The University of West Alabama Athletic Department announced the hiring of Ed Allen to be the University's 16th Head Volleyball Coach on December 20, 2024.
Allen steps in as the most experienced Head Coach in UWA Volleyball history as the newly minted Head Coach carries 717 career wins, currently standing as the sixth most victories in NCAA Volleyball history. Throughout his 34-year coaching career, Allen has made stops at Presbyterian, Alabama, Tulsa, Anderson, and Southern Illinois, accumulating winning seasons in 30 of those 34 years. Along with that statistic, Allen has won nine Conference Championships, made six NCAA Tournament appearances, all while being named Conference Coach of the Year six times in his career.
Before landing in Livingston, Allen's last stop was in Carbondale, Illinois, leading Southern Illinois' program. Under Allen, the Salukis improved their win total by 12 in 2022, from the year prior, marking the largest win improvement in school history. In the following season, Southern Illinois recorded the first 20 win season in program history in eight years, before going on to win 69 total matches over the course of six seasons.
Upon arriving at Southern Illinois, Allen coached at the University of Alabama from 2011-2018. Allen accumulated a 152-101 record during his time with the Crimson Tide, including a program record 26 wins in 2014. In the year prior, Alabama put together 24 wins, leading to Allen being named the AVCA South Region Coach of the Year. In both 2013 and 2014, the Crimson Tide made trips to the NCAA Tournament, marking the first time Alabama made consecutive Tournament appearances in nearly a decade.
Allen's most dominant run in the Division I ranks came with the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes as he racked up 133 wins in four years, becoming the fastest coach in school history to reach 100 wins. Allen took over the Program in 2006 and immediately won 27 matches in his first season, finishing first in the C-USA. Allen went on to win 27 matches in 2007, 22 in 2008, 26 in 2009, and 31 in 2010, making NCAA Appearances in 2007 and 2010. During his stint with Tulsa, Allen broke or tied the school record for Conference wins on three separate occasions, leading to a pair of C-USA Coach of the Year selections in 2006 and 2010 on top of being named the AVCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year also in 2010.
Before making his debut at the Division I level, Allen secured the Head Coaching job at Presbyterian in 2003. The young Head Coach continued to shine as he recorded a 94-18 record with the Blue Hose, making a pair of NCAA Division II Tournament Appearances and being named the South Atlantic Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2005.
Allen kicked off his Head Coaching career at Anderson in 1992 and proceeded to put together a 267-128 record over the course of 11 seasons. With Allen at the helm, Anderson finished every season well over .500, leading to the Anderson, Indiana native being awarded the Heartland Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year twice.
Along with his plethora of accomplishments and accolades, Allen is also known as a talent developer, coaching many of his players to All-American, Player of the Year, All-Conference, and All-Region selections, including Tyler Henderson who became Tulsa's first All-American in the Program's history.