Men's Track & Field
Allden, Andrew
Andrew Allden
- Title:
- Men's Cross Country and Distance Coach
- Email:
- anallden@davidson.edu
Andrew Allden joined the Davidson men's cross country and track & field program in the fall of 2023. A 30-year veteran of distance coaching, Coach Allden has proven success in both the cross country and the track & field realm.
South Carolina, Second Stint: 2013-22
Allden most recently coached Anass Essayi who was the SEC's indoor mile and outdoor 1500m champion and also took bronze at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Essay's time of 3:50.46 this past indoor season was the second-fastest mile in NCAA history.
Allden also served as South Carolina's women's cross country coach from 2013-2022 where his student-athletes set 13 of the program's top-20 times in the 6K including the current school record. His 2022 squad also boasted the SEC's top GPA of 3.70, then in 2014, the program recorded the highest team GPA in Division I. In 2015, his team followed that up with the second-highest team GPA in the country at 3.826.
USATF: 2009-2013
From 2009 through 2013, Allden served as a coaching educator and elite athlete coach for USA Track & Field where he coached numerous world-ranked athletes. He is a USATF Level I and II certified coach as well as a Level I and II endurance instructor. Allden served as the USATF East Coast Coordinator for Level I Coaching Education where he directed more than a dozen coaching schools per year on the eastern seaboard. In 2014, he co-wrote the Endurance portion of the USATF Level I Coaching Manual.
Also adding to his accomplishments with USATF, Allden was the recipient of the Joe Vigil Sport Science Award in 2019 and won the Ron Buss Service Award twice in 2012 and 2021.
UNC: 2004-2009
Served as North Carolina track & field's meet director and alumni relations coordinator. He directed 25 home track meets, six cross country meets, and five road races. Allden also coordinated the creation of UNC's Track Hall of Honor and the annual Track Hall of Honor Dinner. He was instrumental in the development of a track & field coaching curriculum that was designed for undergraduates who wanted to move beyond jogging and tackle competitive racing.
Coastal Carolina: 2001-2004
Allden served at Coastal Carolina's head men's cross country and track and field coach for three years. In his tenure, he coached all event groups while directing all of the Chanticleers' home track & field and cross country events. In 2003, Allden led Coastal to their first-ever Big South Conference team title, was named the Big South Coach of the Year, and Diastrict Coach of the Year. He also led the Chanticleers to runner-up finishes at the Big South Championships in 2002 and 2004. During the 2004 season, his team finished 17th at the NCAA East Regional and he coached two NCAA Championship qualifiers in the javelin and pole vault.
Under Allden's direction, Coastal's cross country program went from finishing eighth in the Big South to runners-up in his first year. He helped coach the program's first-ever NCAA qualifier and All-Region selection as well as two individual conference champions in 2002 and 2003. He also directed the 2003 Big South Cross Country Championships.
South Carolina, First Stint: 1996-2001
In his first stint with USC, Allden's primary coaching responsibilities included all aspects of directing the women's cross country program as well as coaching the men's and women's distance events for the track program. His cross country teams earned WICCA All-Academic Team honors for five consecutive seasons (1996-2000) and Allden helped coach 21 All-SEC Academic honorees. The program also won the South Carolina State Championship in back-to-back years (1998 and 1999).
On the track side, he helped guide the women's team to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 1997 and the men's team took fourth at the 1999 NCAA Indoor Championships. He coached four indoor and five outdoor All-Americans as well as the 2001 men's NCAA Champion and the 1998 women's silver medalist in the 800-meters.
The Olympic Games: July 1996-August 1996
Allden served as the Director of Grady Stadium Practice Stadium where he supervised 35 personnel in the set-up and operation of the distance practice track for 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
Tulane University: 1994-1996
While at Tulane, Allden was responsible for both men's and women's cross country teams, the men's and women's distance events, as well as scheduling and recruiting. He earned Louisiana Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1995 after he took Tulane men's cross country from last in the Metro Conference in 1994 to third in Conference USA in 1995 with three all-conference performers.
In track and field, he helped coach a total of eight Conference USA Champions and coached his student-athletes to a total of 19 new school records. Allden coached the Outdoor Conference USA Women's Freshman of the Year in 1995.
UNC: 1989-1994
In his first full-time role, Allden served at UNC's Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track Coach where he helped coach two cross country all-americans, the ACC men's individual champion in 1992, and a runner-up in 1991. His indoor track accomplishments feature three women's ACC Team titles and one men's team title, four NCAA qualifiers, and an all-american. During the outdoor seasons, he helped guide UNC to three more women's and one men's team title, four NCAA qualifiers, two Olympic Trial qualifiers, and an all-american.
Allden earned his bachelor's from Emory University in English and History in 1986 where he helped Emory's cross country team to one of its three NCAA Championship berths during his time there. He also holds a master's degree in sports administration from Georgia.
He has a wife of 25 years, Tara, and a daughter Kathleen.
Allden's Resume:
2013-2022: South Carolina – Assistant Track & Field Coach and Women's Cross Country Coach
2009-2013: USATF – Coaching Educator and Elite Athlete Coach
2004-2009: UNC – Meet Director & Alumni Relations Coordinator for Track & Field
2001-2004: Coastal Carolina – Head Men's Cross Country and Track & Field Coach
1996-2001: South Carolina – Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track & Field Coach
1996: The Olympic Games – Director of Grady Stadium Practice Facility
1994-1996: Tulane – Assistant Track and Cross Country Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
1989-1994: UNC – Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track Coach
South Carolina, Second Stint: 2013-22
Allden most recently coached Anass Essayi who was the SEC's indoor mile and outdoor 1500m champion and also took bronze at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Essay's time of 3:50.46 this past indoor season was the second-fastest mile in NCAA history.
Allden also served as South Carolina's women's cross country coach from 2013-2022 where his student-athletes set 13 of the program's top-20 times in the 6K including the current school record. His 2022 squad also boasted the SEC's top GPA of 3.70, then in 2014, the program recorded the highest team GPA in Division I. In 2015, his team followed that up with the second-highest team GPA in the country at 3.826.
USATF: 2009-2013
From 2009 through 2013, Allden served as a coaching educator and elite athlete coach for USA Track & Field where he coached numerous world-ranked athletes. He is a USATF Level I and II certified coach as well as a Level I and II endurance instructor. Allden served as the USATF East Coast Coordinator for Level I Coaching Education where he directed more than a dozen coaching schools per year on the eastern seaboard. In 2014, he co-wrote the Endurance portion of the USATF Level I Coaching Manual.
Also adding to his accomplishments with USATF, Allden was the recipient of the Joe Vigil Sport Science Award in 2019 and won the Ron Buss Service Award twice in 2012 and 2021.
UNC: 2004-2009
Served as North Carolina track & field's meet director and alumni relations coordinator. He directed 25 home track meets, six cross country meets, and five road races. Allden also coordinated the creation of UNC's Track Hall of Honor and the annual Track Hall of Honor Dinner. He was instrumental in the development of a track & field coaching curriculum that was designed for undergraduates who wanted to move beyond jogging and tackle competitive racing.
Coastal Carolina: 2001-2004
Allden served at Coastal Carolina's head men's cross country and track and field coach for three years. In his tenure, he coached all event groups while directing all of the Chanticleers' home track & field and cross country events. In 2003, Allden led Coastal to their first-ever Big South Conference team title, was named the Big South Coach of the Year, and Diastrict Coach of the Year. He also led the Chanticleers to runner-up finishes at the Big South Championships in 2002 and 2004. During the 2004 season, his team finished 17th at the NCAA East Regional and he coached two NCAA Championship qualifiers in the javelin and pole vault.
Under Allden's direction, Coastal's cross country program went from finishing eighth in the Big South to runners-up in his first year. He helped coach the program's first-ever NCAA qualifier and All-Region selection as well as two individual conference champions in 2002 and 2003. He also directed the 2003 Big South Cross Country Championships.
South Carolina, First Stint: 1996-2001
In his first stint with USC, Allden's primary coaching responsibilities included all aspects of directing the women's cross country program as well as coaching the men's and women's distance events for the track program. His cross country teams earned WICCA All-Academic Team honors for five consecutive seasons (1996-2000) and Allden helped coach 21 All-SEC Academic honorees. The program also won the South Carolina State Championship in back-to-back years (1998 and 1999).
On the track side, he helped guide the women's team to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 1997 and the men's team took fourth at the 1999 NCAA Indoor Championships. He coached four indoor and five outdoor All-Americans as well as the 2001 men's NCAA Champion and the 1998 women's silver medalist in the 800-meters.
The Olympic Games: July 1996-August 1996
Allden served as the Director of Grady Stadium Practice Stadium where he supervised 35 personnel in the set-up and operation of the distance practice track for 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
Tulane University: 1994-1996
While at Tulane, Allden was responsible for both men's and women's cross country teams, the men's and women's distance events, as well as scheduling and recruiting. He earned Louisiana Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1995 after he took Tulane men's cross country from last in the Metro Conference in 1994 to third in Conference USA in 1995 with three all-conference performers.
In track and field, he helped coach a total of eight Conference USA Champions and coached his student-athletes to a total of 19 new school records. Allden coached the Outdoor Conference USA Women's Freshman of the Year in 1995.
UNC: 1989-1994
In his first full-time role, Allden served at UNC's Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track Coach where he helped coach two cross country all-americans, the ACC men's individual champion in 1992, and a runner-up in 1991. His indoor track accomplishments feature three women's ACC Team titles and one men's team title, four NCAA qualifiers, and an all-american. During the outdoor seasons, he helped guide UNC to three more women's and one men's team title, four NCAA qualifiers, two Olympic Trial qualifiers, and an all-american.
Allden earned his bachelor's from Emory University in English and History in 1986 where he helped Emory's cross country team to one of its three NCAA Championship berths during his time there. He also holds a master's degree in sports administration from Georgia.
He has a wife of 25 years, Tara, and a daughter Kathleen.
Allden's Resume:
2013-2022: South Carolina – Assistant Track & Field Coach and Women's Cross Country Coach
2009-2013: USATF – Coaching Educator and Elite Athlete Coach
2004-2009: UNC – Meet Director & Alumni Relations Coordinator for Track & Field
2001-2004: Coastal Carolina – Head Men's Cross Country and Track & Field Coach
1996-2001: South Carolina – Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track & Field Coach
1996: The Olympic Games – Director of Grady Stadium Practice Facility
1994-1996: Tulane – Assistant Track and Cross Country Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
1989-1994: UNC – Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track Coach
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