Jones, the winningest freshman and 167/174-pound wrestler in WVU history with a record of 34-2, dominated the fourth-seeded Parker in the finals for the victory.
Jones scored the first takedown in the first minute to take the early lead. Jones scored his second takedown with 1:24 left in the first and rode Parker for a minute before Parker earned the escape and ended the period 4-2.
Jones began the second period down and scored an escape for the only scoring in that period.
Parker escaped to begin the third to make the score 5-3, but Jones was too much for Parker. Jones scored a quick takedown with 1:44 left in the match, and then added two more takedowns in the last 30 seconds to secure WVU's first wrestling national title since 1994. Jones also earned the riding point.
Jones did not allow a takedown since the first round of the NCAA championships.
"It's been a long season, it's a good way to cap it off," Jones said in his post-match press conference.
Jones, who only beat Parker by scores of 3-2 in their two previous meetings, felt he had come a long way since their last meeting at the WVU Open in November and had a good idea of how to beat Parker.
"I think over the season I got a lot better, I progressed throughout the season I kind of knew what to expect from him because I knew he liked to scramble and roll around on the mat. I knew if I beat him to the end positions I would have the match won and that's pretty much what happened.
"I didn't let that bother me," Jones said about the crowd being partial to the local hero Parker. "We are all here for the same thing it doesn't matter whereyou are from or how many fans you have, you still have to step on the mat."
"I think if you look at all the individual accomplishments in school history, Greg Jones winning the national title as a freshman has to rank right up there," head coach Craig Turnbull said.
Jones advanced to the finals after knocking off sixth-seed Rick Springman of Penn 15-5 in the semifinals. Jones dominated the match, scoring the first two takedowns and leading 4-2 after the first. Jones began the second period down, scored a reversal and converted three nearfall points to stretch his lead. Springman worked another escape to begin the third, but Jones closed the door with two more takedowns to secure the victory.
Parker, seeded fourth, upset the top-seed Otto Olson of Michigan in the other side of the 174 bracket.
Jones is 2-0 in his career against Parker, both 3-2 wins in the 2000 and 2001 WVU Open. He will attempt to become WVU's third national champion and the first since 1994 when Dean Morrison took home the title at 177.
In wrestle-back action, Tom McMath (165) and Brent Miller (197) fell just shy of their bid to become All-Americans and were eliminated in the tournament. McMath dropped a 11-3 decision to Robbie Waller of Oklahoma. Miller lost 8-2 to Kyle Smith of Michigan.
After Friday's morning session, WVU was in 11th place with 26 points. Minnesota leads the competition with 85.50 points, leading Oklahoma with 69.50.
In the second round, Jones defeated Oklahoma's Mark Barger, 8-3. Jones led the entire way, scoring two takedowns and taking a 4-2 lead after the first period. Jones earned the only point in the second with an escape and added another takedown in the third and earned the riding point. All of Barger's points came from escapes.
Jones won his quarterfinal match against seventh-seeded Tyler Nix of Iowa, 10-4. Jones earned his way to the semifinals with a 10-4 win over Tyler Nixt. Jones took control of the match immediately scoring a takedown and two nearfall points in the first twenty seconds. Jones scored another takedown and allowed three escapes to take the 6-3 lead after the first. Nixt chose down to start the second and scored an escape for the only score in that period. Jones began the third with an escape of his own, added another takedown, allowed an escape and earned the riding point to close out the 10-4 win.
Jones will take on Rick Springman of Penn tonight.
Redshirt freshman Brent Miller picked up two more wins in the consolation bracket. Miller downed Chris Streitkowicz 5-1 and defeated Willie Gruenwald from Oklahoma State 8-2 after moving to the wrestle-backs with a loss to fourth-seeded Nick Preston. Miller will face sixth-seeded Kyle Smith of Michigan tonight.
Tom McMath kept his All-American hopesalive with a 9-7 victory over Michigan's Charles Martelli. McMath also defeated Scott Roth and had a medical forfeit to advance in the consolation bracket. McMath will face Robbie Waller of Oklahoma tonight.
Miller and McMath need one win to secure All-American status.
Billy Smith, Shane Cunanan, Joe Carr and Ryan Kehler were eliminated from the tournament. Cunanan won his first match and one in the consolation, but was eliminated by Lock Haven's Mike Maney. Smith was 1-2, while Carr and Kehler earned two wins in the consolation bracket and finished 2-2.
Carr finishes his career 101-34, fifth all-time at WVU. Kehler added a pin in the wrestle-backs to bring his school record to 29.
Jones is the only Mountaineer left in the championship bracket, but seven wrestlers are still alive and can still earn All-America status in the consolation bracket. After struggling 3-4 in the first round, WVU was 5-2 in the evening session.
Jones moved on with an 8-3 defeat Oklahoma's Mark Barger. Jones led the entire way, scoring two takedowns and taking a 4-2 lead after the first period. Jones earned the only point in the second with an escape and added another takedown in the third and earned the riding point. All of Barger's points came from escapes.
With the win, Jones becomes the winningest wrestler at 167/174 in WVU history with a record of 31-2. He will face seventh-seeded Tlyer Nixt of Iowa in the quarterfinals.
Shane Cunanan (141) lost a tough match against eighth-seed Chad Erickson of Minnesota. After a scoreless first period, Cunanan scored an escape and a takedown to take the 3-0 lead, but Erickson scored the match's next six points to go ahead 6-3. Cunanan scored a reversal to cut into the lead, but with time running out and trailing by three, Cunanan tried to put Erickson on his back but ended up on his own and was pinned with eight seconds remaining in the match. Cunanan will face Mike Maney of Lock Haven in the wrestle-backs tomorrow morning. Cunanan defeated Maney 10-6 earlier this year.
Brent Miller (197) lost his second round match to fourth-seeded Nick Preston of Ohio State. With the match 3-2 in favor of Preston after two periods, Preston took control in the third period. Preston scored an escape and a takedown and then went on to pin Miller at the 6:26 mak.
Carr, Smith, McMath and Kehler each won their consolation matches.
Carr won by fall at the :49 mark against Mitch Morgan of Boise State, Smith won 8-2 over Brad Cieleski of Slippery Rock, Tom McMath defeated Scott Roth of Cornell, 10-4, and Ryan Kehler stayed alive with a 5-3 victory over 2001 All-American Matt Brink of Michigan.