Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Jeffery Anderson is one of the more entertaining referees college basketball has to offer courtesy of the unorthodox running style he’s known for showcasing during games. However, the man known as “High Knees Ref” won’t be able to show it off for a little while due to the fluke injury he suffered while working on his form.
As a general rule, if fans are intimately familiar with the refs, umpires, and other officials tasked with keeping order at sporting events, it’s probably because they’re bad at their job; if most members of the general public don’t know who you are, you’re probably doing something right, but if you manage to become a household name, it’s usually not because people think you excel at what you do.
With that said, there are more than a few exceptions. Most NHL fans appreciate Wes McCauley thanks to the energy he’s known for injecting into certain penalty calls, and retired NFL ref Ed Hochuli was a fairly beloved figure during his 28-year tenure thanks in no small part to his jacked physique.
Most college basketball fans may not know Jeffrey Anderson by name, but anyone who tunes into games on a regular basis has likely spotted the official who’s commonly referred to as “High Knees Ref” due to a style of running he’s adopted to take some of the pressure off of a back that has given him issues over the years.
High knees at Fresno State vs Nevada pic.twitter.com/jDiReEJFBr
— Jeffrey Anderson Fan Account (@highkneesref) February 11, 2025
Anderson is also known for being a solid official who’s earned the right to work Final Four games for the past seven seasons, and while there’s a good chance that streak will be extended to eight this year, he did suffer a setback as the college basketball world gears up for the start of conference tournament play and the grand arrival of March Madness.
According to Jeff Goodman, Anderson has been out of action since last week due to the injury he presumably suffered while doing some high knees in his hotel before banging one of them on the table, which subsequently led to him dealing with the swelling that’s been severe enough to prevent him from suiting up.
He’s expected to make his grand return at some point this week, and while I usually don’t want to laugh at another person’s misfortune, I think even Anderson would have to admit it’s hard not to be amused by the mental image of that fateful moment.