Dominic Parker named Head Men's Basketball Coach

RIT Executive Director of Athletics Jacqueline Nicholson announced Dominic Parker has been named Head Coach of the Men's Basketball team.

Parker brings a championship resume to Rochester following over 10 years as an assistant coach at the NCAA Division I, II, III and NJCAA levels, including a run to the NCAA Division III Tournament Quarterfinals last winter at Christopher Newport (Va.).

"Dom stood out in a very deep pool of candidates we had from across the country and I am thrilled he will be taking over as the face of our program," said Nicholson. "A rising star in the coaching world, he knows what goes into winning at a very high level and is poised to take over his own program with the same goals in mind. He has a passion for winning and leading student-athletes on and off the court and I am eager to see the direction he takes the program."

"I am extremely excited about the opportunity to lead the men's basketball program at an institution that has so much to offer its student-athletes," said Parker. "I look forward to the challenges and rewards that lie ahead coaching in the Liberty League and building the program into a contender on the national stage."

Parker most recently served Assistant Head Coach on John Krikorian's staff, helping Christopher Newport to a 24-7 record, including its third-consecutive Coast-To-Coast (C2C) Athletic Conference Championship. He helped mentor senior guard Jahn Hines to D3Hoops.com All-America honors, along with National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) First-Team All-District and C2C Player of the Year recognition. First-year guard Toa Hollenbeck was also named the C2C Rookie of the Year and joined Hines on the C2C First Team.

The Captains finished eighth nationally with 44.26 rebounds per game, fourth in field goal percentage defense, limiting its opposition to 37.0 percent shooting, and 15th in scoring defense (62.3 ppg).

Parker also spent two seasons as an assistant coach at CNU from 2017-19, including a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. The 2018-19 squad put together a 29-4 record, including an undefeated 18-0 home mark, en route to the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) Championship and a Final Four run for the second-winningest season in the program's now 56-year history.

The 2017-18 squad finished with a 22-7 record and made an NCAA Tournament Regional Finals appearance. CNU landed an at-large bid to the national tournament following a runner-up CAC finish and first of two-straight CAC regular-season titles. Parker was named to the NABC's Under Armour 30-Under-30 Team following the season, which previously recognized a group of the most outstanding men's basketball coaches under the age of 30 on an annual basis.  

Parker helped mentor Captains' senior guard Aaron McFarland to First-Team NABC All-America accolades following the 2017-18 season, before senior guard Marcus Carter landed second-team All-America recognition in 2018-19.

Prior to his second stint at CNU, Parker spent three seasons as an assistant on Tom Palumbo's staff at Guilford in Greensboro, N.C. The 2022-23 team finished with a 22-6 record, including an appearance in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Championship game, while the 2021-22 Quakers finished in the conference semis with an 18-7 mark.

Parker helped guide senior guard Tyler Dearman to First-Team All-ODAC honors in 2023 after garnering second-team plaudits in 2022, while senior guard Jordan Davis landed third-team honors for his second All-ODAC certificate.

Parker spent the 2019-20 season as an assistant coach at Division-I University of Maryland Eastern Shore and spent two seasons as an assistant at Shenandoah (Va.) from 2015-17. He also was an assistant at Richard Bland (Va.) College from 2013-15, including a run to the 2014-15 NJCAA National Championship with a 32-4 record.

"I am very thankful for my mentors John Krikorian, Tom Palombo, and (former Shenandoah coach) Rob Pryor for their strong belief in me and their aid in my development over the years," Parker said. "I would also like to thank former RIT coach Bob McVean, who laid down a strong foundation over last four decades that I look forward to continuing to build upon."

A Raleigh, N.C. native, Parker earned a bachelor's degree in health, physical education, recreation, and dance from Virginia State in 2012. He also began his coaching career at his alma mater as a graduate assistant with the NCAA Division II Trojans, earning a master's degree in sports management in 2013.

Added Parker, "I am very appreciative of the search committee and Jackie Nicholson for this amazing opportunity. The chance to represent a world-class institution as well as the opportunity to coach a great group of student-athletes is something that I could not pass up. The future of this program is extremely bright - Go Tigers!"

Parker begins his head coaching duties at RIT in June.