ST. PAUL, Minn. – Macalester College recent graduate Jess Palmer-Sammons (Half Moon Bay, Calif./Half Moon Bay) of the water polo team was chosen the Region IX Women's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year by the Division III Commissioners Association (DIIICA), the organization announced today. Palmer-Sammons is one of 20 Division III student-athletes to receive the award, which recognizes graduating seniors who have demonstrated excellence in athletics, academics, leadership and service throughout their collegiate careers.

Palmer-Sammons, who is representing both the MIAC and the CWPA, and all of the regional award winners advance to the national ballot for the DIIICA Men's and Women's Sport Athletes of the Year, which will be announced next month.

A three-time All-CWPA first team selection and the CWPA Most Valuable Player in 2025 and 2026, Palmer-Sammons made the ACWPC All-America second team after receiving All-American honorable mention the previous two seasons. This year she led Macalester with 48 goals and 32 assists for 80 points in 22 games this season. In three games at the CWPA Championships April 10-12, Palmer-Sammons tallied six goals and five assists for 11 points to lead the Scots to the CWPA title as the tournament's MVP. At the USA Water Polo Division III National Championship April 25-26, she scored one of Macalester's two goals against eventual-champion Pomona-Pitzer, then had two goals, an assist and four steals in a 7-6, comeback victory over Carthage in the third-place game. Also a key component in the Scots' defense, she registered 51 steals. In 78 career matches at Macalester, she has 153 goals and 70 assists for 223 points while swiping 131 steals.

A biology and Spanish double-major at Macalester, Palmer-Sammons was named to the CSC Academic All-America first team this year after making the third team following her junior year. She has earned the ACWPC All-Academic Award three times and has made the CSC Academic All-District team three times. At Macalester Athletics' year-end celebration in May, Palmer-Sammons was named the M Club Women's Team Student-Athlete of the Year, which recognizes the Macalester student-athlete who has contributed the most to the team's success through athletic achievement, leadership and academic excellence.

Macalester, coached by Scott Reed, posted a 16-6 record, captured the CWPA Tournament championship and made the program's first appearance in the USA Water Polo Division III National Championship, where they placed third. The Scots have won the CWPA Championship four times: 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2026.

Click here to view the DIIICA release.