Palazzo to lead RIC men's track program

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Former Johnston resident Nick Palazzo just vaulted to the top of Rhode Island College’s outstanding track program.

Palazzo, who graduated from RIC in 2007, has been named head coach of both the men’s indoor and outdoor track and field teams, Scott Gibbons, the college’s director of communications, told the Sun Rise earlier this week.

“I am very excited to be stepping up to the men’s head coaching position,” Palazzo noted in an appreciative tone of voice. “Our coaching staff has worked together in years past to develop both the men’s and women’s programs here at RIC. I am expecting a proficient transition this season and anticipate our teams growing and remaining one of the top programs in New England.”

In addition to competing at the highest possible level, the Anchormen also have what some experts say is without question the top track in all of New England college sports.

And that, people like Gibbons and Palazzo will attest, is due to the untiring efforts of Donald Tencher, the West Warwick native who was once the assistant to Vin Cullen at the Community College of Rhode Island, who has successfully marketed and improved all areas of RIC athletic during his tenure in Providence.

As for Palazzo, who grew up in Providence and lived in Johnston while he was studying at RIC, he currently lives in North Providence. He earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy back in 2007. He went to Classical High where he played football and competed in indoor and outdoor track.

During his undergraduate years at RIC, Palazzo was a standout on the men’s indoor and outdoor track and field teams from 2002-2006. He closed out his outdoor career as a senior in 2006 by placing third and earning All-Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) in the hammer with a distance of 54.15 meters.

Palazzo also earned All-ECAC honors in the hammer earlier in his career as a sophomore in 2004 and he added All-New England honors to his career record book during his freshman and sophomore seasons.

He also earned New England Alliance honors in the hammer for four successive seasons while at RIC.

Palazzo’s indoor track and field career was highlighted by a sixth place performance at the 2003 New England Division III NCAA championships, as he earned All-New England honors after recording a distance of 164 feet, 10 inches in the hammer. He also earned All-New England Alliance honors in the hammer as a 2003 RIC freshman.

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