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Parker Laketa, Head Men's Basketball Coach
E-mail Coach Laketa: plaketa@wingate.edu
Call Coach Laketa : 704-233-8171

Wingate University men’s basketball coach Parker Laketa begins his eighth season at the Bulldog helm this winter. In seven seasons, Coach Laketa has compiled a 129-84 overall record. He has led Wingate to four NCAA Division II play-offs appearances during his tenure.

For the second year in a row, Coach Laketa and his Bulldogs were able to get hot when it counted. The 2006-07 Bulldogs won eight consecutive games in February and March to find themselves as the first SAC school in the conference’s history to be competing in the men’s basketball Elite Eight.

Wingate won four games by a total of 34 points en route to its second straight Food Lion SAC Tournament victory and an automatic bid into the Regional Tournament. The Bulldogs then won the first two games of the South Atlantic Regional tournament by a total of four points to make its way to the school’s first men’s basketball Sweet Sixteen. Wingate defeated Virginia Union University 73-56 after trailing by 10 at the half to take home the 2007 South Atlantic Regional championship.

Forward/guard Sean Barnette earned 2007 Daktronics All-American third team honors. The 2007 SAC Male Athlete of the Year, Barnette was the Food Lion SAC tourney MVP for the second consecutive season.

In 2005-06, forward Bryan Grier was the nation’s leading shot blocker. At 4.9 blocked shots per game, he was almost 1.5 blocks per contest better than anyone else in the NCAA Division II.

In his first season (2000-01), Laketa guided the Bulldogs to a 25-5 overall record and earned a share of the SAC regular season crown. The Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional semifinals during Laketa’s first year, winning the first-ever NCAA postseason game in school history.

In the 2001-02 campaign, Laketa and the Bulldogs compiled a 26-7 ledger. The Bulldogs completed the 2002 SAC regular season in second place; in addition, Wingate was the runner-up at the Food Lion SAC tournament. Wingate qualified for the NCAA play-offs. The 2002-03 team posted an 18-11 overall record (10-4 in the SAC). Wingate University shared the SAC regular season championship.

Laketa knows the high expectations associated with Bulldog basketball. Wingate has qualified for the NCAA Division II play-offs four of his seven seasons. A key ingredient on Laketa’s first two teams was point guard Lorinza Harrington, who has spent time in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Hornets and Memphis Grizzlies.

Laketa has several years of experience as an assistant coach and player on the NCAA Division I level. Laketa was the assistant basketball coach at the University of Notre Dame for seven seasons.

While at Notre Dame, Laketa was responsible for recruiting the Orlando Magic’s Pat Garrity (1997 Big East Player of the Year) and Troy Murphy (1999 Big East Rookie of the Year), among others. At Notre Dame, Laketa coached four current NBA players in Garrity, Murphy, Monty Williams and Matt Carroll. The Fighting Irish reached the NIT quarterfinals in 1997.

Prior to his experiences at Notre Dame, Coach Laketa spent three years as an assistant coach at Western Michigan University. WMU participated in the NIT in 1992, giving Western Michigan its first postseason appearance in 17 seasons. While at WMU, he recruited Ben Handlogten, the school’s all-time leading rebounder. He has played in the NBA with Utah and New Jersey.

Laketa also spent three seasons at Illinois State University as an assistant basketball coach. ISU made the NIT in both 1987 and 1988.

Laketa played college basketball for legendary coach Jack Hartman at Kansas State University. He earned a starting position in 1983. Kansas State made the NCAA tournament in 1982, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen.

Coach Laketa earned a Master of Arts degree in Education from Illinois State University. Also, he has a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Sciences and Education from Kansas State University. He and his wife Brigitte have four sons, Parker (11), Preston (9), Rhett (5) and Luc (5).

The Parker Laketa File

Education:
Illinois State University
Normal, Ill.
Master of Arts, Education

Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kan.
Bachelor of Science

Coaching Experience:
Wingate University (2000-present)
Wingate, N.C.
Head Basketball Coach

University of Notre Dame (1992-99)
Notre Dame, Ind.
Assistant Basketball Coach

-Recruited Pat Garrity (NBA's Orlando Magic, 1997 Big East Player of the Year), Troy Murphy (1999 Big East Rookie of the Year), among others

-Coached two first-round NBA draft picks: Monty Williams (New York Knicks), Pat Garrity (Milwaukee Bucks)

-Team advanced to the NIT quarterfinals (1997)

-Staff earned Big East Coaching Staff of the Year (1997)

-Player Graduation Rate: 100 percent

Western Michigan University (1989-92)
Kalamazoo, Mich.
Assistant Basketball Coach

-Led team to first post-season appearance in 17 seasons (1992 NIT)

Illinois State University (1986-88)
Normal, Ill.
Assistant Basketball Coach