Referees Elect Three of Their Own to the RC Nominating Committee
Published
USA Fencing referees elected Harrison Hue, Andy Liu, and Will Curtis to serve on the 2026 Referees'' Commission Nominating Committee. The three will help decide which candidates appear on the ballot for the Referees'' Commission general election in May.
USA Fencing referees elected Harrison Hue, Andy Liu, and Will Curtis to serve on the 2026 Referees'' Commission Nominating Committee. The three will help decide which candidates appear on the ballot for the Referees'' Commission general election in May.
What the RC Nominating Committee does
The Referees'' Commission Nominating Committee (RCNC) has eight members:
- Three referees elected by their peers
- Two current Referees'' Commission members who are not running for re-election
- Two athlete representatives
- One Board member
The RCNC selects the nominees for the May Referees'' Commission general election. Three seats are on that ballot: Vice Chair of Domestic Assignments, Vice Chair of Rules and Examinations, and Vice Chair of International Assignments and Development. Eligible referees submit nominations, the RCNC advances two candidates per seat, and referees then vote.
Who was eligible to run and vote
Thirteen candidates stood for the three elected referee spots. Each was an active referee who had officiated at least two qualifying national or international events in 2023–24, 2024–25, or 2025–26. The same standard defined the electorate.
Turnout
153 of 328 eligible referees voted, a turnout of 46.65%. For comparison, USA Fencing reported 57.1% in 2024, 44.1% in 2022, 41.2% in 2020, and 41.1% in 2018.
Full results
- Harrison Hue — 82 votes (18.98%)
- Andy Liu — 57 (13.19%)
- Will Curtis — 51 (11.81%)
- Kyle Roat — 40 (9.26%)
- Susan Burgos — 39 (9.03%)
- Zoe Tolbert — 34 (7.87%)
- Jamie Vaughan — 33 (7.64%)
- Andrew Lambdin-Abraham — 26 (6.02%)
- Jude Offerle — 22 (5.09%)
- Paul Harris — 18 (4.17%)
- Ziad Khayat — 18 (4.17%)
- Yassin Khodir — 9 (2.08%)
- Ipek Irem Ulku — 3 (0.69%)
Hue, Liu, and Curtis take the three elected seats.
Why saber families should care about referee governance
Refereeing quality is the part of a tournament that parents notice most and understand least. The Referees'' Commission recruits, develops, and evaluates referees, makes national and international assignments, and owns the Rules of Competition. The people chosen through this nominating process shape who ends up officiating your fencer''s direct elimination bout at a NAC.
For saber specifically, right-of-way calls are the heart of the sport, so the pipeline that trains and promotes saber referees has a direct effect on competition experience. That is why USA Fencing publishes turnout and vote counts for what looks like an internal committee election.
What comes next
The RCNC''s work leads into the May Referees'' Commission general election for the three vice chair roles. Those elected take four-year terms.
Train saber in Bethesda
Saber Nation trains at 4701 Sangamore Road, Suite LL2, Bethesda, MD 20816. If your fencer is learning to read referee calls under pressure, that is exactly what our bouting and private lesson work targets. See saber fencing classes in Bethesda, MD or contact the club.
Related reading
Source: USA Fencing, "Referees Elect Three of Their Own to Serve on RC Nominating Committee," Feb. 14, 2026 — official USA Fencing article.
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