Palermo named as Grizzly men's golf coach

Palermo named as Grizzly men's golf coach

ALAMOSA, Colo. - Justin Palermo has been named as the new Adams State College men's golf coach, Grizzly athletic director Larry Mortensen announced Thursday.

Palermo, who is wrapping up a 3-year tenure as the assistant girls' golf coach at Air Academy High School in Colorado Springs, replaces interim coach David Mejia, who guided the Grizzlies during the spring season, and Jay Osmon, who resigned to serve as the assistant golf professional at Buffalo Dunes Golf Club in Garden City, Kan. earlier this year.

Palermo, who will be elected as a Class A member of the Professional Golf Association this month, also served as an assistant coach at Division I Michigan State University in the fall of 2008 while completing an internship as part of the nationally-known PGA golf management program at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. 

While working with Spartan head coach Sam Puryer, the squad won the Spartan Invitational and combined for three tournament individual titles.

Palermo, who graduated from UCCS in 2009 with a degree in business marketing and the professional golf management emphasis, also guided the Air Academy Kadets during the 2008, 2009 and 2010 seasons.  One of their players-Alli Slamkowski qualified for state in 2008 and Palermo is hoping that two of his players will qualify this year after Monday's regional tournament.

While at ASC, Palermo also plans to pursue a master's degree in coaching through the human performance and physical education department.

"We've asked for knowledge, passion and stability from our future coach.  Justin provides all of that and has a strong desire to be a successful college coach.  I'm confident that you'll see stability and progress in the program under his leadership.

A native of Fresno, Calif., Palermo played high school golf for the Buchanan Bears and won the conference championship as a senior in 2002. 

He then attended Fresno City College and played for the Rams for two seasons winning the Central Valley Conference Championship in 2005 while helping lead the squad to a fifth place finish at the state level.

He also coached baseball in the Fresno area before transferring to UCCS.

His parents Tony and Sally still live in Fresno while his younger sister Erin graduated from the University of California-Berkeley and now works in San Francisco.

The Grizzly men's golf team recently completed their first season back after a 4-year hiatus and had two individual tournament championships throughout the 2009-10 campaign.