Gary Parsons will celebrate his silver anniversary with the OU men's soccer program in 2005.

One of Oakland’s longest tenured coaches with 26 years at the institution, Gary Parsons has shaped and developed the OU men’s soccer program into one that is regularly ranked among the top programs in the region and the nation.  The proof lies in his record of success at Oakland where Parsons has recorded a 337-127-53 (.703) overall record.  Twenty five of his 26 teams at Oakland have had winning records, including 25 straight seasons from 1981 to 2005.

Over his first 16 years, Parsons developed the OU soccer program into one of the premier programs in Division II soccer, playing in the national championship game three times and reaching the final four on seven occasions.  He has carried his tradition of excellence to the Division I level over the last nine seasons during which the Golden Grizzlies have made two more appearances in the NCAA Tournament, giving the program a total of 15 trips to the national tournament during his 26 years.

Parsons; 327 victories and .703 winning percentage are both among the top 10 amongst current DI coaches, with his victory total among the top-40 all-time in the NCAA record boo.  There have been only three seasons in which a Parsons coached team has not recorded at least 10 wins.

In 2005 Parsons guided Oakland to its fifth Mid-Continent Conference regular season title in seven years, earning him his first Mid-Con Coach of the Year award, as the team finished 5-1 in league play and 10-9 overall.  The Golden Grizzlies were kept from the NCAA Tournament in a tough overtime loss to Western Illinois in the Mid-Con Tournament championship game.  Oakland tied for the league lead in all-conference players with five, including Defensive Player of the Year, Jeff Wiese.

Parsons’ commitment to player development has earned his student-athletes numerous awards over the years.  Since joining the Mid-Con, Oakland players have earned a total of 43 all-conference, four Player of the Year and one Newcomer of the Year awards.

Under Parsons’ tutelage, Oakland made Mid-Con history in 2002 when it became the first league school to win a conference championship while hosting the event.  The result was OU’s first trip to the Division I NCAA Tournament where the Golden Grizzlies came close to picking up its first DI win in tournament action, dropping a 2-1 decision to UW-Milwaukee.  The following season Parsons’ team made Oakland history again when it became the first team at the school to receive an at-large bid to an NCAA Division I tournament.  After finishing the season 12-4-5 the Golden Grizzlies were summoned to Tulsa where OU once again came close, this time coming up on the short end of a 3-2 double-overtime result to the Golden Hurricanes.

Oakland began its Division I era in 1998.  Although they weren’t eligible for the Mid-Continent Conference championship, the Golden Grizzlies finished 12-4 overall and 6-0 against Mid-Con opponents.  The 1999 season marked the first year in which the Golden Grizzlies were finally eligible to officially compete as a Division I school.  Oakland finished 11-6-2 overall and 2-3 in the Mid-Continent Conference.

Under Parsons, OU made 13 national tournament trips in its Division II era, including three in which the Golden Grizzlies finished second in the nation (1996, 1994 and 1986).  The 1994 campaign saw Parsons pick up his 200^th career win as OU finished with an 18-2-2 mark, coming tantalizingly close to a national title with Tampa downed the then Pioneers in overtime.

During the late 80’s and early 90’s, Parsons had his Oakland squad in the NCAA Tournament for nine consecutive years, reaching the Final Four four times and the championship game twice.  During that span OU compiled an overall record of 137-37-19.

Parsons’ coaching success began before his arrival in Rochester.  After going to four straight NCAA tournaments as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Eastern Illinois University, he almost led OU to the playoffs in his first year (1981) with a 14-4-1 record and the number one ranking in the Mideast Region.  From there Parsons quickly developed the squad into one of the top soccer powers in the nation.

Parsons has earned five Mideast Coach of the Year selections and was the coach of the victorious West team in the 1989 Soccer Senior Bowl in St. Louis, a team which included John Stewart, the second two-time All-American in Oakland soccer history.  Parsons has had nine OU soccer players play in the prestigious Senior Bowl.

In addition to his coaching prowess, Parsons enjoyed a noteworthy playing career.  He was voted the Most Valuable Defensive Player at Plymouth State College as a senior and helped the Panthers to the New England State College Athletic Conference finals in his last two years.  He was recently honored by Plymouth State when it named him to his Hall of Fame.  Parsons holds Bachelor’s degrees in math and physical education from Plymouth State (’73) and earned a Master’s degree in physical education from Eastern Illinois University (’79).

A native of Oakham, Massachusetts, parsons also serves on the staff of the USYSA Region II Olympic Development program.  He is a holder of a United States Soccer Federation “A” License and directs his highly successful OU soccer camps during the summer months.  He resides in Auburn Hills with his wife Wenli.