Missouri Valley College President Dr. Joseph A. Parisi has been selected as part of the 2023 Induction Class into the Missouri Chapter of the National Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame, with the ceremony taking place in late-October.
Parisi’s wrestling career began as a Missouri High School State Championship runner-up at Parkway Central in 1989, followed by earning NJCAA All-American honors in 1991 at St. Louis-Meramec. He then came to Missouri Valley College as a student-athlete where he represented MVC at the National level. After graduating he was a four-year member of the coaching staff and helped guide the Vikings to the 1996 and 1997 National championships.
His biggest impact on collegiate wrestling came as the head coach of the Lindenwood men’s wrestling program from 1998-2010. During that time, Parisi led Lindenwood to five NAIA Wrestling National championships (2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009), was named the NAIA National Coach of the Year four times, was NWCA National Coach of the Year five times, and was twice selected as an Honorary Coach for the NWCA All-Star Classic in 2004 and 2006.
Parisi also guided Lindenwood to two National runner-up finishes, three NAIA National Dual championships and two National Dual runner-up finishes. He coached 130 All-Americans, 28 individual National champions and 21 Academic All-Americans.
In addition to his National Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame-Missouri Chapter induction, Parisi has also been inducted as an individual into the Parkway School District Hall of Fame and the Lindenwood Athletic Hall of Fame. He has also been inducted as a member of the team and coaching staff into the Missouri Valley College Athletic Hall of Fame with the 1996 and 1997 National championship teams, and into the Lindenwood Athletic Hall of Fame with the 2002, 2007 and 2008 National championship teams.
“I am beyond humbled and honored to be a recipient of the Hall of Fame award,” said Parisi. “I would like to thank the Missouri Chapter for the nomination and the National Hall of Fame committee for awarding this honor. This is a true testimony to the assistant coaches and athletes that I have had the privilege to work with.”
Winner of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Achievement Award five times, Parisi was named as a “legendary coach” by the Missouri House of Representatives, honored with the “Beyond the Best” award by Streetscape Magazine, recipient of the Alvin M. Francis Award in Educational Leadership and 2019 Corporate LiveWire Innovation & Excellence Award. He previously served as Vice President for Enrollment Management and Athletics at Lindenwood University, and again at Central Methodist University where he was instrumental in the starting of the men’s and women’s wrestling programs. In January of 2023, Parisi was selected as the 14th President at his alma mater, Missouri Valley College.
The National Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame-Missouri Chapter Induction Ceremony takes place October 22 at 1 p.m., at the Holliday Inn Executive Center in Columbia.