WESTPORT— After her sophomore basketball season, Greens Farms Academy senior Allie Palmieri had verbally committed to play at Boston College.
Last week, she made it official, signing her NCAA Letter of Intent to play for the Eagles of the Atlantic Coast Conference next year.
“I chose BC for many reasons, the most important being that I just felt at home with the team and players,” said Palmieri, a Trumbull resident who was the 2020 Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year after leading GFA to a 23–4 record and the New England Class C semifinals. “I wanted to go somewhere I could have an immediate impact and where I felt at home — BC checked all the boxes.”
The Eagles are happy to have Palmieri officially on board.
“Allie has great instincts and a high basketball IQ,” Boston College women’s coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee said. “She is a competitor with superb court vision. She has a great base of fundamentals to go along with her winning mindset. She is strong and athletic with the ability to hit the three, shoot the pull-up shot, and finish at the basket. I am eager to see her grow as a player and expect her to be a major contributor to our program.”
Committing early to the Eagles’ program allowed Palmieri to focus on the things she needed to do to make her a great basketball player.
“I think committing early was important to the growth of my game and it allowed me to have better relationships with my future coaches,” Palmieri said. “Because I committed before the season, I had more time to work out. When I played games during the season, I had less pressure on me as well, because I knew I just had to play my game and no longer had to worry about who was watching because I already knew my path. It alleviated a lot of stress and allowed me to focus on the things I needed to prepare myself for the next level.”
It also allowed Palmieri to lead the Dragons to their best-ever season last year.
She transferred to GFA from Trumbull High School in November of her junior year and didn’t know what to expect.
“I would say the best thing about transferring to GFA is the relationships I have been able to build with both my friends and coaches,” she said. “Even though I haven’t been here for a full year, I have been able to build some of the best friendships I’ve ever had. My basketball teammates are supportive, honest, funny, and kind. They are always there for me both on and off the court.”
Palmieri was a game-changer for GFA Head Basketball Coach Jen Harris’ program, averaging 23.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.7 steals, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks per game.
“Allie is one of the hardest workers I have ever had the pleasure to coach,” Harris said. “Her constant goal is to get better at her craft. She works so hard, day in and day out. She puts in extra of everything and it’s been in the making since the beginning of her career. She should be so proud of herself.”