Dr. William "Bill" Welker was presented with the prestigious "Director's Award" at the 70th Annual Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Ron Mauck Wrestling Championships in Wheeling, West Virginia on January 20.

The citation on the plaque reads: "The 2024 Director’s Award is presented to Dr. William Welker for his unwavering dedication and commitment to the success of the OVAC Ron Mauck Wrestling Championships."

Welker has contributed to the tournament for over 50 years, officiating from 1980-91 and serving as the competition's rules interpreter from 1992-2017.

The OVAC is the largest conference of its kind in the United States with more than 50 member schools from Ohio and West Virginia.

An accomplished wrestling author who has published four mat sport novels, Welker writes all of the articles for the OVAC annual souvenir program and selects the finals officials.

Welker is a member of the Pennsylvania’s Sports Hall of Fame, the PA District Four Wrestling Hall of Fame, the PA State Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the OVAC Hall of Fame.

He co-founded the West Virginia State Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2003 and received the Lifetime Service to Wrestling award from the organization in 2008.