STONY BROOK, N.Y. — During his own college football recruiting process, McNeil Parker had the opportunity to meet Chuck Priore.

Now, the two have finally joined forces, with Parker the latest addition to Priore's Stony Brook football staff.

Parker will coach safeties. 

He joins Stony Brook from Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Va., where he spent three seasons as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach.

"I'm excited to be able to work with some elite student-athletes," said Parker, who arrives on Long Island with wife Christine and daughters Nelle and Kate. "I've already gotten to know the high character of these men. It's a great institution and I get to live in a cool part of the country."

Under Parker's leadership, Christopher Newport's defense ranked eighth nationally in Division III in 2018, allowing 234.7 total yards per game.

Parker previously has worked at Northwestern as a defensive graduate assistant and recruiting assistant as well as at the FCS level at Lafayette, primarily coaching safeties.

He served for two seasons as defensive coordinator at the Peddie School in Highstown, N.J., immediately before joining Christopher Newport.

Parker is a native of Lake Bluff, Ill.

He was a four-year letterwinner in football and tennis at Kenyon College in Ohio, where he played quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back.

He earned a bachelor's degree from Kenyon in 2010 and completed his master's degree in sports administration at Northwestern in 2012.