RENO, Nevada -- Longtime USATF law and legislation chair Judge Jim Murphy has been named the 2019 recipient of the Giegengack Award, USATF President Vin Lananna announced during Opening Session at USATF Annual Meeting in Reno, Nevada. The Robert Giegengack Award is USATF’s highest accolade for contributions to athletics in any category of volunteer work. It is awarded by the board of directors to a person who excels in contributing to the excellence and high standards of the sport of athletics. Judge Murphy started in track and field only a few years after TAC was founded, and has served in many roles over the years. He served as USATF Treasurer in 2000 and has been the Law & Legislation Committee Chairman for nearly two decades. He is also a certified official who has officiated the Goodwill Games, Olympic Trials and the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. Professionally, he served on the bench for 26 years in Spokane County Washington and retired as superior court judge in 2013. He currently serves on the international Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Robert Giegengack Award was established in 1982 in recognition of the late Yale University track & field coach’s “superior and outstanding contributions to the sport and to the organization as an official, coach, and administrator.” Previous recipients include Nancy Hobbs and Stephanie Hightower. Follow can along with #USATF19 at the 2019 USATF Annual Meeting on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The Annual Meeting continues through Sunday, December 8 in Reno.