Cross Country
Will Palmer
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach for Cross Country/Assistant Track & Field Coach
- Email:
- WillP@gators.ufl.edu
- Phone:
- 4461
Will Palmer enters his fourth season with the Florida Gators as the Associate Head Coach for Cross Country and Assistant Track and Field Coach during the 2026-27 season.
In 2026, the Gators distance crew captured the remaining school records to give Palmer-coached athletes every school record from the 1500m-10,000m. Tia Wilson, Judy Chepkoech and Hilda Olemomoi captured outdoor All-American honors to help the women to a runner-up finish. Chepkoech and Olemomoi also ended as First Team All-Americans during the indoor season. Kelvin Cheruiyot, earned First Team All-American honors at the outdoor championships with a seventh place finish in the 10,000-meters. The Gator women captured their eighth SEC cross country title in the fall of 2025 and placed fifth at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
During the 2024 indoor season Palmer coached Parker Valby to two NCAA Individual Championships (3000m & 5000m). Valby's 5000m at NCAA Indoor Championships not only earned her first place but was a new collegiate record (breaking her own set earlier the same season), meet record, facility record, school record and personal record. Valby's 3000m championship featured the 3rd fastest time ever recorded in NCAA history in the event. Palmer also coached Flomena Asekol and Parvej Khan to NCAA Indoor Championship appearances. Asekol and Khan, both the SEC Champions in the mile, hold the school record in the event with marks they set earlier in the regular season.
Palmer comes to Florida from Alabama where he spent the last five years working with the distance runners. While at Alabama, he helped coach the Crimson Tide Women's cross country team to the 2022 SEC Cross Country Team Championship and a third place finish at the 2022 NCAA Cross Country Championships. At the 2022 NCAA Championships, four Crimson Tide runners finished in the top-20. Additionally, Palmer coached Honda Cup winner Mercy Chelangat to the 2022 NCAA Outdoor 10,000 meter and 2020 NCAA Cross Country individual titles.
During his time with Alabama Women's cross country, Palmer coached runners to nine First Team All-American honors and 12 All-SEC honors. On the track, Palmer guided nine NCAA First-Team All-Americans, 16 NCAA individual qualifiers, six SEC Individual Champions, and 13 SEC medalists.
Prior to his time at Alabama, Palmer spent time at Georgetown (2016-18), Western Kentucky (2015-16), Iowa State (2013-15), and two years as the operations director for the track & field and cross country teams at Oklahoma (2011-13).
While at Georgetown, Palmer coached runners received 43 All-Big East honors. Hoya runners also earned All-American honors in the men's mile, women's mile, men's 1,500 meters, men's 10,000 meters, the distance medley relay, and men's cross country between 2017 and 2018.
Prior to Georgetown, Palmer spent a year at Western Kentucky helping the team to the 2016 men's indoor and outdoor C-USA team championships. During his time in Bowling Green, he coached Endalow Takele to the men's C-USA outdoor 10,000-meter title.
Palmer arrived at Western Kentucky after two years at Iowa State where the Cyclones won back to back Big 12 women's cross country team championships and finished runner-up at the 2014 NCAA Women's Cross Country Championships.
He is a Bethesda, Maryland native and four-year letter winner on the men's cross country and track & field teams at Williams College.
Palmer's Coaching History
Alabama (2018-23)
Georgetown (2016-18)
Western Kentucky (2015-16)
Iowa State (2013-2015)
In 2026, the Gators distance crew captured the remaining school records to give Palmer-coached athletes every school record from the 1500m-10,000m. Tia Wilson, Judy Chepkoech and Hilda Olemomoi captured outdoor All-American honors to help the women to a runner-up finish. Chepkoech and Olemomoi also ended as First Team All-Americans during the indoor season. Kelvin Cheruiyot, earned First Team All-American honors at the outdoor championships with a seventh place finish in the 10,000-meters. The Gator women captured their eighth SEC cross country title in the fall of 2025 and placed fifth at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
During the 2024 indoor season Palmer coached Parker Valby to two NCAA Individual Championships (3000m & 5000m). Valby's 5000m at NCAA Indoor Championships not only earned her first place but was a new collegiate record (breaking her own set earlier the same season), meet record, facility record, school record and personal record. Valby's 3000m championship featured the 3rd fastest time ever recorded in NCAA history in the event. Palmer also coached Flomena Asekol and Parvej Khan to NCAA Indoor Championship appearances. Asekol and Khan, both the SEC Champions in the mile, hold the school record in the event with marks they set earlier in the regular season.
Palmer comes to Florida from Alabama where he spent the last five years working with the distance runners. While at Alabama, he helped coach the Crimson Tide Women's cross country team to the 2022 SEC Cross Country Team Championship and a third place finish at the 2022 NCAA Cross Country Championships. At the 2022 NCAA Championships, four Crimson Tide runners finished in the top-20. Additionally, Palmer coached Honda Cup winner Mercy Chelangat to the 2022 NCAA Outdoor 10,000 meter and 2020 NCAA Cross Country individual titles.
During his time with Alabama Women's cross country, Palmer coached runners to nine First Team All-American honors and 12 All-SEC honors. On the track, Palmer guided nine NCAA First-Team All-Americans, 16 NCAA individual qualifiers, six SEC Individual Champions, and 13 SEC medalists.
Prior to his time at Alabama, Palmer spent time at Georgetown (2016-18), Western Kentucky (2015-16), Iowa State (2013-15), and two years as the operations director for the track & field and cross country teams at Oklahoma (2011-13).
While at Georgetown, Palmer coached runners received 43 All-Big East honors. Hoya runners also earned All-American honors in the men's mile, women's mile, men's 1,500 meters, men's 10,000 meters, the distance medley relay, and men's cross country between 2017 and 2018.
Prior to Georgetown, Palmer spent a year at Western Kentucky helping the team to the 2016 men's indoor and outdoor C-USA team championships. During his time in Bowling Green, he coached Endalow Takele to the men's C-USA outdoor 10,000-meter title.
Palmer arrived at Western Kentucky after two years at Iowa State where the Cyclones won back to back Big 12 women's cross country team championships and finished runner-up at the 2014 NCAA Women's Cross Country Championships.
He is a Bethesda, Maryland native and four-year letter winner on the men's cross country and track & field teams at Williams College.
Palmer's Coaching History
Alabama (2018-23)
Georgetown (2016-18)
Western Kentucky (2015-16)
Iowa State (2013-2015)
Tuesday, April 28
Saturday, February 07
Saturday, February 07
Thursday, January 22
