St. Thomas Aquinas’ Dave Palm is the Broward Beach Volleyball Coach of the Year
St. Thomas Aquinas’ beach volleyball team and their coach Dave Palm know the route to Tallahassee well.
For five consecutive years, the Raiders have made it to the state final four at Florida State University.
But the path to get there isn’t easy.
Yet under Palm’s guidance, Aquinas remains the most consistent program in Broward County in the sport.
This season, despite shifting around its roster following the graduation of key players, the Raiders were dominant once again.
They made it to the Class 3A state final for the first time in program history after falling in the semifinal round each of the past two years.
And so, Palm is once again the Miami Herald’s Broward County Beach Volleyball Coach of the Year.
Palm’s group went 17-2 this season, winning district and regional titles, and going unbeaten against Broward County competition. The Raiders were the No. 3 seed, yet still upended No. 2 seed Vero Beach in a rematch of their only loss to that point in the season.
Aquinas’ title hopes were dashed, however, by Neptune Beach Fletcher in a 3-0 sweep in the final.
The Raiders got there led by the top pair of junior Emma Bear and senior Violette Zayas as well as a strong core of juniors that includes Dior Ferguson, Alexa Raymond and Isabella Vergara - all of whom earned first team All-Broward honors.
The group sets up Aquinas in strong shape to contend once again next season.
