Wrestling opponents struggled to escape the clutches of Corey Pallinger when he represented the Shoremen on the mats. A four-year letterman for Avon Lake, Pallinger was a state champion his senior year, and was also voted the team MVP and an all-star for Lorain County and Greater Cleveland. A SWC champion his junior season, Pallinger was a two-time district qualifier and three-time SWC champion qualifier. He also won the Buckeye Tournament and K of C championships in back-to-back years (1991-92), as well as the Brunswick Tournament in 1992. A varsity letterman in football his junior and senior years, Pallinger was the team captain in 1992 and was awarded the team MVP as he racked up All-SWC and All-Lorain County honors. Voted the United States Marine Corps Lorain County Male Athlete of the Year, Pallinger became a four-year letterman wrestler at Miami of Ohio, where he finished as the Mid-American Conference runner up in 1995-96 and won the Sunshine Open Tournament in Florida in 1995.