Cornel Parker
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Current home: Chesapeake, Virginia
Current job: School counselor, Maury High School; basketball official; personal training-business owner
Family: Married with two children. One boy (7) and one girl (5). Parker’s parents and sisters also live in the area.
Nicknames: “Dick Vitale called me The Colonel.”
Best Virginia memory: The NIT was a good one that year (UVa won the NIT Championship in 1991-92). The Sweet 16 (UVa advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1992-93). My last year in the ACC Tournament going to the championship.
Least favorite Virginia memory: Nothing stands out.
Favorite Charlottesville restaurant/hangout as a student: The breakfast spot, The Tavern, “but I think they closed that down.”
Last time back on Grounds: “Probably last summer because I referee college basketball; last summer I went to the Top 100 camp. I usually go to a couple of football games but I missed it. This year I’ll be there for a few games because two kids from my high school here play for UVa on the football team.” One of those Maury products is starting linebacker LaRoy Reynolds. “Everybody is excited for LaRoy,” Parker said.
Teammates/coaches you stay in touch with most: Cory Alexander, Yuri Barnes, Junior Burrough, Jason Williford, Jamaal Robinson, Ted Jeffries. “I talk to Bryant [Stith] probably twice a year.” Coach Jeff Jones , Coach Dennis Wolff, Coach Brian Ellerbe.
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Cornel Parker didn’t think basketball would help lead him back to his alma mater. Or into business. Or earn him an official’s uniform.
Twenty years after helping Virginia win the NIT Championship, however, Parker remains heavily involved in the sport in many different ways. He’s a school counselor and JV coach at Maury High School in Norfolk in addition to helping with middle school basketball teams. He runs a personal training business called Hoops Heaven and works with camps in the summer time as well. Plus, he’s a basketball official that works games at the high school and college level.
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