College Sports Information Directors of America

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio – The Mount Vernon Nazarene University Athletic Department formally announced the upcoming induction of Dave Parsons into the Wall of Fame.

Parsons was nominated following 21 years of distinguished service in Sports Information for MVNU Athletics. The induction ceremony to recognize Parsons and his family will take place during MVNU's Homecoming festivities this Saturday, Nov. 11 in Ariel Arena following the conclusion of the women's basketball game against Carlow University and prior to the tip of the men's basketball game at 5 p.m. against either Shawnee State or Cardinal Stritch.

Parsons began his relationship with the MVNU Athletic Department as a college freshman in the fall of 1990 when he began volunteering at various sporting events as a member of the game management staff. He was hired as a student assistant in the sports information office as a senior and then served as the assistant Sports Information Director (SID) upon graduating until being hired as the school's first full-time SID in 1998.

Parsons has received numerous awards for his work including being named the Clarence "Ike" Pearson Award recipient as the NAIA SID of the Year in 2008, and he was selected as the MVNU Staff Member of the Year in 2009. Parsons also served in various leadership capacities in the profession, including a term as the NAIA-SIDA President from 2007-2009 as well as serving on numerous CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) committees, including the College Division Management Council and Capital One Academic All-America committee.

Among the numerous highlights of Parsons' career during his time at MVNU, he landed 10 athletes and coaches in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd," promoted one NAIA National Player of the Year and 15 players who signed professional baseball or basketball contracts, and covered 17 trips to NAIA National Championship events, including the 2008 men's soccer team advancing to the NAIA Final Four. 

Parsons was also responsible for initiating the MVNU sports website before the university as a whole had an internet presence, and he led the charge on social media where the Cougars now have large followings on both Facebook and Twitter.

"It was truly a great privilege to be the storyteller for Cougar sports for 21 years," said Parsons. 

"Getting to watch great coaches and student-athletes work hard to be their best both in their sports and in life and then sharing those stories with as many people as possible was a very rewarding experience for me."

"I have so many great memories of record-setting performances, exciting games, and fun trips," Parsons added.

"However, most importantly, it's the relationships that I cherish the most. Every year, I was blessed with a new group of freshmen and transfers with unique abilities and stories to add to the rich history that was already being written. It truly was a tremendous blessing to cross paths with so many great people during my time at MVNU."

Parson's induction on Saturday will also follow recognition for five current members MVNU staff members who have been previously inducted into the Wall of Fame: Jeana Howald, Mel Severns, Paul Swanson, Keith Veale, and Kendra Lambert. The recognition of those five longstanding contributors to the mission of MVNU will take place on Friday, Nov. 10 at halftime of the men's basketball game against Rio Grande, which begins at 7:30 p.m.

The schedule for MVNU Athletics Homecoming events is included above and the entire 2017 Homecoming schedule of events can be found at homecoming.mvnu.edu, in what will be a full weekend of celebration for alumni, both previous and current faculty and staff, and current students.