Former Florida Tech Panther Sam Palace is working in Major League Baseball this season. Palace is one of the bullpen catchers for the Washington Nationals.
Sam Palace is working as a bullpen catcher this season with the Washington Nationals. (Florida Tech image)
Palace was a three-year standout for the Panthers who transferred from Kent State University after his freshman season. During his three years with the Panthers Palace appeared in 127 games. He had a .288 batting average, and recorded 134 hits. He also totaled 18 home runs and 88 RBIs.
After his career ended with the Panthers, Palace played professional baseball with independent league teams. In 2011, the Washington Nationals signed Palace to a minor league contract. During the 2012 season he appeared in games for Class-A Hagerstown, and A-Advanced Potomac. He made it to the Triple-A level with Syracuse during the 2013 season.
It was during this past Spring Training period that the Nationals offered him the role of being one of the bullpen catchers with the big league club. His name was announced along with the players and other support staff on opening day at Citi Field.
So when you are watching a Nationals game this season, and they bring in a pitcher from the bullpen, Palace might have been the one to get them ready to go.
Mims Volunteers at the 2014 NCAA Youth Clinic
Florida Tech head men’s basketball coach Billy Mims volunteered at the 2014 Coca Cola NCAA Youth Clinic. (Florida Tech image)
Florida Tech’s head men’s basketball coach Billy Mims was one of 40 college basketball head coaches to volunteer at the 2014 Coca Cola NCAA Youth Clinic in North Texas.
The Coca Cola NCAA Youth Clinics are basketball clinics for the youth of the Final Four host city free of charge. The event was held at three different venues on Saturday morning and Mims was part of the group at Duncanville High School. The National Association of Basketball Coaches hosts the event annually and this season, the Final Four was held at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.
Billy Mims
“I volunteered to be a clinician Saturday morning for the 2014 NCAA Youth Clinic in North Texas,” Mims said. “This is a great way for the NCAA to give back to the community in the Final Four city. Most of the kids who attend this clinic may have never been able to take part in something like this or be able to get a ticket to attend the Final Four games in their own city, but this allows them the opportunity to be a part of it all. About 30-40 coaches from NCAA schools around the country instructed three-hour clinics, and I was honored to be a part of the youth clinics.”
“I was part of the group coaching at Duncanville High School in North Texas, a beautiful Texas high school with a rich basketball tradition,” continued Mims.
The NCAA Division I Championships will air live at 9:10 p.m. ET from AT&T Stadium on CBS. No. 7 University of Connecticut takes on No. 8 University of Kentucky. Two members of the Florida Tech men’s basketball team are from the state of Kentucky, Jordan Majors, and NABC Second Team All-District and Sunshine State Conference First Team All-Star Jermaine Jackson.
