By Leila Nikamal
BroncoAthletics.com

POMONA, Calif. - On Saturday night before the men's basketball game at Kellogg Gym, Cal Poly Pomona Intercollegiate Athletics honored Dr. Ernie Simpson. A long-time supporter of Bronco Athletics, Simpson is celebrating his 55th and final year as a referee for high school basketball.

CPP Director of Athletics Brian Swanson presented Simpson with a signed basketball before the game, just moments after Simpson led the ceremonial tipoff between the Broncos and Cal State East Bay. CPP went on to defeat the Pioneers 76-48.

"It was a privilege to honor Dr. Simpson for his long and distinguished officiating career," Swanson said. "We are extremely fortunate for the support that Ernie and Joan have given to Bronco Athletics."

Simpson's referring career began in New Mexico where he spent his first seven years. He began working with the Foothill-Citrus Basketball Officials Association in 1967 and has continued to work with them for the last 48 years.

Simpson estimates that he has referred more than 1,500 games in his 55 years but never at Cal Poly Pomona. He was also recognized for his officiating career by becoming the fifth recipient of the Ed Lindsay Award.

A former professor in the College of Science at CPP, Simpson received the Provost's Award for Excellence in Service in 2013.

His award-winning Cooperative Education Program helped place over 2,000 CPP students in major-related paid internships, and brought over $4 million in contracts, grants, and in-kind donations to CPP. Simpson has raised more than $100,000 in endowed Simpson scholarships at CPP, including a women's basketball officiating scholarship. 

Simpson has been a mentor to hundreds of Cal Poly Pomona Broncos who have gone on to officiating careers. Over the years there have been numerous CPP faculty, staff, students and alumni who have officiated basketball, most of whom were Foothill-Citrus members. That group includes: Barney Anooshian, Aasia Aguirre, Bart Carrido, Ken Cochrane, Ray Eberle, Stan Jackson, Jim Johnson, Mike Kearns, Darlene May, Dr. Jim McKinney, Violet Palmer, Selma Rasheed, Leah Whatley and Bob Stull.

The Foothill-Citrus unit of the California Basketball Officials Association (CBOA) needs and invites new members to join them for the 2015-16 season. The CBOA web site is located at cboa.net/foothillcitrus.