USA Powerlifting Honorary Awards
Each year, recognition is given to the officials, athletes and coaches who represent the highest standards of service to their fellow athletes and the ideals of USA Powerlifting. These are the Honorary Awards. They are voted on at the annual National Governing Body Meeting. These awards reflect the highest esteem of the governing delegates of USA Powerlifting. Nomination to these prestigious awards is an honor in itself. The recipients of the Honorary Awards exemplify the values of USA Powerlifting, our sport as a whole and the drug free ethic that is central to our organization.
Brother Bennett Award
The Brother Bennett Award is the most prestigious of the honorary awards given by the members of USA Powerlifting. It is named for the founder of the drug free powerlifting movement in the U.S., and recognizes extraordinary service to the athletes of our organization and leadership in furthering the cause of drug free sport. The recipients of the Brother Bennett Award reflect the highest ideals of our sport, and many of the original recipients were both mentored by Brother Bennett and share his vision of a lifting platform free from the effects of strength inducing substances.
Athlete of the Year
The USA Powerlifting Athlete of the Year Award is given to the athlete with the most successful year, representing USA Powerlifting in National and International competitions.
Coach of the Year
The USA Powerlifting Coach of the Year Award is given to the individual who is active in the training and coaching of drug free athletes at every level of competition, from local to international. They reflect selfless dedication to helping athletes realize their goals, whether they be improved health, greater strength, or increasing success in powerlifting competition. Recipients of the Coach of the Year Award give of themselves unselfishly, often at great personal expense and in lieu of success as athletes themselves. The individual selected as the Coach of the Year is recognized by their peers and fellow athletes for helping others reach their athletic dreams.
Referee of the Year
The job of referee is often a thankless one, and one which does not bring with it the recognition of the athletes, coaches, or spectators. The Referee of the Year Award is given to the individual who has performed exemplary duties as referee, both in terms of time commitment and level of activity. The Referee of the Year is an official who frequently travels at their own expense to assure that it is possible to hold competitions and to make certain that those athletes who are capable of record setting performances get the opportunity to do so. This honorary award was chartered to acknowledge and to thank those who have worked often from dawn to dusk and beyond, to assure that competitions may proceed and that a uniform standard of lifting performance is assured.
- 2023 Inductee – Wes Zunker
- 2022 Inductee – Ron Brinker
- 2021 Inductee – Greg Simmons
- 2019 Inductee – Geno Bianchari
- 2018 Inductee – Chip Hultquist
- 2017 Inductee – Angela Simons
- 2016 Inductee – Tony Cardella
- 2015 Inductee – Josh Rohr
- 2014 Inductee – Suzanne “Sioux-z” Hartwig-Gary
- 2013 Inductee – Gregory Page
- 2012 Inductee – Robert Keller
- 2011 Inductees – Robert Crawford | David Ricks
- 2010 Inductee – Priscilla Ribic
- 2009 Inductee – Dan Gaudreau
- 2008 Inductee – Joe Marksteiner
- 2007 Inductee – Rick Fowler
- 2006 Inductee – Pete Alaniz
- 2005 Inductee – Bettina Altizer
- 2004 Inductee – Brad Gillingham
- 2003 Inductee – Bill Clayton*
- 2002 Inductee – PJ Couvillion
- 2001 Inductee – Larry Maile
- 2000 Inductee – Johnny Graham
- 1999 Inductee – ^
- 1998 Inductee – ^
- 1997 Inductee – Dr. Mike Cissell
- 1996 Inductee – Pete Gisondi*
- 1995 Inductee – ^
- 1994 Inductee – Ned Cramer* | Mary Cramer*
- 1993 Inductee – Ed Jubinville*
- 1992 Inductee – Charlie Schroeder*
- 1991 Inductee – Allan Siegel | Robert Gaynor*
- 1990 Inductee – ^
- 1989 Inductee – Judith Gedney
- 2023 Inductee – David Goodwin
- 2022 Inductee – Shelby Gaspard
- 2021 Inductee – Don (Mac) McElravy
- 2019 Inductee – Tony Lee
- 2018 Inductee – Jim Battenfield
- 2017 Inductee – Michael Zawilinski
- 2016 Inductee – Tonya Lambeth
- 2015 Inductee – Joe Warpeha
- 2014 Inductee – Eliot Feldman
- 2013 Inductee – Bill Helmich
- 2012 Inductee – Phil ‘PJ’ Couvillion
- 2011 Inductee – Bill Clayton
- 2010 Inductee – Bill Sindelar
- 2009 Inductee – Robert Grisham
- 2008 Inductee – Joe Marksteiner | Cathy Marksteiner
- 2007 Inductee – George Bartotti*
- 2006 Inductee – Jack Marcus
- 2005 Inductee – Robert Keller
- 2023 Inductee – Jeremy Hartman
- 2022 Inductee – Eric Cordeiro
- 2021 Inductee – Mike Zawilinski
- 2019 Inductee – Tim Anderson
- 2018 Inductee – Arian Khamesi
- 2017 Inductee – James Townsend
- 2016 Inductee – Eric Mach
- 2015 Inductee – Jon Magendie
- 2014 Inductee – Malinda Baum/Angela Simons
- 2013 Inductee – Curt St. Romain
- 2012 Inductee – Matt Gary
- 2011 Inductee – Travis Werner
- 2010 Inductee – Jim Brown
- 2009 Inductee – Gina Stepleton
- 2008 Inductee – Joe Lewis
- 2007 Inductee – Larry Maile
- 2006 Inductee – Dan Gaudreau
- 2005 Inductee – Lanette Lopez
- 2004 Inductee – Jim Ford
- 2003 Inductee – Johnny Graham
- 2002 Inductee – Tod Miller
- 2001 Inductee – Jim Ford
- 2000 Inductee – Larry Maile
- 1999 Inductee – Billy Jack Talton
- 2023 Inductee – Brandon Pitre
- 2021 Inductee – Taylor Atwood
- 2019 Inductee – Jennifer Thompson
- 2018 Inductee – Bonica Brown
- 2017 Inductee – Liane Blyn
- 2016 Inductee – Blaine Sumner
- 2015 Inductee – Priscilla Ribic
- 2014 Inductee – Kimberly Walford
- 2013 Inductee – Ian Bell
- 2012 Inductee – Eric Kupperstein
