Edwards replaces Mike Neff, who resigned from the position in March. "I want to thank Mike Neff for his service to the Iowa Conference," said Yrigoyen. "For more than a decade, Mike's work was respected by the officiating staff, our athletic administrators and our coaches. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors."

Edwards has not only excelled as an Iowa Conference official, he also has earned several national assignments at both the junior college and NCAA levels. He officiated the NCAA Division III Final Four in 2009. As the Iowa Conference's women's basketball coordinator, Edwards will assign, train, evaluate and recruit the staff of 40-plus men and women. "I am looking forward to the opportunity and challenge of working with the administrators, coaches, student-athletes and current women’s basketball officials in the Iowa Conference," noted Edwards.

Edwards already has experience as an assignor, serving in that role for the Central Iowa Metropolitan League's boys and girls basketball high school programs. He will continue as the CIML's assignor. "We see Ralph's continued involvement with high school officiating as a big plus in that those contacts should provide some up-and-coming officiating talent for our already-strong staff," Yrigoyen said. Edwards also has held other leadership positions in Iowa officiating. He is the current president of the Central Iowa Basketball Officials Association and a past president of the Des Moines Officials Association.