Ryan Palmer enters his sixth season as head coach of Central Maine Community College in 2025-26. Palmer is the program’s all-time wins leader, picking up his 100th career victory in charge on April 18, 2025, in an 11-4 win at NHTI.

The Rumford, ME native guided the Mustangs to the 2025 Yankee Small College Conference championship with a thrilling 7-6 victory over rival SMCC in extra innings. It was the team's first conference title in 15 years since the 2009-10 season, and second YSCC crown in program history. Central Maine advanced to the USCAA Small College World Series for only the third time (2003, 2010), picking up their first win at the national tournament with a 10-2 victory over Florida National University.

During his time in Auburn, Palmer has had ten players selected to the YSCC All-Conference team, with another two picking up honorable mention honors, one USCAA 2^nd-Team All-American in Jimmy Reed, and one YSCC Pitcher of the Year in Levi Tibbetts.

Coach Palmer first returned to his alma mater as an interim coach for the 2013 fall season. He officially took the reins as CM's permanent baseball head coach in January 2020, though the COVID pandemic delayed the start of his first full season in charge.

Prior to CMCC, Palmer began his coaching career in 2007 at Mt. Abram High School. He was MVC Coach of the Year in 2009. In 2011 he took over at Dirigo High School where he won back-to-back state championships in 2012 and 2013. In 10 years at Dirigo he was MVC Coach of the Year three times. In total, he compiled nearly 200 wins in 13 years as a high school head coach.

A CMCC alum, Palmer played three seasons for Central Maine, primarily as a pitcher, where he received 1st-Team All-NNESCC honors in 2000 and again in 2003. He was also a two-time New England Club Baseball Association All-Star, helping the Mustangs win the NECBA for the first time in '03 with a 9-7 victory over UMaine. He finished his Mustangs career with a 1.97 ERA and two no-hitters, while boasting a .401 batting average.

A graduate of Mountain Valley High School in '00, Palmer was a four-year varsity player earning all-conference honors in his sophomore, junior and senior years as a pitcher/second baseman. 

Coach Palmer lives in Rumford with his wife Andrea, son Easton and stepson Jacob.

*updated July 2025