Former University of Evansville standout Rebekah Parker, considered by many as one of the greatest women’s basketball players in school history, is returning to Purple Aces’ program this year, as head coach Misty Murphy announced on Thursday that Parker has been hired as UE’s Director of Women’s Basketball Operations.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have Rebekah back at UE and directly involved with our program,” said Murphy. “The competitiveness and leadership qualities she possessed as a player will only help her as she transitions into the coaching profession. Rebekah is a great mentor for our team and an ambassador for UE. She will have a very bright future in this profession.”
Parker returns to UE after spending the last two years playing professionally overseas. Parker was a four-year starter at guard for the Purple Aces from 2004 though 2008, and was instrumental in helping the Purple Aces to UE’s first-ever Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title as a senior in 2008.
Parker was a two-time Ida M. Stieler Award winner at UE, given to the school’s top female athlete, and she left the UE program as the only player in school history, male or female, to top 1,400 career points, 600 career rebounds, 400 career assists, and 175 career steals. Parker is the only Purple Ace to earn three all-Missouri Valley Conference selections, including earning first team honors as both a junior and a senior. She also earned 2007 MVC Defensive Player of the Year honors as a junior and was named to the Lowe’s Senior All-America First Team after helping UE to a second-round showing in the 2008 Postseason WNIT while leading the team in scoring (14.5 ppg) and ranking among the MVC’s leaders in nine different statistical categories. Parker ranks among UE’s career top 10 in seven different statistical categories, including being the only player in school history to rank among UE’s career top five in points, rebounds, assists, and steals.
“I am really excited to be back at UE and have an opportunity to begin my coaching career,” said Parker. “Having the chance to work with Coach Murphy and her staff is something I am looking forward to this season. I think this is going to be a great year for UE women’s basketball and I am just thankful to be here and be a part of it.”
Parker will be in charge of the team’s travel and assist with UE’s film exchange efforts, while also being in charge of the Purple Aces’ student managers and camps. Parker will also be working towards her master’s degree in public service administration at UE, while serving as the Director of Operations. She graduated from UE with a degree in physical education and health in 2008, and excelled in the classroom, earning Academic All-District and MVC Scholar-Athlete status multiple times as a student-athlete, while being named UE’s Lois D. Patton Award winner in 2008, as the school’s top female scholar-athlete. Parker replaces Candice Gist on the UE staff, as Gist was recently named the top assistant coach at Chipola College in Florida.
