Richie Palacios simply wanted an opportunity to play during his freshman season. Given that chance by the coaching staff at Towson University, he became one of the most decorated freshmen in the school's long baseball history.
Palacios concluded his first collegiate season by being named a freshman All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association and the publications Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, which selects the Louisville Slugger team. The native of Brooklyn, N.Y., was a first-team selection by the NCBWA and a Baseball America second-team choice. Palacios became the third Towson player named a freshman All-American, joining shortstop Brian McKenna (2001) and pitcher Drew Permison (2008).
"I wanted to go to a school where I could play right away," Palacios said. "You really can't get any better sitting on the bench. A lot of high-level Division I schools told me that I was too short or too small, and I used those comments as motivation."
