By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – Parker Stewart, a 6-5, 200-pound guard who starred at the University of Tennessee at Martin two seasons ago, is rejoining the Skyhawk men’s basketball squad as a graduate transfer.
UT Martin head coach Ryan Ridder announced the signing of Stewart today after the Indiana transfer announced his commitment to the Skyhawks on Monday afternoon.
“We are thrilled to welcome Parker back home,” Ridder said. “He is an elite guard who has had success not only at UT Martin but also at a pair of Power 5 schools. It’s a fitting end to Parker’s collegiate career to be able to honor his father’s legacy and spend valuable time with his family. We are not just getting a great player but an unbelievable person as well.”
During the 2019-20 campaign in a Skyhawk uniform, Stewart captured All-Ohio Valley Conference second team and All-Newcomer accolades as well as a spot on the NABC All-District 18 second team. He was the only NCAA Division I player to average at least 19.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 three-point field goals made per game – joining Deville Smith (2014-15) and Michael Hart (1994-95) as the only Skyhawks to be labeled All-OVC second team and All-Newcomer in the same year. He also joined two-time All-American Lester Hudson as the only players in school history to be voted OVC Newcomer of the Week five times in a single season.
Stewart led the OVC with 2.8 three-point field goals per game and also ranked third in scoring (19.2 points per game), third in minutes played (36.1 per contest), seventh in assists (3.8 per outing) and 10th in free throw percentage (.766). He upped his scoring average to 20.0 points per game in league play and led the team in scoring 12 times as part of his 25 games played (24 starts).
The native of nearby Union City, Tenn. went off for four games of 30 or more points, which are the third-most in a single season in UT Martin’s Division I Era (since 1992). Stewart equaled a career-high with 33 points at both Murray State (Jan. 2) and at Morehead State (Feb. 1). His 33 points at Murray State marked the highest scoring tally for any player making his OVC debut since January of 2004 and were the most in school history for a player in his first OVC contest. He piled up a dozen games of at least 20 points while averaging 4.6 rebounds per contest, leading the team in the latter category on three different occasions. He compiled one double-double (32 points, career-high 11 rebounds) in a road win at Western Illinois on Nov. 13, becoming the first Skyhawk to record at least 30 points as part of a double-double against a Division I opponent since 2013. He also flirted with a triple-double (16 points, eight rebounds, career-high eight assists) in an OVC win over Tennessee Tech on Feb. 6.
The spectacular 2019-20 campaign led to a Preseason All-OVC nod for Stewart heading into the following season. However, tragedy struck when his father Anthony – also UT Martin’s head coach – suddenly passed away at the age of 50 on Nov. 15, 2020.
Stewart did not play competitive basketball during the 2020-21 season before suiting up for Indiana University last year under head coach Mike Woodson. Wearing jersey No. 45 as a tribute to his father (who wore that number in his collegiate playing days), Stewart helped the Hoosiers to a 21-14 record and a first-round win in the NCAA Tournament.
At Indiana, Stewart played in 34 games and logged 31 starts – averaging 6.2 points per game while pacing the squad in three-point field goals made (53) and three-point field goal percentage (.393). He scored in double figures on six different occasions, including a season-high 20 points against Syracuse on Nov. 30. He nailed multiple treys in 16 different contests – including a season-best 6-of-12 effort from beyond the three-point arc in the aforementioned game against Syracuse.
Following a standout three-year career at Union City High School where he helped the Golden Tornadoes to an 81-25 record, Stewart began his collegiate playing days at the University of Pittsburgh in 2017-18. He ranked second in the Atlantic Coast Conference in three-point field goal percentage in league play (.425), swishing 2.7 trifectas per game to rank fifth in the conference in that category. He averaged 9.1 points per contest overall but increased his scoring production in ACC play, ranking second on the team in scoring (10.8 points per game) against league opposition.
Stewart joins a loaded signing class that Ridder has assembled for the 2022-23 season as fellow newcomers include Jalen Myers (Madison, Ala./Hinds CC), Desmond Williams (Montgomery, Ala./Troy) and Jordan Sears (Daytona Beach, Fla./Gardner-Webb).
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information