Much like when his current boss, GCU Club Volleyball Director of Operations Kris Naber, walked into the GCU Club Sports offices in 2017 with a storied resume’, Eric Palmer joined the GCU fold in 2023 as GCU Men’s Club Volleyball Head Coach with a wealth of volleyball coaching knowledge and success. While this is Palmer’s first foray into the college coaching ranks, he’s already led the Lopes to four wins in the 2024 NCVF National Championships.
Besides, Palmer’s high school coaching resume’ speaks for itself – especially since he came to GCU after leading Deer Valley High School’s Boys’ Volleyball Varsity program to the Arizona 4A State Championship in the spring of 2023.
Palmer has spent his entire 20-year high school career leading the Skyhawks to unprecedented heights – the last 12 of those as head coach. A seven-year assistant, Palmer became assistant head coach in 2010, and helped DVHS to a pair of region titles and the Arizona 5A D1 State title. After ascending to the top job in 2012, he led them to a section title in his first year, then in 2017, began a string of five West Valley Region titles over the next seven seasons – also leading them to two state quarterfinal and one state semifinal appearance (in addition to the state title) during that span. Palmer has a 159-47 coaching record and has been named Region Coach of the Year six times, Conference Coach of the Year three times, and the Arizona Republic’s All-Arizona Boys’ Volleyball Coach of the Year in 2023.
Palmer is no stranger to the club volleyball side, since he’s been the club director for Valley Fusion Volleyball for over a decade. The Glendale native and DVHS alum was also an assistant varsity and JV coach for five years for the Skyhawks’ Boys’ Basketball team. While joining GCU Club Sports, Palmer heads into his 17th year as a physical education teacher, entering his 8th year teaching PE at Cordova Elementary School just north of the GCU campus. Palmer also spent nine years as athletic director and PE teacher at Norterra Canyon Elementary School in north Phoenix, earning the DVUSD Pursuing Victory with Honor Athletic Administrator of the Year Award in 2012.
Palmer is a proud Lopes’ alum, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary Education and K-12 Physical Education from GCU in 2007; then earning his master’s degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia Irvine. Palmer celebrates his 12-year wedding anniversary to his bride, Amanda, this year as they dote on their two girls, Hazel (10) and Eloise (8).
