JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – University of North Florida athletic director Lee Moon announced the hiring of coaching veteran Tim Parenton as the head coach for the UNF Baseball program.
Parenton, who served as an assistant coach at North Florida from 2010-13, returns to the Ospreys following a three-year stint as the manager of the Hudson Valley Renegades, the Short Season-A team affiliate in the New York Penn League for the Tampa Bay Rays.
"We are extremely excited to welcome Tim back to North Florida," said Moon. "He has been a collegiate head coach during his career and a proven track record of success at every level of baseball. Tim is very familiar with recruiting in the state of Florida and has been a huge part of both finding and developing players during his career. I believe that he is the perfect fit for our program as well as the University and am looking forward to the things he will accomplish."
As the manager for the Renegades, Parenton guided the squad to a pair of Division titles in 2014 and 2016, while finishing runner-up in the Penn League last summer. In addition, he also coordinated the Rays' extended spring training program in Port Charlotte, Fla.
"I'm extremely happy to have this opportunity to return to North Florida." Parenton said. "My wife and I are both excited to be a part of the Osprey family again. I have always felt the UNF baseball program has the potential to compete at the highest level and I will do my best to lead us there. I can't wait to get started and meet with our team."
During his first tenure at UNF, Parenton helped recruit and develop several standout performers including Alex Bacon, Shane Kennedy and Tyler Moore, who all garnered Freshman All-American honors and ASUN All-Freshman accolades. Bacon also earned the ASUN Freshman of the Year award. The Ospreys also enjoyed other milestones with Parenton on staff including a 10-5 victory over No. 1-ranked Florida in 2012 and a No. 23 ranking in the College Baseball Daily Mid-Major Top 25 poll.
Prior to his first stint with the Ospreys, Parenton spent three seasons as the head coach Jesuit High School in New Orleans (2007-09), his prep alma mater. He guided the Blue Jays to three consecutive state tournament appearances and a pair of American Legion playoff runs. His coaching ledger with Jesuit featured a runner-up and two quarterfinal finishes in the state tournament while also collecting an American Legion state championship.
Parenton took the break from college baseball following a three-year tenure as an assistant coach at the University of Florida from 2004-2006. During his time at UF, the Gators claimed the 2005 SEC title and also advanced to the College World Series, finishing second in the nation. As the club's hitting coach, he oversaw an offense that finished among the program's top all-time leaders in total bases, hits, runs, RBIs, walks and home runs. Florida made two NCAA Regional and Super Regional appearances during his time in Gainesville.
As the head coach at Samford University from 1998-2003, Parenton was named the 2004 OVC Coach of the Year and also led the Bulldogs to conference tournament appearances in both the OVC (2004) and ASUN (2002). He oversaw a $1,000,000 renovation project at Samford for the baseball stadium and had over a 90 percent graduation rate with 51 academic all-conference honorees during his seven-year tenure.
Before taking over his own program, Parenton also worked two successful seasons at Mississippi State (1996-97), helping lead MSU to a pair of NCAA Regional berths along with a trip to the 1997 College World Series. He began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant coach at Old Dominon (1990-95), where he was part of a 188-97 record in five seasons. ODU snared a back-to-back Colonial Athletic Conference crowns in 1994 and 1995 while advancing to NCAA Regional play. He was also part of an ODU runner-up finish in the Sun Belt Conference (1991).
Along with his extensive coaching career, Parenton was a two-sport letterwinner in football and baseball at Mississippi State University. He helped the Bulldogs to the 1980 Sun Bowl and 1981 Hall of Fame Bowl as a quarterback while earning a pair of NCAA Regional baseball appearances as an infielder on the diamond. He earned his bachelor's degree from MSU in 1989.
A native of New Orleans, Parenton starred at Jesuit High School, where he earned 11 letters in baseball, basketball, football and track. He was chosen the school's Athlete of the Decade for the 1970s.
