MONTICELLO, Ga. — Piedmont Academy recently announced the addition of two people to its coaching staff going into the 2024-25 school year.

The school announced the hires of Christian Palmer and Aubry Payne to the coaching staff via Facebook.

The Cougars tabbed Palmer as the school’s next boys head basketball coach.

Palmer was a three-sport athlete at Stratford Academy — in football, basketball and track.

After graduating high school, Palmer went on to play basketball on scholarship for Georgia Southwestern State University before transferring to Georgia College and State University (GSCU).

At GSCU, Palmer served as an assistant coach for varusty football and basketball at Brentwood Academy, where he contributed to a state championship appearance in football and a Final Four appearance in basketball.

Palmer graduated in May 2024 with a B.S. in Middle Grades Education.

Payne was named as Peidmont Academy’s new assistant football coach.

Payne attended Locust Grove High School, where he eanred a football scholarship to play at Western Carolina University from 2016-17.

In 2018, he transferred to Georgia State, where he walked on and eventually earned a scholarship.

As a Panther, Payne earned two All-Sunbelt selections and was part of two bowl wins.

After graduating in 2021 with a degree in Sociology, Payne became an offensive assistant coach at East Tennessee State University in 2023.