Allen University makes the jump to DII

[SW_Mustang]

Allen University (Columbia, SC) announced their jump to DII yesterday and will be a provisional member for three years. They are expected to join the SIAC, hence why I'm posting it here.

They reinstated football a few years ago.

https://www.thestate.com/sports/coll...244257232.html

[ESU Warrior]

Allen University (Columbia, SC) announced their jump to DII yesterday and will be a provisional member for three years. They are expected to join the SIAC, hence why I'm posting it here.

They reinstated football a few years ago.

https://www.thestate.com/sports/coll...244257232.html

Good move for the SIAC

[SkegeeGrad151]

if they do get invited to the SIAC that puts another team on the eastern side of the conference. may have to do away with the divisional format in football.

[4_tattoos]

Isn't Allen's enrollment well under 1,000? Why would they make this move?

[stealth]

Isn't Allen's enrollment well under 1,000? Why would they make this move?

Pride and grandstanding. Or the school is going under and this is a last ditch effort.

Allen has been nowhere on the NAIA sports scene, basically a nonstarter. Multiple HBCU's in the area and none of them join a conference or participated on any kind of level. Instead of hiring leaders, making your school and athletics more appealing, they didn't do much of anything. Until recently, their website looked straight out of 1995.

I don't understand how you go from junior high level athletic department and jump into D2. But the SIAC needs them I guess, so pride wins over reality, I guess.

[UWFMubbish]

Born and raised in SC (living in Pensacola FL the last 20 yrs) and have family friends whose parents attended Allen years ago. Over the last 30 years the rumor mill has been that they are about to go under, and every year since they've continued to hang on. Allen may have 700 students, and Covid-19 is gonna be hard on these cats because they don't have a lot of latitude to continue if they lose students. I give them credit for surviving and maintaining their regional accreditation. Football at any level is expensive, and I just knew that this would be folly and sink them financially. But here they are as a D2 school about to join the SIAC. Being located in Columbia SC and right across the street from Benedict College is both a blessing and a curse. Somehow, they continue to adjust just enough, reinvent themselves just enough, and show up -- they have nine lives!!!

[crixus]

One of the many things I like about D2 football is when you lose a school to FCS, it's not too long until you pick one up from either D3 or NAIA. Kudos to Allen.

[badboyblynn]

Here's a link to my blog article on Coach Keaton and Allen U from this spring. http://www.victorysportsnetwork.com/...of-allen-u.htm

[laker]

Here's a link to my blog article on Coach Keaton and Allen U from this spring. http://www.victorysportsnetwork.com/...of-allen-u.htm

Interesting article. Shows you how much people who work hard and stick with it can do. He sure put in his time!