Timothy Michael Parenton (December 11, 1961 – October 30, 2023) was an American college baseball coach and third baseman. He played college baseball and college football at Mississippi State University. He then served as the head coach of the Samford Bulldogs (1998–2004) and the North Florida Ospreys (2018–2023).

Tim Parenton
Biographical details
Born(1961-12-11)December 11, 1961
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
DiedOctober 30, 2023(2023-10-30) (aged 61)
Playing career
 Football
1980–1983Mississippi State
 Baseball
1982–1984Mississippi State
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1985–1987Mississippi State (GA)
1990–1994Old Dominion (asst.)
1995–1997Mississippi State (asst.)
1998–2004Samford
2005–2007Florida (asst.)
2008–2010New Orleans (LA) Jesuit
2011–2013North Florida (asst.)
2014–2017Hudson Valley Renegades
2018–2023North Florida
Head coaching record
Overall259–363
TournamentsOVC: 2–2
ASUN: 7–7
NCAA: 0–0
Accomplishments and honors
Awards

Playing career

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Parenton attended Jesuit High School in New Orleans, Louisiana. Parenton played for the school's varsity baseball and football teams all four years in addition to lettering in two other sports. Parenton then enrolled at the Mississippi State University, to play college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs football team. He appeared in the 1980 Sun Bowl as a reserve quarterback, rushing for −4 yards on two attempts.[1] Parenton would spend another season as a reserve quarterback for the Bulldogs before giving up football.

Parenton then pursued baseball full-time and was a 3-year letter winner for the Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team.[2]

Coaching career

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Parenton began his coaching career immediately after college as a graduate assistant for his alma mater Mississippi State.[3]

After stepping away from college baseball, Parenton returned as an assistant coach for the Old Dominion Monarchs baseball program where he worked under his former colleague, Pat McMahon. After 5 years as an assistant, Parenton was up for the head coaching job at Old Dominion, but eventually lost out to Tony Guzzo.[4] Parenton returned to Mississippi State as an assistant in 1995 through 1997.

In 1997, Parenton was hired to lead the Samford Bulldogs baseball program. The Bulldogs struggled under Parenton, never finishing over .500 and only qualifying for the conference tournament twice. Despite this, Parenton was named the 2004 Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year.[5] On July 15, 2004, Parenton stepped down from his post at Samford to become an assistant coach at Florida.[3]

On August 10, 2007, Parenton returned to Jesuit High School as the school's baseball coach.[6] On April 22, 2010, it was announced that Parenton would complete the season with Jesuit, but then return to college baseball as an assistant with the North Florida Ospreys baseball team.[7]

After three years as an assistant at North Florida, Parenton accepted his first professional challenge as the manager of the Hudson Valley Renegades of the Tampa Bay Rays organization.[8] Parenton guided the Renegades to the 2017 New York–Penn League Championship in 2017.[9]

On June 5, 2017, Parenton was named the third head coach in North Florida history.[10] On May 30, 2023, Parenton stepped down as the head coach of the Ospreys due to health concerns.[11]

Death

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Parenton died from throat cancer on October 30, 2023, at the age of 61.[12]

Head coaching record

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Samford Bulldogs (Trans America Athletic/ASUN Conference) (1998–2003)
1998 Samford 13–43 6–14 4th (West)
1999 Samford 20–33 8–22 10th
2000 Samford 29–34 6–21 10th
2001 Samford 20–34 12–15 7th
2002 Samford 27–31 13–17 6th Atlantic Sun Tournament
2003 Samford 17–34 7–23 11th
Samford: 52–112
Samford Bulldogs (Ohio Valley Conference) (2004)
2004 Samford 25–33 15–12 6th Ohio Valley Tournament
Samford: 151-242 15-12
North Florida Ospreys (ASUN Conference) (2018–2023)
2018 North Florida 28–28 13–11 4th Atlantic Sun Tournament
2019 North Florida 32–25 12–11 5th Atlantic Sun Tournament
2020 North Florida 4–12 Season canceled on March 12
due to Coronavirus pandemic
[13]
2021 North Florida 22–23 11–7 2nd (South) ASUN Tournament
2022 North Florida 22–33 11–18 5th (East) ASUN Tournament
2023 North Florida 28–27 13–17 11th
North Florida: 136–121 47–47
Total: 259–363

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

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  1. ^ "2017 Mississippi State Football TaxSlayer Bowl Media Guide". www.hailstate.com. Mississippi State University Athletics. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  2. ^ "18 Mississippi State Baseball Media Guide". www.hailstate.com. Mississippi State University Athletics. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Tim Parenton Accepts Position at Florida". www.samfordsports.com. Samford University. July 15, 2004. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  4. ^ Mike Holtzclaw (July 13, 1994). "Odu Hires Vcu Baseball Coach". www.dailypress.com. Daily Press Media Group. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  5. ^ "Tim Parenton Named OVC Coach of the Year". www.samfordsports.com. Samford University. May 25, 2004. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  6. ^ Doug Tatum (August 10, 2007). "Jesuit hires alum as baseball coach". www.nola.com. Advance Local Media LLC. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  7. ^ Mike Storm (April 22, 2010). "Lure back to college too great for Jesuit baseball coach Tim Parenton". www.nola.com. Advance Local Media LLC. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  8. ^ "Former Four-Sport Blue Jay Gets First Shot as Pro Baseball Manager". www.jesuitnola.com. Jesuit High School of New Orleans. January 31, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  9. ^ "New York-Penn League Playoffs". www.milb.com. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  10. ^ "Tim Parenton Named Head Baseball Coach". www.unfospreys.com. University of North Florida. June 5, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  11. ^ Gary Smits (May 30, 2023). "UNF Ospreys baseball coach Tim Parenton steps down after six seasons due to health reasons". www.jacksonville.com. USA TODAY. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  12. ^ Smits, Garry (October 30, 2023). "Tim Parenton, who coached UNF baseball for six years, passes away after battle with cancer". Jacksonville Florida Times-Union. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  13. ^ "ASUN Conference Cancels Intercollegiate Competitions for Remainder of Academic Year". March 12, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
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