La Crosse, Wis. - University of Wisconsin-La Crosse quarterback Jakob Parks of St. Petersburg, Fla. (Clearwater Central Catholic) has signed a contract with the New Yorker Lions in the German Football League (GFL). 

The New Yorker Lions have appeared in 18 German Bowls, the most in league history. Its 12 wins in the German Bowl are also the most in GFL history. The league, consisting of 32 total teams and formed in 1979, will kickoff its 2022 season on May 21.  The season runs through September. 

Starting 11 games for UWL in 2021, Parks finished 191-of-304 (62.8%) for 2,429 yards with 26 touchdowns and five interceptions. His 26 passing touchdowns ranks second in single-season school history while his 191 completions ranks fifth and 2,429 yards is sixth. Parks' 304 passing attempts is ninth in school history. Parks also finished with 2,516 yards of offense in 2021, ranking seventh in single-season UWL history. He threw at least one touchdown pass in 10 games.  

"The signing came about after coming back home to Florida to start training for the professional level," said Parks, who leaves for Germany at the end of March.  "I had been receiving offers from some teams overseas and some small tryouts in the state, but the New Yorker Lions offered an experience that I could not pass on."  

Parks threw at least three touchdown passes in five games in 2021, including a career-high five in UWL's 58-23 win at Albion College (Mich.) November 20 in the first round of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Playoffs. The five touchdown passes are the most for a UWL quarterback in a national playoff game. John Schumann, Jeff Baker and Craig Kusick had thrown four touchdown passes in the playoffs.  Parks also rushed for a touchdown in the victory over Albion (Mich.). 

"I love what Jakob brought to our team," said UWL Head Coach Matt Janus.  "He is a competitor plain and simple, and at his position that intangible is necessary in order to win football games.  When this team needed a big play, we turned to him because we knew he would answer the bell." 

In his first start for the Eagles, Parks went 18-of-28 for 178 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-21 win at Dakota State University (S.D.) September 4. He set a career-high with 323 passing yards at top-ranked North Central College (Ill.) in the second round of the NCAA Division III Playoffs November 27. Parks set career-highs in completions (28) and attempts (49) at third-ranked UW-Whitewater November 6.

Parks opened Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) play going 17-of-26 for 315 yards with four touchdowns and one interception in UWL's 45-23 win at UW-River Falls October 2.

"UWL helped prepare me for this opportunity by playing in big games, having great teammates, and being a great person on and off the field while living the experience at UWL," said Parks. 

"Jakob will have an opportunity to continue to play the game he loves," added Janus. "He will play in perhaps the best league in Europe at the highest level. Jakob will also get #TheExperience of a lifetime being able to live and play in Germany."

A transfer from the University of South Dakota, Parks played in four games for the Coyotes. He earned his bachelor's degree from South Dakota in Kinesiology while being a three-year member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) Honor Roll. He is pursuing his master's in recreation management at UWL. 

He passed for 3,531 yards and 41 touchdowns with five interceptions as a two-year starter at Clearwater Central Catholic High School.