Just hired this year as basketball coach based on his past Division III experience and winning records, Tom Palombo hopes to improve the Quakers’ record and boost attendance by involving the team on campus and in the community.
Palombo says, “One thing we need is to create interest in the program, and not just on-court.” He plans to have the team do community service to “get our name out.” He adds that service will “help the team bond.”
So far, Palombo is pleased with the team, though practices haven’t really started. “This is a really good group of guys, and they get along.” He also believes the team is not afraid of hard work, and says that that is an important start.
The thing Palombo enjoys most about coaching is working with the students. He likes having the chance to help the players develop not only on the floor but also as adults.
Senior forward Josh Connor says: “Coach seems to be a very hard worker and extremely dedicated.” Connor also says that Palombo is organized and has a winning attitude, which will help the Quakers be one of the top teams in the conference. “The key to our season is believing what coach tells us and playing as a team,” says Connor. “If we can get the selfishness out of our team we could be extremely good.”
Guilford College Vice-President Randy Doss says Palombo was hired because of his energetic interview as well as his experience. “We hope he will be able to recruit top rate student athletes and help get Guilford to the top of the conference,” said Doss.
Palombo was head Women’s coach at Virginia Wesleyan College. He held the same position at Defiance, and was later head Men’s coach there. Having never held a losing record, his overall record from the last thirteen years is 238-105.
Palombo has received awards such as the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year, Association of Mideast Colleges Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year, D3News NCAA Division III Coach of the Year, and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association District Coach of the Year.
Palombo is from Virginia Beach, and graduated from Virginia Wesleyan. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and playing golf.
He says he took the job at Guilford so he could be closer to home. He added: “I wanted my two daughters to have a chance to know their grandparents.”
Guilford Scores
Sports scores between Sept. 5 and Sept. 12
Football
Lost 41-0 Sept. 6 to Carson-Newman
RUSHING: Brian Caye 9-18; Ryan Wilson 3-13; Josh Smith 8-9; Chris Gammon 10-8; Mario
James 1-3; Monte Pender 1-2; Calvin Lockhart 4-0; Kyle Kiser 3-minus 3; Micah Rushing 2-minus 7.
PASSING: Chris Gammon 3-9-0-36; Josh Smith 2-6-1-87; Kyle Kiser 1-2-0-5.
RECEIVING: Calvin Lockhart 2-24; Ryan Wilson 1-45; Luke Bellman 1-42; Nick Harvey
1-12; Fabian Gonzalez 1-5.
FUMBLES: Chris Gammon 1-0; Josh Smith 1-1.
Women’s Soccer
Lost 2-1 Sept. 6 to Christopher Newport
Goals – Kim Mullen
Assists – Caryn Stone
SOG – A. VanZee Phillips – 1 , M. Barolet-Fogarty – 1, Kim Mullen – 3, Caryn Stone – 2
Saves : Danielle Brisotti – 6
Total Shots:
Guilford – 17 Christopher Newport – 11