In his third season as the Director of Operations for the Indiana State Basketball program is Rex Parker. Parker coordinates the student manager program at Indiana State and is in charge of team travel as well as the summer camp series.
In 2014-15, the Sycamores entered the season with a roster that featured seven newcomers. Despite a slow start in non-conference play, the Sycamores recorded an 11-7 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference and earned the No. 3 seed at Arch Madness.
Several Sycamores earned postseason recognition from the league office. Devonte Brown was named the league’s Most Improved Player and was tabbed to the All-MVC Second Team. Brenton Scott picked up the program’s third-ever MVC Freshman of the Year honor while Tre’ Bennett was selected to the All-Bench Team. Justin Gant and Jake Kitchell were each First Team selections as MVC Scholar-Athletes.
The Sycamores finished 23-11 in 2013-14, finishing second in the Missouri Valley Conference and advanced to the MVC Tournament Championship Game. Indiana State received an at-large bid into the NIT, making their fifth consecutive trip to the postseason.
Jake Odum wrapped his storied Sycamore career with his second consecutive appearance on the All-MVC First Team and as the school's fifth all-time leading scorer while breaking Larry Bird's school record for most career free throws made and attempted.
Parker came to Indiana State from Iowa Central, where he spent the 2011-2013 seasons as an assistant coach. During his time at Iowa Central, the program qualified for the national tournament, marking the first time a team from the school had done so in over 20 years. In fact, the team advanced to the Sweet 16 of the national tournament in 2011-12.
Prior to his time at Iowa Central, Parker was a graduate assistant at Minnesota State-Moorhead in 2010-11 where the team compiled their first winning season in seven years. He finished his Masters Degree in Higher Education at Minnesota State-Moorhead in 2013.
Parker began his collegiate career at Vincennes University under head coach Dan Sparks and also where former ISU assistant coach David Ragland was an assistant coach at the time. After a redshirt season, Parker played point guard at Vincennes.
From Vincennes, Parker transferred to Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa where he played for three seasons. Parker was a member of a team that was league and tournament champions in one season with a 15-1 record in conference play. In another season, Loras won the league tournament championship and advanced to the second round of the national tournament. Parker received his Bachelor's Degree in Sports Management from Loras in 2009.
Parker is a native of Milan, Ind., graduating from Milan High School in 2004. He played in a game during his senior season which was broadcast by ESPN against Muncie Central which was held to commerate the 50th anniversary of the Milan state championship team in front of 9,100 fans. Milan High School's 1954 run to the Indiana Basketball State Championship was the inspiration for the hit movie "Hoosiers".
