KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association had historic additions to its 2022 rookie class of full-time Division II college football officials.
For the first time in MIAA history, a woman has been hired as a full-time football official.
Taylor Darr first entered the MIAA’s prestigious football officiating crew in the 2021 season. Darr was the Center Judge for week nine’s matchup between Missouri Southern and Missouri Western, becoming the Association’s first ever woman to officiate a MIAA football game.
It was a memorable day for Darr as she explained, “The game was special for me for multiple reasons. I made history being the first female to work a game in the MIAA, as well as getting to work my first collegiate game with my husband. So, it was a very special day for me to be able to work a collegiate game with him."
Darr’s husband, Gavin Darr, has been a member of the MIAA’s football officiating staff for the past three seasons.
Darr graduated from Kansas State in 2018. After graduation, she moved to Wichita and began working a full high school varsity schedule and was hired by the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) as a swing official. The following year she was hired full time in the KJCCC and in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) and has been working there for the last three years.
Following Darr’s first-time appearance on the MIAA’s football officiating crew, she shared that her goal was to get hired full-time by the Association. Not only has she achieved her goal, but she also hopes other women will follow her footsteps. “I hope that I can inspire other females to break barriers and do what they put their mind to,” Darr said.
In addition to the hiring the Association’s first full-time female football official, the 2022 rookie class also features former MIAA student-athlete and Division II football national champion, Zac Dickey.
As the Gorillas starting quarterback, Zac Dickey led Pittsburg State to its fourth NCAA national title in 2011. Dickey is all over the PSU record books. His 1,165 yards during the Gorillas national championships season still ranks second in PSU’s single-season records while his 2,066 career yards in just two seasons as a Gorilla rank fifth in the program.
Dickey graduated from PSU with his bachelor’s degree in international/global studies in 2012. Following graduation, he continued his educational career at PSU, earning his master’s degree in health, human performance and recreation. He now works as an agency president at AssuredPartners in Wichita, Kan.
No stranger to the MIAA, Dickey has been an MIAA Ambassador since 2018 advocating for the Association and helping build relationships with area business leaders. Dickey has also acted as the moderator for the MIAA Football Media Day for the past three seasons.
Darr and Dickey are joined by 11 other football officials in the 2022 rookie class. The 2022 MIAA football season begins Thursday, September 1.