Fresno Pacific's Shemar Palmer, one of the most decorated track and field athletes in conference history, has been selected as the 2025-26 Pacific West Conference Male Athlete of the Year.

Palmer was chosen by the conference's athletic directors from a nominee list of conference player's of the year, representing the PacWest's seven men's sports. 
 
Palmer is the first Sunbird to earn the honor and the first track and field athlete to since 2021 to be voted in. 

At the conference championships this spring, Palmer was named the Track Athlete of the Meet for the third straight year, and this is also his third consecutive season to be named the Track Athlete of the Year at the conclusion of the 2026 season.

The native of Jamaicia earned two silver medals at the NCAA National Championships in the 200 and 400 meters. That came after winning his third consecutive PacWest titles in the 200 and 400. He holds the PacWest meet records in the 200 (20.47) and the 400 (45.77). The senior also anchored the Sunbird’s champion 4 x 400 relay team at the conference meet and he ran second leg on FPU’s race-winning 4 x 100 foursome.

The third-year Sunbird was also a USTFCCCA All-West Region lister in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the 400 meters, and the 4x100 Relay.

 

ALL-TIME PACWEST MALE ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

Year	Name	School	Sport
2012-13	Zach Esquerra	California Baptist	Baseball
2013-14	Petr Michnev	Hawai'i Pacific	Tennis
2014-15	Troy Leaf	Azusa Pacific	Basketball
2015-16	Thibaud Berland	Hawai'i Pacific	Tennis
2016-17	Oliver Frank	Azusa Pacific	Tennis
2017-18	Mobolade Ajomale	Academy of Art	Track & Field
2018-19	Mobolade Ajomale	Academy of Art	Track & Field
2020-21	James Young	Academy of Art	Track & Field
2021-22	Baxter Halligan	Point Loma	Baseball
2022-23	Kaden Anderson	Point Loma	Basketball
2023-24	Scott Anderson	Point Loma	Baseball
2024-25	Adrian McIntyre	Westmont	Basketball
2025-26	Shemar Palmer	Fresno Pacific	Track and Field