In Memoriam
Eric Cox
Referee · Mentor · Instructor · District 8 Referee Administrator · Friend
Evansville, Indiana · Passed away July 31, 2026
Thank you, Eric
Eric was the guy who told it like it was, known for his honesty and integrity. He always had a joke to tell and was someone who made things “better.” He traveled to referee tournaments with his friends and was always willing to do one more game, “for the good of the game.” He is already sorely missed by all of us.
Eric Cox gave Indiana’s referees a great deal of himself. He was a referee first — named the W. John Denkmann Referee of the Year in 2008 — and from 2009 on he served the State Referee Committee in one role after another: State Director of Mentors, State Director of Instruction, a member of the Board of Directors, and, most recently, a District 8 Referee Administrator alongside Matt Hirsch.
He taught new referees as a course instructor, mentored referees as they developed, and assigned officials for tournaments in the Evansville area. In January 2023 his work was recognized at our annual meeting for keeping referees in the game in District 8.
To the referees he taught and mentored, the colleagues who served beside him, and everyone who worked a game with him: we are grateful for every one of his years with us, and his influence lives on in the referees he helped along the way.
Thank you, Eric. Rest in peace, brother.
A friend to the final whistle
Matt “Walter” Hirsch was Eric’s best friend, and he was with Eric all the way until the final whistle. The two served side by side as District 8 Referee Administrators. Thank you, Matt, for standing with Eric to the very end.
Eric’s service to Indiana referees
- 2008W. John Denkmann Referee of the Year
- 2009–2013State Director of Mentors
- 2013–2020State Director of Instruction
- 2014–2022Member, Board of Directors
- 2022–2026District 8 Referee Administrator
- 2023Recognized for referee retention in District 8 (annual meeting, January 28, 2023)
Years are the years Eric is documented in each role. He is also honored on our Thank You to Our Past Leaders page.
Eric’s refereeing career
- 2004Certified as a referee
- 2007Advanced to Regional Referee
- 2009Licensed as an Assignor
- 2011Licensed as an Instructor, teaching new referees through 2023
- 2015Became a Regional Emeritus Referee after eight years at the Regional level
- 2016Licensed as an Assessor, and as a Futsal Referee (2016–2018)
- 2022Became a Referee Mentor; Referee Mentor Plus in 2026
From Eric’s U.S. Soccer license history. Eric kept his assignor and mentor licenses current through 2026.
Share a memory
If you refereed with Eric, learned from him, or simply want to say thank you, we would like to hear from you. Send us a memory or a photo and, with your permission, we will share it here.