COLLEGIATE PERSONAL BESTS: 200m – 20.87w, 400m – 45.19
CAREER RECORDS, AWARDS AND NOTES
AWARDS:
1x First Team All-America ('26 Indoor, 400m)
2x Second Team All-America ('25 Indoor 400m, '25 Outdoor 4x400m)
1x Second Team All-Big Ten ('26 Indoor 400m)
1x Big Ten Bronze Medalist ('25 Outdoor 4x400m relay)
1x Academic All-Big Ten ('26)
RECORDS:
No. 1 all-time in indoor 400m (45.33)
No. 1 all-time in the outdoor 400m (45.19)
No. 3 all-time in the outdoor 4x400m relay (3:03.39)
No. 4 all-time in the indoor 4x400m relay (3:05.24)
No. 10 all-time in the outdoor 200m (20.87)
No. 10 all-time outdoor 4x400m relay (3:05.39)
Outdoor 2026
Season: Competed in six meets, setting an outdoor program record in the 400m. ..
UCF Knights Invite (3/27-28): Placed sixth in the 200m in 20.97 (1.1w)…Pepsi Florida Relays (4/3-4): Claimed second in the 400m with a 45.29…Penn Relays (4/23-25): Helped 4x400m relay team advance to championships with a 3:05.39…Texas A&M Alumni Muster (5/1-2): Claimed the 10th-fastest time in program 200m history in 20.87w…posted the program record, recording winning the 400m in 45.22…Big Ten Championships (5/15-17): Ran 46.54 in the 400m and helped the 4x400m relay team clock 3:09.73…NCAA First Round (5/27-30): Lowered personal best to 45.19 in the 400m and helped the 4x400m relay team finish at 3:08.52...
Indoor 2026
Season: Competed in six meets for the Nittany Lions, reaching the indoor national championships for the second consecutive season and placing seventh nationally in the 400m...
Nittany Lion Challenge (1/17): Began sophomore season by helping the 4x400m relay team place third in 3:15.11… Penn State National Open (1/30-31): Won the 400m at 45.98 and contributed to 4x400m team finishing second in 3:11.01…Sykes & Sabock Challenge (2/7): Took second in 400m race of the season with a 46.39 and was part of the 4x400 team…Tyson Invitational (2/13-14): Won the 400m in 45.98 and helped the 4x400m relay team to a second-place finish in 3:11.01…Big Ten Championships (2/26-28): Placed second in the 400m in 45.73 and helped the 4x400m relay team to a fifth place finish in 3:08.25…NCAA Championships (3/13-14): Advanced to 400m finals with a 45.77, taking seventh in the finals...
Outdoor 2025
Season: Competed in eight meets for the Nittany Lions, including reaching the 4x400m national championship and winning four events.
Florida Relays (4/4-5): Ran 46.36 in the 400m and contributed to a fifth-place finish in the 4x400m relay with a time of 3:06.51…Bison Outdoor Classic (4/12-14): Won the 200m in 21.21w…Virginia Challenge (4/18-19): Joined the winning 4x400m relay team and a posted a 3:06.64 time…Penn Relays (4/24-26): Guided the 4x400m relay team to the Championship of America final with a 3:05.89 preliminary time before placing seventh…also contributed to the sprint medley relay team's runner-up finish in 3:16.50… Larry Ellis Invitational (5/1-2): Won both the 200m (21.11, 1.9w) and 400m (46.57)… Big Ten Championships (5/16-18): Finished fourth in the 400m with a 46.04 and was part of the 4x400m relay team that placed third…NCAA First Round (5/28-31): Secured a spot at the NCAA Championships as the 4x400m relay team advanced with a 3:03.56; also clocked 45.75 in the 400m…NCAA Championships (6/11-14): Ran on the 4x400m relay team that advanced to the final with a 3:03.39 before finishing ninth overall...
Indoor 2025
Season: Competed in seven events for the Nittany Lions, winning two solo events and helping the distance medley team record the fourth-fastest time in program history...
Nittany Lion Challenge (1/18): Made collegiate debut as part of the 4x400m relay team that finished with a second-place 3:08.74…Penn 10 Elite (1/25): Won the 400m with a 46.83…Penn State National Open (1/31-2/1): Competed in the 4x400m relay team, who took second at 3:07.97…Tiger Paw Invitational (2/14-15): Helped set the fourth-fastest 4x400m record in program history at 3:05.24…Penn State Tune-Up (2/21): Prevailed in the 400m with a 45.65…Big Ten Championships (2/28-3/1): Advanced to finals with a seventh-place 46.57…NCAA Championships (3/14): Ran a 46.48 in final 400m race of the season.
BEFORE PENN STATE
HIGH SCHOOL PRs: 200m – 21.78, 400m – 47.53
Attended Hilton Central High School, where he competed in the sprint events…Won the 2024 NY state 400m dash title…Earned All-American honors at Nike Indoor Nationals…Played soccer in high school…Volunteered at youth track and soccer camps as an assistant coach.
PERSONAL
Parents are Brittani and Rob Palermo…Has two brothers, Austin Rodger and Luke Palermo…Brother, Austin, played soccer at Canisius…Studying kinesiology at Penn State…Enjoys spending time with friends and family in his free time…Chose Penn State because of “its prestigious track program and the support of Coach Rizzo.”