David Palmer will begin his fifth season with the Bulldogs in 2026-27 after joining the staff as a track and field assistant coach in the fall of 2022.
Palmer heads the UMD sprint and hurdle groups and under his leadership, Bulldog athletes have broken several school records in these event groups, including eight of these occurring during the 2024-25 season on its own.
A native of River Falls, Wisc., Palmer graduated with his bachelor's degree in psychology and studio art from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. While at Macalester, Palmer earned All-American honors in the indoor 400m, while also achieving an indoor conference championship in the 400m. He holds multiple school records including the indoor 400m (48.89), 600m (1:21.25), 4x200m, and 4x400m.
After his graduation from Macalester, Palmer competed for two years as a graduate student at Ohio State University, earning his master's degree in sports coaching. During his time in Columbus, Palmer was an East Regional qualifier in the 400 hurdles, while also being named an OSU Scholar-Athlete in 2020-21.
