Mike Palacio was hired as an assistant on the Pacific men's tennis coaching staff in October of 2019 before taking over as interim head coach in December.
Palacio comes to Stockton after spending the previous season as the assistant men's coach at Elon University.
In his last year with the Phoenix, Palacio led Elon's Felipe Sarrasague to an Oracle ITA Singles ranking and a spot in the ITA Masters and NCAA individual championship qualifying while helping the team win its first Colonial Athletic Association championship.
Prior to Elon, Palacio led Division III Washington and Lee to an unprecedented 37
th Old Dominion Athletic Conference title. Like he did with Elon's Sarrasague, Palacio helped the Generals' 2018 ODAC Player of the Year Harry Shepherd reach the NCAA Division III Singles Championships qualifying rounds. He also served as director of the Duchossois Tennis Center.
Palacio also doubled at his alma mater, Imperial Valley College, as the head women's tennis coach and a part time Exercise, Wellness, and Sport Professor. The El Centro, California native coached IVC doubles tandems into state championship qualifying in every year of his five and a half year tenure, winning Pacific Coast Athletic Conference (PCAC) Women's Coach of the Year and SoCal Section Women's Coach of the Year in 2014.
He also served on several committees in his tenure, appearing as a PCAC Women's Representative and SoCal Ranking Committee Representative from January 2012 to December 2017.
Palacio competed as the top singles and doubles player at IVC from August 2003 to June 2005 before earning an associate's degree in Social Science, then continued on to earn a bachelor's degree from Cal Poly Pomona in June 2008 after representing the Broncos at the number one and two singles and doubles position. Palacio completed his Master of Science degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University, Irvine in 2016.
THE MICHAEL PALACIO FILE
Coaching Experience
2019-Present: Pacific, Interim Head Coach
2018-19: Elon, Assistant Coach
2017-18: Washington and Lee, Assistant Coach
Coaching History
| Year |
School |
Position |
Record |
Postseason |
| 2019-20 |
Pacific |
Head Coach |
1-16 |
- |
| 2018-19 |
Elon |
Assistant Coach |
21-5 |
NCAA First Round |
| 2017-18 |
Washington and Lee |
Assistant Coach |
13-7 |
NCAA DIII Second Round |
