Tom Parrotta was named the 22nd men's basketball head coach at Canisius College April 10, 2006. Prior to his arrival to Canisius, he spent five years at Hofstra University, holding the position of associate head coach in his last season. No stranger to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Parrotta played at Fordham, when the Rams were members of the league, and coached at Niagara University for six seasons.

During his tenure at Hofstra (2001-06), the Pride compiled an 81-72 record, including a 47-16 overall record and 26-10 conference mark in the last two seasons, and improved their Colonial Athletic Association record each year. Hofstra tied a school record with 26 wins during the 2005-06 season and earned a berth in the National Invitational Tournament for the second consecutive season, advancing to the quarterfinals and earning the school's first two Division I postseason victories.

As Hofstra's top assistant, Parrotta served as the recruiting, scouting and scheduling coordinator for the Pride. He was also responsible for offensive execution and the development of the team's forwards under head coach Tom Pecora, who was an assistant coach for seven years under current Villanova coach Jay Wright.

Prior to his stay at Hofstra, Parrotta spent six years (1995-2001) as an assistant coach at Niagara University under Jack Armstrong and Joe Mihalich, including the last three as the Purple Eagles' top assistant under Mihalich. During that time, the Purple Eagles posted a 49-37 record and made consecutive trips to the MAAC semifinals. As the lead assistant, Parrotta was the team's chief recruiter and scheduling coordinator.

Parrotta, 40, began his collegiate coaching career in 1994-95 as an assistant coach at Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y. Prior to Nazareth, he served as the varsity coach at Rye High School in Rye, N.Y., and led his team to the PSAL Class C league championship. The following season, he served as junior varsity coach at Mamaroneck High School in Mamaroneck, N.Y.

A 1991 graduate of Fordham University with a degree in communications, Parrotta was a four-year letterwinner for the Rams from 1984-88. He was a second-team all-conference selection and earned All-Metropolitan Team and team MVP honors in his senior season after averaging 13.9 points and 6.1 rebounds. He ranks in the top 30 on the school's career scoring list and in the top 10 in rebounding. A team captain from 1986-88, he helped lead the Rams to two NIT appearances.

Following his collegiate career, Parrotta began a three-year stint in the Portuguese Basketball Association, where he led his team in scoring and rebounding en route to a 33-0 record and a Second Division championship in his first season. When his professional career ended in 1991, Parrotta joined the Schering Corporation in Kenilworth, N.J., as a pharmaceutical sales representative.

He and his wife, Dina, have two children, Michael Nicholas, 4, and Carmen Giovanna, 1.