Illinois State University alum Derek Parola (B.S. ‘18, MBA ‘20) is entering his fourth season as the Assistant Coach and Director of Camps in the 2023-24 academic year. He will assist with recruiting efforts, coach the infield, and serve as the on-field first base coach for the Redbirds.

Parola was the team's Director of Operations for the 2020 season and was a baseball student-athlete from 2015-2019 for the 'Birds.

As a player, Parola started 170 games for the Redbirds, primarily at second base. While at ISU, he recorded a .265 batting average, 14 HR, 110 RBI, and 106 runs scored. Parola also had 373 assists in his career, posting an impressive .977 fielding percentage.

Parola was a key contributor to Illinois State's 2019 Missouri Valley Conference title, hitting .289 with six HR, 42 RBI, 42 runs scored, and stealing 14 bases as a senior. In the Redbirds' NCAA Tournament over Indiana, Parola had five hits.

He spent four and a half months as an assistant coach at the University of Illinois Springfield before electing to return to Illinois State when the position opened.