Cathy Parson Selected As Frostburg State Women's Basketball Head Coach
Frostburg State University director of athletics Troy A. Dell
has announced that Catherine "Cathy" Parson has been selected from
a national search as the school's head women's basketball coach.
Parson becomes the fourth head coach in the 50-year history of the
women's basketball team.
Parson returns to coaching after serving as the facility director
for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
since 2009. She is currently pursuing her doctorate through Morgan
State University.
"I am elated to return to the game I love," said Parson. "It will
be a request granted to be at the helm of the Frostburg State
Bobcats. I so look forward to building excellence."
Parson brings a vast coaching background to Frostburg that includes
stops at Howard (2000-08), Richmond (1999-00), Providence (1985-88)
and Christopher Newport (1988-98). In 1998, Parson also served as
the interim head coach for the WNBA's Washington Mystics.
At Howard, Parson served as head coach and led the team to a pair
of regular season Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)
championships (2000 & 2001) and one tournament championship
(2001). She was named the league's Coach of the Year following both
regular season titles and led the team to 129 wins in her eight
seasons.
Parson served as the associate head coach at Richmond for the
1999-00 season, helping the squad to 12 wins and a berth in the
Colonial Athletic Association Tournament.
In 1998, Parson left the college game for an opportunity in the
professional ranks as she served as the interim head coach for the
inaugural Washington Mystics team. While with the team, she scouted
and prepared for games, served as the public relations liaison and
participated in community outreach programs. She guided the Mystics
to wins over Utah, Detroit and Los Angeles in their first
season.
Parson received her first head coaching job at NCAA Division III
Christopher Newport from 1988-98. She guided the Captains to 183
wins during her tenure, was twice named the Dixie Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and she led CNU to six NCAA
Tournaments with one Sweet 16 appearance.
She first joined the collegiate coaching ranks in 1985 as an
assistant coach with Providence College. She assisted the team for
three years (1985-88), helping the Friars to three Big East
Tournament and two NCAA Tournament appearances.
Parson earned her bachelor's degree in physical education from West
Virginia University in 1984 and her master's degree in adult
education and training from the University of Phoenix in 2010.
She was a record-setting basketball player for WVU from 1979-83.
She was the first woman to earn a scholarship in athletics at WVU
and is the school's all-time scoring leader with 2,128 points. She
was selected as the team's MVP three times, named an AIAW
All-American and is WVU's first women's basketball player to have
her jersey number retired.