 2015.
Barkey will continue to work with PRO, though, following his appointment to the support staff as the new Manager of Assistant Referees, while Dittmar and Gansner are among the new AR coaches.
Read more: Greg Barkey ‘striving for the best’ in new role as Manager of Assistant Referees
Ted Unkel has been promoted to a full-time official, as well as being added to the FIFA panel, while Robert Sibiga is now a part-time referee having been promoted from the fourth officials.