​The Missouri Southern State University track and field program faces a significant challenge as it bids farewell to associate head coach Brian Allen and six All-American throwers who are transferring to the University of Arizona in Tucson. Allen, whose throwers carried a large portion of MSSU’s points toward the Lions’ third-place finishes at the Division II outdoor championships this year, was named the 2026 NCAA Division II Assistant Coach of the Year. Over the past 12 years, he has mentored MSSU’s throwers, including 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Rajindra Campbell. He will continue his coaching career as the new assistant throws coach at Arizona under head coach Andrew Dubs.
A Pittsburg State University alumnus, finishing as the 2009 runner-up in the shot put, Allen has built a distinguished coaching resume. He has helped produce 12 NCAA national champions, 104 NCAA All-Americans, and 51 conference champions, while guiding athletes to 19 appearances on the NCAA All-Time Top 25 list. His accolades include three National Assistant Coach of the Year honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) and five Regional Assistant Coach of the Year awards.
Arizona’s head coach Andy Dubs commented on the acquisition in a Wednesday press release, noting, “We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Brian, his wife Sarah, and their three children to Tucson. Coach Allen is one of the best throws coaches in the entire NCAA.” Dubs also highlighted the impact Allen has beyond coaching, saying, “Beyond just coaching, it is evident to see the impact he has on his student-athletes in life. He is tremendous in fostering genuine relationships with those he coaches.”
Joining Allen in Tucson are several standout MSSU athletes: two of the nation’s leading female javelin throwers in Division II, Adrianne Casey and Keilee Johnson; the Division II women’s shot put national champion, Dailynn VanDeren; the men’s Division II national qualifier in the hammer throw and discus, Gabe Ford; the men’s national qualifier in the discus, Jamale Williams; and Tyson Williams, a Lamar High School product who competed for MSSU in the discus and hammer throw.
Casey, a junior from Poplar Bluff, achieved a personal best of 172 feet 11 inches to win the national title in the javelin at the Division II outdoor championships this past season. She also finished second at this year’s MIAA outdoor championships, behind teammate Johnson. Johnson, a senior from Bates City, placed fourth in the Division II outdoor championships this season and posted a personal best of 179 feet 5 inches, a mark that led the nation for much of the outdoor season. VanDeren, a junior from Bolivar, claimed the national title in the shot put this year and qualified for the hammer throw national competition. She was also the MIAA champion in the shot put and runner-up in the hammer throw, establishing a new personal best in the shot put with a 56-foot, 10.75-inch mark. Jamale Williams, a junior from Leavenworth, Kansas, qualified for national competition, and the transferred group also includes Ford and Williams in the discus and hammer events, respectively, and Tyson Williams, who competed for MSSU in the discus and hammer throw.