Former Pitt women’s soccer defender Athalie Palomo signs with Tigres Femenil

The University of Pittsburgh women’s soccer program has another professional women’s soccer player alum. Athalie Palomo, who graduated in 2023, has signed with Tigres Femenil of Liga MX Femenil in Mexico.

Tigres Femenil is a highly successful club, winning five league titles. Most recently, Tigres won the 2022 Apertura season — the fall campaign — over Club América. Tigres is now coached by former FC Juárez coach, Mila Martínez.

Pitt women’s soccer coach Randy Waldrum exclusively told Pittsburgh Soccer Now about his excitment for Palomo’s signing.

“We are ecstatic for Athalie and this opportunity! We have known about it for awhile and glad it finally got completed,” Waldrum said, via text. “Athalie was our first recruit here at Pitt having played for Ben [Waldrum, assistant Pitt coach] at FCDallas. She has meant so much to us personally and to our program. The standards and expectations she set for herself and everyone here in our program will always be part of her legacy! We wish her all the best and Tigres now has a whole new group of supporters here in Pittsburgh!”

Athalie, ya eres una 𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐙𝐎𝐍𝐀 y los Incomparables nunca te dejaremos de alentar 👊🏼💛 pic.twitter.com/fqy5Z0RTt4

— Tigres Femenil 🐯 (@TigresFemenil) June 22, 2023

Palomo is a Mexican international, and has played for the Mexican U-20 women’s national team, featuring in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in France during high school. She is from Irving, Texas. Palomo joined Pitt women’s soccer ahead of the 2019 collegiate season.

Primarily a left back, Palomo started all 73 of her appearances for the Panthers. She scored two goals — one in 2019, and one in 2020 — and recorded six assists. She totaled more than 5,900 minutes for the Panthers on the pitch, anchoring the defense all four years of her collegiate career.

She was named to the All-ACC Academic Team and ACC Academic Honor Roll three times, in 2020, 2021 and 2022.