Amara Palmer Chooses the Roadrunners

Amara Palmer of Niles High School has signed her NJCAA Letters of Intent to play both volleyball and women's basketball as a Roadrunner in 1st Source Bank Fieldhouse for Coach Jenny Nate and Coach Jeanine Wasielewski. 

SMC Volleyball Head Coach Jenny Nate commented, "I have had the privilege of coaching Amara for the past three years at the high school varsity level and am absolutely thrilled to get to now continue coaching her at the collegiate level!  Amara is a fierce competitor, amazing athlete, incredible teammate, and outstanding student. She was All Conference and All Region the past two years, plus was Team and Individual Academic All State and helped lead us to a #6 Prep Dig ranking, two Conference Championships, a District Championship, a Regional Championship, and a trip to the MHSAA State Quarterfinals.  Amara works hard on the court and in the classroom and is an intense force on the net.  She is a great attacker and has put in years of work to take her game to the next level. I can't wait to see her continue to grow on the college court as well. She is passionate about both volleyball and basketball, and I'm so excited that she now has the opportunity to play both at SMC while pursuing her academic goals."

Niles High School Basketball Coach Jessica Johnson said, "Amara is a dedicated student-athlete.  She has a high basketball IQ and takes care of business in the classroom.  Amara leads our team in points, steals, rebounds, and assists.  She has stepped into the leadership role over the years.  It has been my pleasure to coach Amara.  I am excited she decided to stay local to be part of expanding SMC's athletic programs while furthering her education.  I look forward to seeing what she will do at the next level."

SMC Women's Basketball Head Coach Jeanine Wasielewski added, "I am thrilled to add Amara to our women's basketball recruiting class.  Her accolades as a dual-sport athlete are impressive, and she will certainly be an impact player here at SMC.  Amara also excels in her academics and has her sights set on pursuing a degree in biology / pre-med.  On the court, Amara is a smooth, slashing guard that can beat her defender off the bounce with a long first step and finishing moves around the rim.  She will bring height and length on the perimeter and has the ability to consistently hit the 3 from deep.  This is exactly what we are striving for here at SMC - providing high academic and competitive athletic opportunities for our local student-athletes.  Welcome to SMC, Amara!"

Following the return of nationally-ranked cross country teams to competition in 2021, the SMC Board of Trustees in May authorized the return of NJCAA men's and women's basketball, women's volleyball and men's wrestling for Fall 2022.