Christopher Newport University

McNeil Parker is in his third season on the Christopher Newport staff as Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs coach. Parker spent two seasons as the Defensive Coordinator at the Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey, before joining Art Link’s staff.
 
Parker’s Christopher Newport defense was the eighth-best in the nation in 2018, yielding just 234.7 total yards per game. The Captains gave up just 71.7 yards per game on the ground, and 163 passing yards per contest. The defense also received a top accolade when defensive back Damian Jiggetts was selected pre-season All-America by D3football.com heading into the 2019 campaign.   
 
A native of Lake Bluff, Illinois, Parker previously spent time at the Division I level with stops at Lafayette College and Northwestern University. At Lafayette, Parker worked primarily with safeties and coached first team All-Patriot League strong safety Jared Roberts.  Parker joined the Northwestern staff in the summer of 2010, and was named defensive graduate assistant coach in early 2012. He spent the first two seasons with Northwestern as a recruiting assistant before being elevated to a graduate assistant position. As a recruiting assistant, Parker designed and maintained the football team's social media sites, managed the recruiting database and helped organize recruiting trips and visits.
 
Parker attended Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. During his time at Kenyon he was a four-year letterwinner in football and tennis, playing quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back for the Lords.
 
Parker earned his bachelor's degree from Kenyon in 2010 and completed his master's degree in Sports Administration at Northwestern in 2012. He and his wife, Christine, have two daughters, Nelle and Kate.