He has served as secretary-rules editor since 2020
The NCAA has appointed Jeff Fulton as the national coordinator of men’s ice hockey officials. He is set to begin his new position Sept. 1.
Fulton brings more than three decades of experience in collegiate ice hockey officiating and administration to the position. Throughout his career, he has established a reputation as a respected leader, educator, mentor and innovator dedicated to advancing the quality and consistency of officiating across all levels of the sport.
As national coordinator of officials, Fulton will provide leadership for the recruitment, development, education, evaluation and selection of officials for NCAA Men’s Division I and Division III ice hockey. He will work with conference coordinators, coaches, administrators and the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Committee to strengthen officiating programs nationwide while promoting consistency in rules application, communication and championship standards.
Fulton most recently served as the NCAA men’s and women’s ice hockey secretary-rules editor, a position he has held since 2020. In that role, he served as the national interpreter of NCAA ice hockey rules, coordinated annual rules changes and editorial revisions, developed officiating education through the RefQuest platform, oversaw national rules meetings, administered annual rules examinations and worked closely with the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey Rules Committees to improve the playing rules and educational resources for the sport.
In addition to his national responsibilities, Fulton has held numerous leadership positions throughout collegiate hockey, including conference officiating coordinator, supervisor, assigner and replay official for more than 15 years. His extensive experience working with officials, conference coordinators and collegiate administrators has provided him with a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing NCAA officiating.
“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve as the NCAA national coordinator of officials,” he said. “College hockey has provided me with incredible opportunities throughout my career, and I look forward to working with our conference coordinators, officials, coaches, administrators and NCAA committees to continue elevating officiating across the country. My vision is centered on communication, education, consistency, transparency and collaboration, while investing in the development of both current and future officials.”
Fulton has officiated at the highest levels of collegiate hockey throughout his career, including numerous NCAA championship assignments. He has also been instrumental in the development of officiating education programs, video review initiatives and national rules resources that have benefited officials, coaches and administrators across the NCAA.
The appointment reflects the NCAA’s continued commitment to providing the highest standard of officiating for student-athletes while fostering the recruitment, education and development of the next generation of collegiate officials. Fulton is replacing Frank Cole, who is stepping down after 27 years.
