An Avon Lake wrestling state champion in 1996, Pallinger was a varsity wrestler all four years and a first-team All-Southwestern Conference pick and an All-Lorain County first team selection his sophomore, junior and senior years. He was an individual champion his sophomore, junior and senior years at Buckeye and an individual champ at the Avon Lake K of C, Brunswick and sectionals his junior and senior years. He placed third at the state meet his junior year.

As a senior, Pallinger was a district champion and won the state title, completing his final season undefeated. He was never taken down on the mat that year. The Avon Lake team MVP his junior and senior years, Pallinger was voted the Lorain County MVP as a senior. He was a junior national freestyle All-American his junior year and was among the top 16 in high school nationals.

A class treasurer his junior and senior years at Avon Lake, Pallinger also played baseball and excelled on the Shoremen football team. After lettering as a freshman and JV player, he was named to the SWC first team and All-Lorain County first team his junior and senior years. An All-District honorable mention his junior year, Pallinger was an All-District first team member his senior year, as well as an All-Ohio Lombardi Award second team selection. He was also voted Avon Lake’s and Lorain County’s Most Valuable Defensive Lineman his senior year.

All of Pallinger’s high school accolades resulted in him being voted the 1996 Outstanding Male Athlete.
In college, he lettered at Miami University his freshman and sophomore years and lettered at American University as a junior and senior. As a senior, Pallinger was a conference champion and a NCAA Division I qualifier. He served as an assistant wrestling coach for University School from 2003-07 and is currently an OHSAA referee.