Aug 22, 2013
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State women's soccer defender Haley Palmer has been named to Soccer America's preseason All-America team, the publication announced Thursday. The senior is believed to be the first preseason All-American in the program's 25-year history.
A native of Windsor, Calif., Palmer is one of four players at her position on an All-America squad that consists of 25 players overall. The 2012 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year is the only student-athlete representing the MW and one of five from the west coast.
Over her three-year career, the three-time all-MW performer has played in all 65 games, while earning 62 starts. Palmer enters her final season on Montezuma Mesa having made 35 consecutive starts, and has one career goal and 12 assists. Additionally, in her three Mountain West seasons, Palmer and her backline teammates have bled only nine goals in 20 games, never allowing more than one goal in any of those outings, and blanked 12 conference foes.
In 2012 alone, Palmer helped anchor a backline that allowed just 0.62 goals a game, which helped the Aztecs to enjoy the finest season in school history. SDSU completed the campaign with a 21-2-1 record, tied for best mark nationally, advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament and added a pair of Mountain West trophies to its mantel.
Palmer is the third Aztec, and second in as many seasons, to earn an All-America honor from Soccer America. Last season, Megan Jurado was named a second-team honoree after scoring the second-most goals in SDSU single-season history (15). Catherine McGuire, meanwhile, picked up third-team accolades in 1998 after San Diego State won the WAC, went to the NCAA tournament and compiled a 19-3-1 record (6-0 WAC).
Palmer and the 11th-ranked Aztecs will open the season on Friday vs. USC at nearby Torero Stadium on the campus of USD. First tap is slated for 5 p.m. PT.