The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Hall of Honor
- Induction:
- 2010
- Class:
- 1985
A dual-sport All-American in volleyball and track and field (discus), Palmer was the first female two-sport All-American in school history. On the volleyball court, she was a four-year letterwinner who garnered Volleyball Monthly All-America Third Team and All-Southwest Conference First Team honors as a junior in 1982. She recorded 347 kills and 66 service aces and set a school single-match record that still stands today with nine service aces against Northwestern on Oct. 2, 1982. Palmer claimed Volleyball Monthly All-America honorable mention and All-SWC First Team accolades in her senior season (1983) after posting 256 kills, 242 digs and 53 service aces. She participated in the 1982 U.S. Olympic Festival and spent a short period of time training with the U.S. National Team that went on to win the silver medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. A four-year letterwinner in track and field who competed in the throwing events, Palmer placed fifth in the discus at the 1982 AIAW National Outdoor Championships with a throw of 160-5. She helped lead the Longhorns to the school’s first-ever AIAW national outdoor team title that season. Palmer, who qualified for the national outdoor championships in all four years in the discus and twice in the shot put, still ranks as the fifth-best discus performer in school history. Prior to graduating from Texas, she toured with the U.S. Volleyball team to Hong Kong, Korea and Japan in the fall of 1984. Palmer earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education in 1985 and went on to earn her Master’s degree in Education from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1987 while serving as the head coach for UTSA’s volleyball program for two years. She has spent the last 12 years as a health and physical education teacher and volleyball and track coach at Cy-Fair High School, while also serving for the past 20 years as a club volleyball coach throughout the state of Texas. Palmer and her daughter, Lila Kae, reside in Spring, Texas, with Palmer’s best friend, Lisa Kelley, and Lisa’s two sons, Justin and Chase.