Rick Palmer Last College: Albion, 2006 Position: Director of Operations Experience: One Season

Rick Palmer recently completed his first season on the Bowling Green State University men's basketball staff. Palmer was named the Director of Men's Basketball Operations by Falcon head coach Louis Orr in May of 2007.

In his season with the Falcons, Palmer helped the team to a 13-17 record. BGSU more than doubled the MAC win total from the previous season, going 7-9 in conference play in 2007-08 after a 3-13 league mark the previous winter.

Those seven MAC wins included victories over the teams picked to finish first, second and third in the East Division in the 2007-08 preseason poll. One of those wins came over Kent State, the eventual MAC champion and a nationally-ranked team at the time, in the Falcons' final home game on March 1, 2008.

Palmer came to BGSU after one year as an assistant coach at Lakeland (Wis.) College. In 2006-07, the Muskies finished with a 16-11 overall record. He also served as Lakeland's men's golf coach.

Palmer graduated from Albion College in Albion, Mich., in 2006. During his undergraduate career, he was a four-year letterwinner, two-year team captain, and helped the Britons reach unprecented heights during that time.

Before Palmer's arrival at the school in 2002, Albion had enjoyed only two 20-win seasons in the history of the men's basketball program. During his tenure, the team posted four consecutive years of 20-plus wins. Albion went 22-5, 20-7, 26-4 and 20-6 during his time there.

The Britons set a school record with 14 consecutive wins in 2003-04, then tied that mark in the '04-05 campaign. The 22-win season of 2002-03 set a new school single-season record for wins, and the team broke that mark with the 26 wins in Palmer's junior year of 2004-05.

Palmer helped the Britons of head coach Mike Turner to 88 wins, by far the most during a four-year period in school history.

Off the court, Palmer assisted the Albion staff with recruiting, gained experience in video editing and spearheaded a mentor program for the basketball team at a local elementary school.

Palmer has a bachelor's degree in economics and management and is a member of The Carl A. Gerstacker Program for Professional Management. He resides in Bowling Green.