Officials

Andy Pullen

Year Inducted: 2002

Category: Coaches

Schools / Organizations: IHSA
IESA
NJCAA

Biography:

Andy Pullen of Dietrich couldn’t wait to start his 45-year basketball officiating career as a college undergraduate student at Eastern Illinois University. 

Pullen spent eight years as head basketball coach or assistant at Windsor, Oakland and Dietrich before becoming a principal at Grove Elementary School in Jasper County in 1967. Pullen is a doer and not a talker as he has officiated 15 IHSA Regionals and Sectionals at Watseka, West Frankfort, McLeansboro and two at Vandalia.

In 1994, Pullen officiated the IBCA Class AA Boys All-Star Game. He accepted a 1999 assignment at the King Cotton Classic in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

Pullen officiated in a junior college league for 10 years. He worked on all interscholastic levels and many times officiated the Illinois Elementary School Association Tournament. He was also a rules interpreter for the IESA.

He was an organizer and charter member of the South Central Basketball Officials Association. For more than 10 years Pullen served the group as president and board member. Known as a mentor, Pullen has helped many young officials, one who went on to work NCAA Division I basketball.

Pullen actually retired four times but kept coming back to work games to help schools and work with young officials. His dedication to his avocation is unparalleled in south central Illinois. He was an official coaches could count on to give a straight and honest answer to any question in regard to a call he made.