Meritorious Official: Ken Mara

Ken Mara’s journey into officiating began as a newlywed simply looking to earn a little extra cash. What followed was a five-decade career that established him as one of the most respected wrestling officials in the United States.

Mara served as an NCAA wrestling official for 25 years, officiating 20 NCAA Division I national finals matches, a distinction reserved for the very best in the profession. His résumé includes work at NCAA Division II and III regional tournaments, and he served five years as a D1 official evaluator, helping guide and mentor the next generation of referees.

His presence was felt across the sport’s top events, including the NCAA National Duals, Big Ten Championships, Southern Conference Championships, Mid-American and Southeast Conference Championships, the Virginia Duals, and the All-Academy Championships.

In his home state of Tennessee, Mara gave more than 50 years of service to the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA), officiating 28 state championships over a 35-year span. Even after stepping off the mat, he continued to serve the sport as an evaluator and supervisor, ensuring high standards of integrity, consistency, and fairness remained a cornerstone of wrestling officiating.

A Tennessee state champion himself, Mara helped lead Notre Dame High School to a team title in 1968 before competing collegiately for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He was inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and received the TSSAA Distinguished Service Award in 2020. In 2008, the Tennessee Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame honored him with the Lifetime Service to Wrestling award.

For his decades of excellence, mentorship, and unwavering service to the sport, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame proudly honors Ken Mara as our 2025 Meritorious Official.