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Nesbitt First Woman Named MLS Assistant Referee of the Year

MLS Referee and Assistant Referee of the Year Awards

Awards - 2020 - MLS Assistant Referee of the Year

Ismail Elfath earns first career MLS Referee of the Year honors
NEW YORK
(Thursday, November 19, 2020)
– Major League Soccer and the Professional Referee Organization today announced Ismail Elfath as MLS Referee of the Year and named Kathryn Nesbitt the 2020 MLS Assistant Referee of the Year. Nesbitt makes history as the first woman official to earn year-end recognition (by virtue of receiving an award or a championship assignment) in any of the five North American men’s professional sports leagues.
During a breakout 2020 season, Nesbitt made her first bit of officiating history as an assistant referee for the MLS is Back Tournament Final in Orlando this summer. With that assignment, she became the first woman ever to be named to a league final officiating crew. Additionally, Nesbitt has earned 30 total assignments in all positions this year, doubling the 15 she achieved in each of the last two seasons respectively.
Nesbitt made her MLS debut in 2015, earning her way onto the FIFA panel of assistant referees in 2016. She was selected for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France (2019) and is among the emerging crop of 10 women officials breaking through the MLS ranks with a collective 74 assignments this season.
Ismail Elfath earns his first MLS Referee of the Year honors after previously receiving nominations in both 2013 and 2017. The nine-year MLS official with 160 total career referee assignments, has earned 16 center roles in 2020, including the MLS is Back Tournament Final.
A FIFA referee since 2012, Elfath’s prestigious assignments have also included the MLS All-Star Game (2015), Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Conference Finals (2015, 2017), FIFA Under-20 World Cup Final (2019), FIFA Club World Cup (2019), and Concacaf Gold Cup (2019).
Nominated by the Professional Referee Organization, candidates for MLS Referee of the Year and Assistant Referee of the Year were voted on by MLS club technical staff, media and MLS players. Below is the voting breakdown for these two awards:

Referee of the YearPlayer %Club %Media %Final %
Ismail Elfath38.27%
55.56%
59.29%
51.04%
Joe Dickerson
36.22%
30.56%
20.00%
28.93%
Jair Marrufo
25.51%
13.89%
20.71%
20.04%


Asst. Referee of the YearPlayer %Club %Media %Final %
Kathryn Nesbitt46.88%
54.29%
67.88%
56.35%
Corey Rockwell
21.88%
31.43%
18.25%
23.85%
Cory Richardson
31.25%
14.29%
13.87%
19.80%


MLS Referee of the Year Winners:


2020:  Ismail Elfath
2019: Allen Chapman


2018: Alan Kelly


2017: Allen Chapman


2016: Alan Kelly


2015: Alan Kelly


2014: Mark Geiger


2013: Hilario Grajeda


2012: Silviu Petrescu


2011: Mark Geiger


2010: Kevin Stott


2009: Alex Prus


2008: Jair Marrufo


2007: Brian Hall


2006: Brian Hall


2005: Brian Hall


2004: Abiodun Okulaja


2003: Brian Hall


2002: Kevin Terry


2001: Paul Tamberino


2000: Paul Tamberino


1999: Paul Tamberino


1998: Paul Tamberino


1997: Esse Baharmast




MLS Assistant Referee of the Year Winners:


2020: Kathryn “Katy” Nesbitt
2019: Brian Dunn


2018: Joe Fletcher


2017: Corey Parker


2016: Frank Anderson


2015: Corey Parker


2014: Paul Scott


2013: Kermit Quisenberry


2012: Ian Anderson


2011: Corey Rockwell


2010: Craig Lowry


2009: Greg Barkey


2008: Kermit Quisenberry