Staff, serving as NCBOA's Instructional Chairman for the final three years of his high school Officiating career.
Dennis Ackerman (HOF), gave him his first college officiating contract in 1993. Steve received his first DI contract in 2005 with the West Coast Conference. In 2009, he joined the Big West Conference. Steve officiated Division I basketball for 16 years until a health issue forced the difficult decision to retire after the 2020/21 season.
Steve officiated for 31 years; 14 years of High School Officiating, 28 College Seasons, including 16 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball and 28 consecutive years of postseason assignments.
Steve has always given back to the basketball officiating community. Along with instructing and mentoring, Steve started the SD Rising Officials Camp in San Diego (2007 — 2019). The camp focused on greater San Diego area officials and earned a reputation for having great learning environment with exceptional instruction provided by officiating's icons. The SDROC was widely recognized and respected as the premier San Diego Basketball Officiating Camp.
In March 2015, the NCBOA established, “The Steve Espinoza Integrity in Officiating Award” with Steve being the inaugural recipient. It
was almost a posthumous award. During the 2014 season, Steve encountered a life-threatening heart health issue. In January 2015, Steve underwent sextuple heart bypass surgery. Steve's rehabilitation program had him ready to return to a full basketball schedule in 2015.
In 2017, Steve was inducted as a NCBOA Honorary Lifetime Member acknowledging his dedication to the game of basketball overall, along with his commitment to helping and serving those in the officiating community. Following his retirement from the On Court at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season, Steve continued to serve as a college and high school observer and mentor.
After 31 years, Steve retired as interim Head of Library Technology Initiatives and Development from CSU San Marcos in 2024. He has been married to JoAnn, his High School sweetheart, since 1987 and they have two wonderful children, Matthew (wife Ara) and Marisa (fiancé Austin), and grandson Ever. Steve and JoAnn live in Temecula, CA.
