After 28 seasons at the helm of Golden Grizzlies soccer program, head coach Gary Parsons retired from college coaching in November of 2008, but not before ending his career with arguably one of his finest seasons. He reached the 350-win plateau, a feat that has only been accomplished by 15 other Division I head coaches and is currently 10th amongst active Div. I coaches all-time and is one of the more tenured coaches at Oakland University. Parsons' resume is a temple for proven success at both the D-I and D-II levels of NCAA competition. He has guided the Golden Grizzlies to seven Summit League championships in 10 seasons, and is the only league school to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, doing so in 2003 and 2008. He has guided OU to three NCAA Tournament berths in nine seasons, advanced to the second round in 2007, and is a three-time Summit League Coach of the Year (2005, '07, '08). Parsons has led the Golden Grizzlies to 27 winning seasons in his 28, tasting his only sub-par season in 2006. All OU did is respond with one of its finest seasons at the Div. I level, tying a program record with 12 wins (12-7-3) and won regular season (5-0-1) and tournament Summit League championships. The Grizzlies then picked up the league's first postseason win ever, defeating Michigan State, 2-1, in East Lansing to move in to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. OU fell at No. 10 Notre Dame, 2-1, and played national runner-up Ohio State to a 2-1 decision in Columbus, Ohio, earlier in the season. Over his first 16 years in Div. II, 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. In 2005 Parsons guided Oakland to its fifth Summit League regular season title in seven years, earning him his first Summit League 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 Summit League 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 Summit League, Oakland players have earned a total of 48 all-league, five Player of the Year and two Newcomer of the Year awards. Under Parsons' tutelage, Oakland made league history in 2002 when it became the first league school to win a championship while hosting the event. The result was OU's first trip to the Div. I NCAA Tournament where the Golden Grizzlies came close to picking up its first D-I win in tournament action, dropping a 2-1 decision to UW-Milwaukee. Oakland began its Division I era in 1998. Although they weren't eligible for the Summit League championship, the Golden Grizzlies finished 12-4 overall and 6-0 against league 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 Summit action. 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 200th career win as OU finished with an 18-2-2 mark, coming tantalizingly close to a national title when Tampa downed Oakland 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 UW-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 No. 1 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, Mass., 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, Mich., with his wife Wenli, and son Yang Kai Yuan.
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