The National Strength and Conditioning Association announced on Apr. 3 that Allie Palmieri has been named a recipient of the 2026 All-American Athlete Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year Award. The award recognizes Palmieri’s achievements in athletics as well as her commitment to strength and conditioning.
Palmieri was nominated by Sports Performance Coach Simone Morin, who said her dedication to improving athletically while maintaining academic success serves as an example for other student-athletes at UMass. Eric McMahon, NSCA’s Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, said, “We are proud to have Simone Morin join the NSCA in its mission to safely improve athletic performance. Supporting our student-athletes like Palmieri guarantees a stronger future for the NSCA.”
During her final season with the Minutewomen, Palmieri averaged 13 points, 4.1 rebounds, and nearly two three-pointers per game. She ranked sixteenth in conference scoring and sixth in made three-point shots. Palmieri scored double figures in eighteen of her last nineteen games and had two games with more than twenty points.
Morin said, “Allie is constantly working to better herself both on the court and in the weight room… During Sports Performance sessions she challenges her teammates to be better… As a two-year captain, Allie has been a driving force in the weight room that has been a catalyst to improving team strength and fitness, which has allowed us to perform better and better each year on the court.”
The National Strength & Conditioning Association was founded in 1978 as a nonprofit association focused on advancing strength and conditioning professions globally. It offers certifications, research journals, career development services, networking opportunities, continuing education programs for over sixty thousand members worldwide.
