Joplin, Mo. - Missouri Southern Director of Cross Country/Track & Field, Bryan Schiding, has announced the promotion of Brian Allen to Associate Head Track & Field Coach while maintaining his role as the recruiting coordinator and throws coach effective immediately.

"I'm happy to announce coach Allen's new role," commented coach Schiding. "Brian has shown great knowledge and work ethic in his time at Southern. His work with our throws program and strength and conditioning has been an integral part of our programs success. He will continue with his current responsibilities, and pick up a few administrative tasks with his new title."
 
Since joining the MSSU staff in 2013, Allen has coached the Lion throwers to 91 All-MIAA performances, including 35 conference champions and 30 school records broken. Along with success at the conference level, Allen has seen 164 provisional marks, 93 national qualifiers and 73 All-American performances at the national level, as well as the 2018 men's discus, 2019 women's javelin, 2021 men's outdoor shot put and discus, 2023 men's indoor weight throw, 2023 men's outdoor discus, 2024 men's indoor weight throw and 2024 men's outdoor hammer throw National Champions. Allen also coached Missouri Southern alum Rajindra Campbell, who recently won bronze in shot put at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
 
Allen has most recently been named to the USTFCCCA National Men's Assistant Coach of the Year for the 2024 Outdoor season. Allen also has been named the Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year four times in his career, twice as a men's coach and twice as a women's coach.
 
Allen joined the coaching staff prior to the 2013-14 season, serving 11 years as an assistant coach and throws coach with Missouri Southern before being given a recruiting coordinator role in 2016. Before his time at MSSU, Allen coached the throwers for two seasons at the University of Central Missouri, while also training post collegiately in the Hammer Throw. Prior to Central Missouri, Allen spent a season coaching at his alma mater, Pittsburg State University. During his tenure as an assistant coach, he helped coach 22 All-MIAA throwers, including six conference champions and saw six school records broken. He also helped coach 11 All-American throwers, including a national champion in the shot put and a runner up in the discus. 
 
"I want to thank Bryan Schiding for the opportunity to have an expanded leadership role. I'm excited to continue to work and keep the momentum going to achieve bigger and better things for Missouri Southern Track and Field," commented Allen.