According to the 1983-84 Pioneer basketball media guide, Michael Parks was "highly touted for his scoring abilities" and would provide "instant offense" to the team.  Four years later those remarks proved prophetic when, in what would be his final game as a Pioneer, Parks hit a driving lay-up at the 18:58 mark of the second half in a NAIA National Tournament first round game to break the Wayland men's basketball scoring mark of 2,006 set by Charles Fuller in 1974.  His eventual career total of 2,015 points still stands today as tops in the Pioneer record book.

A 6'3" guard from Oklahoma City, OK, Parks averaged 14.6 points per game during his four years at Wayland, hitting over 50 percent of his shots from the field and over 85 percent from the free throw line, another Pioneer career record.  He set his career high point total of 29 during his freshman season when he hit 11 of 12 free throws down the stretch in a win against Midwestern State University.  The Pioneers reached the NAIA national tournament in each of his final three seasons, making it all the way to the championship game in 1985 when they lost in overtime, 82-80.

Parks was a NAIA All-District selection his junior and senior seasons, and an Honorable Mention All-American his senior year.  He also received Wayland's highest athletic honor, the Roscoe Snyder Award, presented annually to the outstanding male senior athlete.

After graduating from Wayland in 1988 with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Parks joined the U.S. Army.  He was a sergeant stationed at Fort Belvoir, VA from 1989-1994, and then joined the United States Marshals Service.  In July 2000, Parks had the privilege of working a protection detail on Chief Justice William Renquist of the U.S. Supreme Court.  At the time of his induction, he remained a deputy marshal.  He and wife, Carmen, have one daughter, Ashley Nicole.