Greens Farms Academy junior Allie Palmieri, who led the Dragons girls basketball team to a 23-3 record and Saturday’s upcoming New England Class C tournament semifinals, has been named the 2020 Gatorade Player of the Year for the State of Connecticut.
“It’s just a testament to everything that everybody has done for me,” Palmieri said. “My coaches, my trainers, my mom and dad for taking me to all these workouts, and of course my teammates because if they don’t get me the ball, I can’t do anything. It just goes to show the support I’ve always had.”
The 5-foot-10 guard, who averaged 24.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.9 steals, 2.3 assists and 1.3 blocks this season, is now a finalist for the Gatorade National Player of the Year, which will be announced in March.
“I think for Allie it’s so well-deserved,” GFA girls basketball coach Jen Harris said. “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, so she should be so proud of herself.”
Palmieri, who was an All-State player as a sophomore last year at Trumbull High School, transferred to GFA this fall.
She helped lead the Dragons to a school-record number of wins and a berth in last week’s FAA championship game.
She scored 22 points in Wednesday’s NEPSAC Class C quarterfinal win over Ethel Walker School, giving GFA a berth in Saturday’s semifinals against Dexter Southfield.
“It’s always been a dream, but I never knew if I could make it my reality,” said Palmieri, who has verbally committed to take her basketball talents to Boston College after graduating. “It’s just amazing. It puts me on Cloud Nine.”
Palmieri is GFA’s first-ever Gatorade Player of the Year honoree.
“We are so proud of Allie and everything she has accomplished here at GFA,” said GFA Athletic Director Tauni Butterfield. “She has worked so hard to improve herself and become such an important figure in our girls basketball program, and an honor like this is just a testament to all that work she's put in.”
The award is also another accolade for the girls basketball program as a whole.
“For GFA, it just puts us on the map to a larger degree,” Harris said. “I hope it encourages our younger players to keep working because there is a lot out there to be earned.”
In addition to celebrating a player’s on-court accomplishments, the Gatorade Player of the Year also takes into account the player's service work off the court, high standards of academic achievement, and exemplary character.
Palmieri has been a volunteer math tutor at Bridgeport’s Classical Studies Magnet Academy and also worked with the Nichols Improvement Association’s Jingle Bell Run. Additionally, she has worked as a coach with the InSports Skills Basketball Clinic.
She has earned a 3.99 GPA in the classroom.