NEW YORK, N.Y. (July 19, 2019) - Rising sophomore Sterling Palmer has been named to the John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List, as the young tight end gains recognition entering the 2019 season.

Given annually to the most outstanding collegiate tight end, the award recipient is selected by vote of the John Mackey Award Selection Committee and the 2019 Mackey Award recipient will be announced on December 11, 2019 and then presented live on December 12, 2019 at The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show on ESPNU. All future announcements can be found at www.johnmackeyaward.com.

NFL Hall of Fame member John Mackey is considered to be the best to have played the tight end position. A tight end by whom all others are measured, Mackey was a role model on and off the field as demonstrated by his Super Bowl Championship, his commitment to community and his place in history as the first President of the NFLPA.

Palmer, a Midlothian, Virginia native, had a very successful first season at FIU as he hauled in 26 catches for 279 and a pair of touchdowns in 2018. Palmer earned Conference USA All-Freshman Team honors, as well as being named to the ESPN All-Bowl Team after catching three passes, for 64 yards and a touchdown in the Bahamas Bowl victory over Toledo. 

As a reminder, season tickets for the 2019 FIU football season are now on sale. For more information, or to order your tickets by phone, please call (305) FIU-GAME.

Click Here To Purchase Season Tickets

Entering its 18th year of football in 2019, the FIU Panthers are coming off a program-best nine wins a season ago. FIU capped 2018 with a 35-32 victory over Toledo in the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl to finish the season 9-4 overall. Under legendary head coach Butch Davis, the Panthers have earned back-to-back bowl appearances and 17 wins in the last two years.
 
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