University of South Alabama head men’s basketball coach Richie Riley made the announcement Thursday that current assistant coach Tyler Parker is being promoted to the program’s recruiting coordinator.
Parker — who has been involved in all coaching duties since his elevation to an assistant position on the staff two years ago — not only is in charge of recruiting for the Jaguars but also developing the team’s guards.
“Tyler is one of the best recruiters in the country. Not only does he work incredibly hard at it, but he has a detailed approach that is unmatched,” said Riley. “I’m excited about his increased role and know it will make a positive impact on our program moving forward.”
In his two seasons as a coach at South, the Jags have put together a 37-22 record overall while going 23-14 in the Sun Belt Conference highlighted by a 20-11 finish in 2019-20 that marked the program’s first 20-win campaign in over 10 years. Parker’s efforts that winter helped former guard Herb Magee end his career ranked among the top 10 in school history in three-point field goals and top 15 in assists, while Chad Lott (13.5 ppg) and Andre Fox (12.2 ppg) both averaged in double figures in scoring their only season with the program. With his assistance last year, Michael Flowers was named the Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year and first-team all-league after averaging 21 points per outing and Tyreke Locure increased his scoring average by more than eight points per game after posting an average of 13.5 as well.
Parker first worked on Riley’s staff at Nicholls during the 2017-18 season, where he helped the Colonels win a share of the Southland Conference title — the program’s first league crown since 1995 — and posted their most wins in 20 years, before becoming the director of operations at South the following winter.
He was a member of the Faulkner men’s basketball team from 2008-12, starting at guard as a senior as the Eagles made a semifinal appearance at the Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament. His first two years in the profession were as an assistant with the program as the school went 43-17 combined those seasons highlighted by a second-round appearance in the 2013 NAIA national tournament. He has also been the associate head coach at Crowley’s Ridge (Ark.) College for one season and the associate head coach at Shorter for two prior to joining the staff at Nicholls.
Parker graduated from Faulkner in 2012 with a degree in business management, and has since added a master’s degree in business administration from Shorter in 2017. He and his wife, Autumn, reside in Mobile.
