Parker Resigns as Director of Athletics
5/18/2020 10:30:00 AM | General
RIVERSIDE – After 11 years at the helm, it was announced on Monday that Dr. Micah Parker stepped down as the Director of Athletics at California Baptist University and accepted a similar position at Northwestern College in Iowa.
"Dr. Parker has been a perfect fit at CBU as a man of faith and incredible integrity," said Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, President of CBU. "I want to thank him for all of the hard work he has put into leading our athletics department through two transitions, from NAIA to NCAA Division II and now Division I. We wish him nothing but the best in his next chapter."
Parker arrived at CBU in 2009 and led the Lancers from NAIA to NCAA Division II and NCAA Division I. In CBU's final year at the DII level in 2018, the Lancers won the Learfield Directors' Cup, which is awarded annually to the nation's best overall collegiate athletics program. The Lancers are in the midst of a four-year transition to DI primarily as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
Under Parker's leadership, CBU collected over 50 conference championships including three titles at the DI level. The Lancers garnered seven individual NCAA championships, with four from swimming and three from wrestling. Parker was instrumental in hiring seven coaches who have been named conference or national Coach of the Year.
Parker oversaw several facility improvement projects highlighted by the CBU Events Center, which opened July 2017, and the new Athletic Performance Center (APC) in 2019. The APC features a 10,800-square-foot weight room, the largest of the NCAA Division I non-football institutions in the state of California.
As much success as the Lancers have had athletically, they have also done so academically. CBU's student-athletes have boasted over a 3.0 GPA over the last 16 semesters, including a best 3.445 department GPA in 2019-20. CBU has posted a department GPA above 3.2 the last 10 semesters.
"Dr. Parker has done a tremendous job of leading CBU Athletics over his 11 years as the AD," said Kent Dacus, CBU's Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services. "The department has succeeded not only athletically, but academically and spiritually under his leadership. We can't thank him enough for all he has done for CBU."
CBU will begin a national search immediately.
"Dr. Parker has been a perfect fit at CBU as a man of faith and incredible integrity," said Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, President of CBU. "I want to thank him for all of the hard work he has put into leading our athletics department through two transitions, from NAIA to NCAA Division II and now Division I. We wish him nothing but the best in his next chapter."
Parker arrived at CBU in 2009 and led the Lancers from NAIA to NCAA Division II and NCAA Division I. In CBU's final year at the DII level in 2018, the Lancers won the Learfield Directors' Cup, which is awarded annually to the nation's best overall collegiate athletics program. The Lancers are in the midst of a four-year transition to DI primarily as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
Under Parker's leadership, CBU collected over 50 conference championships including three titles at the DI level. The Lancers garnered seven individual NCAA championships, with four from swimming and three from wrestling. Parker was instrumental in hiring seven coaches who have been named conference or national Coach of the Year.
Parker oversaw several facility improvement projects highlighted by the CBU Events Center, which opened July 2017, and the new Athletic Performance Center (APC) in 2019. The APC features a 10,800-square-foot weight room, the largest of the NCAA Division I non-football institutions in the state of California.
As much success as the Lancers have had athletically, they have also done so academically. CBU's student-athletes have boasted over a 3.0 GPA over the last 16 semesters, including a best 3.445 department GPA in 2019-20. CBU has posted a department GPA above 3.2 the last 10 semesters.
"Dr. Parker has done a tremendous job of leading CBU Athletics over his 11 years as the AD," said Kent Dacus, CBU's Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services. "The department has succeeded not only athletically, but academically and spiritually under his leadership. We can't thank him enough for all he has done for CBU."
CBU will begin a national search immediately.
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