officials

Richard Preston

Year Inducted: 2000

Category: Officials

Schools / Organizations: IHSA

Biography: Rick Preston had raced up and down basketball courts for 32 years when he was inducted in 2000 and he wasn’t ready to untie his basketball shoes for the last time. Going back to the nights where he often worked two games, Preston figured the number of games he officiated was approaching 5,000.  Preston worked more than 20 years with Bill Spriggs of Kankakee as his officiating partner. He and Spriggs called the 1988 Class A state championship game where Pana topped Pinckneyville 62-58. Preston also worked the 1987 A state finals. He said Ottawa Marquette’s 80-77 upset of Chicago Providence St. Mel in the 1987 New Lenox Lincoln-Way supersectional is a game that sticks out.  Preston also worked 24 boys regionals and 8 sectionals and 12 girls regionals and 8 sectionals. He officiated in holiday tournaments at Braidwood, Cornell, Danville Schlarman, Dwight, Lexington, Lemont, Lisle, Manteno, Melvin-Sibley, Momence, Morris, Peotone, Plano and Streator. Preston also works junior college and NCAA Division III games.