Recognized as one of the finest college basketball officials in the country, Mike Kitts takes to the court many times each week in the winter, keeping pace with the fast action world of collegiate basketball.

 

Sports have been a big part of Kitts’ life. A Syracuse native, Kitts played both basketball and baseball for St. Anthony's, winning all-league honors in both sports. In 1968, he was second in the Parochial League in scoring. He played college ball for Onondaga Community College and many years in the city's Classic Recreational Basketball League.

 

In 1979, he began officiating high school basketball games and quickly moved to Division II and III college in 1981. The big move came in 1985 when he jumped to Division I. His primary conference is the Big East but he also refs for the SEC, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Conference USA, Atlantic 10, MAC and MAAC. Kitts worked the MAAC title game 12 years in a row.

 

The respected Kitts has officiated four NCAA Final Fours as well as five NIT Finals and four Big East finals. Kitts received the Joe Schwarzer Award from the Blind Men & Criers for excellent in sports officiating and the John Sherlock award from IAABO Local Board #38 in 2008.

 

In 2008, Kitts won the Naismith Award, which is bestowed upon the nation’s best college official. Mike and his wife Angela have a son and daughter and live in East Syracuse.