One of the best wrestlers in the history of Rhode Island, Brian Allen brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the JWU (Providence) wrestling program. The right-hand man to head coach Lonnie Morris, Allen is going into his 26th season as the Wildcats Associate Head Coach.
An integral part of JWU’s success over the years, Allen has earned numerous awards during his coaching career. He has been named Regional Assistant Coach of the Year six times (2004, 2007, 2014, 2017, 2019 2023) and received the 2017 and 2019 National Assistant Coach of the Year honor. Allen received the distinguished 25 years of Coaching Award from the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) following the completion of the 2022-23 campaign, when he was also inducted into the NWCA Hall of Fame. In 2023-24, the JWU coaching staff was named Staff of the Year by the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA).
During Allen’s time on staff, he helped produce 61 Division III All-Americans, 85 Academic All-Americans, 49 Regional Champions and 166 all-region wrestlers, and over 400 of Morris’ 446 career wins are dual meet victories. The 2019 squad earned the highest finish in program history by taking third. The 2017 team finished fourth at the NCAA Championships while the 2018 squad achieved the highest national ranking when it reached the No. 1 spot in December of 2017. The 2011 Team earned the distinction of being named the 2011 Academic GPA National Champions.
Allen is extremely passionate about wrestling and growing the sport. Through his work with graphic design and social media, he has promoted the JWU program throughout New England and nationally with great results. Thanks to Allen’s efforts, the Wildcats earned the Gold Standard from the National Wrestling Coaches Association in their Best of Brand competition. The Best of Brand ‘Gold Standard’ competition is the highest award given to the program which most effectively built their brand utilizing technology throughout the year.
Allen has had the honor to have been selected to Represent the NCAA Northeast Region over the many years to Seed the NCAA National Championships and is also part of the D3 New England Wrestling Associations Ranking and Seeding Committee.
During his collegiate career, Allen was a two-time All-American at Rhode Island College, earning honors in 1989 at 126 pounds and in 1991 at 134 pounds. He owns a collegiate career record of 141-33 with 45 wins by fall. After college, Allen continued to wrestle and owns a lifetime record of 376-49.
He was a four-time region champion, winning at 126 pounds in 1988, 1989 and 1990, and at 134 pounds in 1991. He has 14 individual titles to his credit. Allen was inducted into the inaugural 2002 NEWA Hall of Fame, the 2002 RIC Hall of Fame, 2004 Rhode Island Wrestling Hall of Fame, 2004 Burrillville Hall of Fame, and the 2023 NWCA and Division III National Hall of Fame.
Allen has over 30 years of coaching experience at several levels. After his college career was over, Allen went on to coach wrestling at Burrillville High School (1991-97) and was an assistant at RIC in 1997-98. He is currently on his 25th year as a Wildcat (1999-2024).
A 1996 Rhode Island College graduate with a bachelor’s degree in physical education, he is currently a physical education teacher in the Providence Public School System. Allen resides in Burrillville, Rhode Island with his wife Melissa and two daughters: Haley and Riley.
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