Bruce Parker celebrates on the way to MSU's 1984 National Championship
Treasure State Sports Legend and Bobcat Icon Bruce Parker Passes Away
7/2/2021 2:43:00 PM | General
Parker spent 22 years at MSU as Sports Information Director and Assistant/Associate AD
BOZEMAN, Montana – Bruce Parker, a Treasure State college athletics icon for four decades who spent more than half that time at Montana State, passed away in Billings on Friday. He was 64.
Parker broke into college athletics as Sports Information Director (SID) for Men's Athletics at Montana State in the fall of 1979, just months after graduating from Eastern Montana College (now MSU Billings). He held that role until 1988, when he entered private business, but in the winter of 1989-90 he became SID at Eastern Washington University, a Big Sky rival of MSU's. In the fall of 1990 he returned to MSU as an assistant athletic director in charge of the school's corporate partnership program. He eventually rose to the level of Associate AD for External Operations.
In 2003, Parker was named Director of Athletics at Carroll College. During his time there he led a department that produced four national championships in football while hosting several NAIA Playoff games, and numerous Frontier Conference Championships in a variety of sports. The Saints set attendance and fund-raising records during Parker's tenure, and the College added several varsity sports programs during that time. In 2014 Parker returned to his hometown of Billings to helm Rocky Mountain College Athletics, a position he held until retiring in 2018. At Rocky, he coordinated renovation of Herb Klindt Field and was a driving force behind attracting the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament to Billings.
Parker handled wide-ranging duties at Montana State. He publicized all men's sports, promoting the 1984 National Championship Bobcat football team and two Big Sky championship basketball squads while coordinating several Big Sky Championship events as SID. He hosted the department's various television shows, and handled color commentary and occasionally play-by-play chores for football and men's basketball. In his later role he helped generate revenue for Bobcat Athletics and took a lead role in coordinating the department's game day experience and special events and projects.
Likely the most decorated athletics administrator in Treasure State history, Parker earned induction into NACDA Hall of Fame and the NAIA Hall of Fame each in 2019. The nine-time Frontier Conference Athletic Director of the Year was also NACDA/Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year in 2009, 2012 and 2018, and belongs to five halls of fame. He offered his time to countless community and civic projects, and served as a member and former President of the NAIA Athletics Director's Association Board of Directors, the NAIA's National Administrative Council, the NAIA National Strategic Planning Council, and its National Marketing Committee. He was also a member of NACDA's National Executive Committee.
A business management major and varsity tennis player at Eastern Montana, broadcasting games remained one of Parker's passions. He worked several basketball games around the Treasure State this winter, and until recently remained active as a popular master of ceremonies. Parker and his wife Lisa raised two sons, Brett and Ryan, in Bozeman, and they have one granddaughter.
Parker broke into college athletics as Sports Information Director (SID) for Men's Athletics at Montana State in the fall of 1979, just months after graduating from Eastern Montana College (now MSU Billings). He held that role until 1988, when he entered private business, but in the winter of 1989-90 he became SID at Eastern Washington University, a Big Sky rival of MSU's. In the fall of 1990 he returned to MSU as an assistant athletic director in charge of the school's corporate partnership program. He eventually rose to the level of Associate AD for External Operations.
In 2003, Parker was named Director of Athletics at Carroll College. During his time there he led a department that produced four national championships in football while hosting several NAIA Playoff games, and numerous Frontier Conference Championships in a variety of sports. The Saints set attendance and fund-raising records during Parker's tenure, and the College added several varsity sports programs during that time. In 2014 Parker returned to his hometown of Billings to helm Rocky Mountain College Athletics, a position he held until retiring in 2018. At Rocky, he coordinated renovation of Herb Klindt Field and was a driving force behind attracting the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament to Billings.
Parker handled wide-ranging duties at Montana State. He publicized all men's sports, promoting the 1984 National Championship Bobcat football team and two Big Sky championship basketball squads while coordinating several Big Sky Championship events as SID. He hosted the department's various television shows, and handled color commentary and occasionally play-by-play chores for football and men's basketball. In his later role he helped generate revenue for Bobcat Athletics and took a lead role in coordinating the department's game day experience and special events and projects.
Likely the most decorated athletics administrator in Treasure State history, Parker earned induction into NACDA Hall of Fame and the NAIA Hall of Fame each in 2019. The nine-time Frontier Conference Athletic Director of the Year was also NACDA/Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year in 2009, 2012 and 2018, and belongs to five halls of fame. He offered his time to countless community and civic projects, and served as a member and former President of the NAIA Athletics Director's Association Board of Directors, the NAIA's National Administrative Council, the NAIA National Strategic Planning Council, and its National Marketing Committee. He was also a member of NACDA's National Executive Committee.
A business management major and varsity tennis player at Eastern Montana, broadcasting games remained one of Parker's passions. He worked several basketball games around the Treasure State this winter, and until recently remained active as a popular master of ceremonies. Parker and his wife Lisa raised two sons, Brett and Ryan, in Bozeman, and they have one granddaughter.
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