University of Detroit Mercy Athletics

First-year head coach Charlie Hayes made the first addition to his staff as former Johns Hopkins attackman and professional lacrosse player Zach Palmer joined the team as the new offensive coordinator in August of 2024. 

In his first season on the sidelines, he helped the Titans tie a school record with five straight wins and advance to the NEC Championship by ousting top-seeded Le Moyne on the road in the semifinals. Redshirt freshman Marcus Thundercloud was named NEC Rookie of the Year and Second Team All-NEC - the first freshman to earn a Rookie of the Year accolade since 2015 - while senior midfielder Chase Mahabir was named First Team All-NEC. 

Palmer was an offensive stalwart at the collegiate level at Johns Hopkins and then played in the National Lacrosse League and Major League Lacrosse. He also has extensive experience coaching high school and college club teams.

"We are very excited to announce the addition of coach Palmer to our coaching staff," said Hayes. "Zach has an impressive background with a vast amount of knowledge and playing experience that will be instrumental in our growth and success as a program."

He coached with Omnia Lacrosse and was the National Team head coach for True Lacrosse in 2015 and 2016. 

Palmer also was an assistant coach for Michigan State from 2016-17 and with Detroit Country Day in 2014-15, helping the program win a state title and earning the Assistant Coach of the Year in 2014. He started his coaching career with Edge Lacrosse in high school and also served as an Assistant Director with the Detroit Sting Youth Lacrosse Program. 

He played four years at Johns Hopkins from 2010-13, assuming a starting spot midway through his freshman season and never relinquishing it. He played in 58 games with 50 starts, helping the Blue Jays to three NCAA Tournament appearances, and tallied 140 points on 71 goals and 69 assists. As a sophomore, he was second on the team in scoring with 47 points on 22 goals and 25 assists and came back the following year to lead the team in points (53) and assists (26) and finishing second in goals (27).

"Throughout our discussions, Zach's vision and concepts for the offense aligned perfectly with the direction we aim to take," said Hayes. "His innovative approach and deep understanding of the game will be instrumental as we work towards building a more dynamic and successful program. We are confident that his contributions will be a significant asset to our offensive and overall team success."

In college, he played in the Ontario Junior A Lacrosse League with the Whitby Warriors and guided the team to a Minto Cup in 2011. 

A native of Oshawa, Ontario, Palmer finished his prep career at The Hill Academy and was a two-time Athlete of the Year, helping the team post a 50-2 record in his final two seasons. He also was a member of Canada's U19 team - one of only two 16-year-olds to make the team - and won a silver medal at the national championships. 

Outside of lacrosse, he has worked in the technology and management consultant field.

He graduated from Johns Hopkins with degrees in Psychology and a minor in Business Entrepreneurship in 2013.