THE WINNER: Desmond Palmer
THE BASICS
School: Pickerington (Ohio) North.
Grade: Senior
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 185 pounds
Athletic achievement: He won two individual events and anchored two winning relays at the Division 1 state championship meet this spring, leading the Panthers to a second-place finish as a team. Palmer won the 110-meter high hurdles with a time of 14.03 seconds and the 300-meter intermediate hurdles in 36.31, which ranked as the nation’s No. 3 performance among prep competitors in 2013 at the time of his selection. The 4×200 relay quartet won in 1:26.14 and the 4×400 relay squad was victorious in 3:14.73, with both performances ranking among the nation’s top 20.
Academic excellence: Palmer has maintained a B average.
Exemplary character: He has volunteered locally on behalf of a car seat and safety belt educational campaign and a summer camp for disadvantaged youth.
THE PRAISE
“Desmond has great talent and ability athletically, but it’s his character that I will remember long after he’s gone,” said Pickerington North head coach David Spring. “He’s the most humble, hard-working and coachable athlete I have had in many years.”
THE FUTURE: Palmer has signed with Pittsburgh.
