Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is heartbroken to announce the passing of a longtime friend and supporter, Jim Paronto. Paronto was connected to the RMAC throughout his life as a student-athlete, a coach, an administrator and a RMAC coordinator of baseball officials and he will be sorely missed by the league and its membership.
 
Paronto earned his undergraduate degree from Adams State College in 1966, where he competed as a football and baseball student-athlete. While at Adams State, he was named the football team captain during the 1965 season in which he claimed all-conference and academic All-America distinctions.
 
Throughout his illustrious career, he served as head coach of the Adams State baseball program in addition to serving as an associate athletic director (1973-76) and eventually athletic director (1977-80) for the institution. He then worked as the head football coach and as an assistant athletic director at Colorado Mesa, formerly Mesa State College. After leading the Mavericks on the gridiron for four years, he was named athletic director in 1994, a position he held until 1998.
 
In addition to his time as a coach and athletic administrator, Paronto was also a longtime baseball umpire, for which he served the Pac-10, the Western Athletic Conference, the Mountain West Conference and the Junior College World Series, among other events. He was hired as the RMAC coordinator of baseball officials in 2015 and served in that role for the ensuing seven years.
 
“The baseball umpiring community has lost a legend and the RMAC has lost a friend,” said RMAC Commissioner Chris Graham. “Jim’s RMAC career, spanning from student-athlete to multiple administrator roles, delivered great benefit to many teams, coaches and student-athletes. His no-frills, straight-shooting, get-it-done attitude helped build a recognized and strong Division II baseball umpiring program in the RMAC. On behalf of the league, I extend my heartfelt condolences to his wife Rita, their children and grandchildren on their loss.”
 
Services will be held on Friday, Dec. 22, at 10 a.m. MT at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Grand Junction, Colo. Additionally, a Celebration of Life will also be held in Jim’s honor in April 2024. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Jim’s name to a charity of your choice.