Samuel “Sammy” Julian is a 2007 graduate of Kutztown University, where he competed in wrestling in 2003 and 2004 and had a career record of 7-13, and a graduate of Blue Mountain High School in Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania, where he achieved a record of 64-33. Off the mat, he received the Arnold Delin award given to a student promoting diversity and acceptance.

Julian has been officiating since the early 2000s and began earning awards for his performance in 2003 while still in high school.

He won the Glen Blackman Award (now called the Zach Errett Award) in 2009, the U.S. Wrestling Officials Association Rick Tucci Official of the Year award in 2014, and the Bill Stecklein Award in 2019. He won the Dave Errett Award in 2021 to become one of only four officials to ever win four of the major national awards. 

His most recent award came in 2022 at the 2022 Senior World Championships when he was awarded the very prestigious Golden Whistle Award by United World Wrestling, the international governing body for wrestling.

Julian has officiated three Olympic Games so far (Rio, Tokyo, and Paris), as well as numerous domestic and international events including multiple Olympic Team Trials and World Team Trials as well as Final X events.

Perhaps even more importantly, Julian is instrumental in the mentorship and development of new officials. He gives back not only to the wrestling community, but to his local community and represents the best parts of USA Wrestling.

A proud member of Pennsylvania USA Wrestling, Sammy serves on its board as membership director.

Julian has been a teacher in Schuylkill County his entire career, teaching at Blue Mountain for the first 10 years before teaching at Schuylkill Haven, where he currently is a special education instructor teaching autistic support. 

The Schuylkill Haven resident is the son of Samuel Sr. and Terry Julian and the brother of Stephanie Light.