UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; July 24, 2006 - Penn State senior standout Travis Parker (Greenville, N.C.) has signed a contract to play professional basketball for Landstede of the Dutch Basketball League. He will report Aug. 21 to Landstede's home base of Zwolle, Holland, one hour outside of Amsterdam, to begin an eight-month contract and preparations for a season that runs from October through April.

"I'm very excited to continue my basketball career and to see another part of the world," Parker said. "This will be my first time traveling outside of the States, so I'm a little nervous about that, but I know I'll be fine and I'm looking forward to it."

Landstede is not unfamiliar territory for the Nittany Lions. Former Lions Tyler Smith (1999-2002) and Greg Stevenson (1997-98) have also played for the team, Smith most recently in 2002 and 2003. "I think Travis should get along real well with Landstede," Smith said by phone from Oregon where he was partaking in try-outs for professional teams from China. "The coach speaks perfect English and they play a West Virginia style offense that spreads the floor with guys on the perimeter and utilizes back cuts. The style of play should suite Travis real well.

"It's also a very American friendly country. You have 'Friends' on TV and the people are very welcoming, and with three Americans on every team it will make the transition easier."

One of the three Americans expected to be on the Landstede roster will be Patrick Beilein of West Virginia who was also signed recently. Landstede, coached by Herman van den Belt, went 15-11 in the Holland First Division and finished fifth in the final standings last year. They lost in the first round of the playoffs. They lost in the championship game of the league two years ago.

Parker was the Nittany Lions' second leading scorer averaging 12.2 points per game and added 5.6 rebounds a game last year. He was tremendous down the stretch shooting 56 percent from the field and averaging 19 points per game during a five game stretch that included a 21-point outing and the game winning bucket in Penn State's 66-65 upset win at No. 6 Illinois. Parker also led the Nittany Lions with 21 points in their first round NIT loss to Rutgers. Parker led Penn State in scoring in nine games in 2005-06 and was third on the team with 34 three-pointers. He started all 60 of Penn State's games over the last two seasons after arriving as the first junior college transfer in more than two decades in 2004-05. He averaged 11.8 points and 5.5 rebounds for his career.