Veteran volleyball coach Julie Allen assumed the role of leading the Aggies’ program in February 2020. Allen came on board as the Panhandle State Head Volleyball Coach, after most recently serving in the same capacity at NCAA Division I Eastern Illinois University, for the previous two seasons.
Allen is a part of our Men's National Sitting Volleyball Team coaching staff. The National Olympic Men's Volleyball sitting team reached out to Coach Allen in early January 2022 to work with their team to assist, consult during training camps, and travel with the Men's team abroad to international tournaments. Allen will travel to Edmond, Oklahoma, where their training site is, and assist with the four-day team camps once a month. Allen shared, "I am very thankful for this opportunity. I am excited to get in the gym and work with our current Olympic athletes, coaches, and staff." Throughout Allen's time with Team USA, she was asked to assist with the Women's National Sitting Team and the Men's.
In Allen's first year as the Head Volleyball Coach for the Aggies, Allen, led the team to a 5-1 fall season, and overall 10-6 shortened season due to covid-19 restrictions. The Aggies defeated Southwestern Assemblies of God University, for the first time in program history. They defeated Mid-American Christian University, for the first time since 2017. And, the Aggies were able to defeat Wayland Baptist University for the first time since 2018. This year the Aggies had over five All- Sooner Athlete of the week awards and three Aggies receiving end of the year accolades. Essence West, was named first team All Conference for the SAC, first team All Region for AVCA and, honorable mention All-American. Celenia Toribio De Leon was named second team All-Conference for SAC, and Ana Pimenta receiving honorable mention award for SAC conference.
In Allen's second year, the Aggies went an impressive overall of 21-11. They defeated last year's conference champions Oklahoma City University, as well as Wayland Baptist, John Brown and Mid-American University. The successful season led to the Aggies receiving 3 All-Sooner Athletic Conference players, Essence West, Lesly Galarza and Alanys Ruiz. In addition, West recieved All Region for AVCA and, honorable mention All-American.
Prior to EIU, Allen assistant coach, helped guide the Wichita State Shockers to a back to back NCAA Tournament appearance, one American Athletic Conference regular-season title and one Missouri Valley Conference tournament title. In 2017 Wichita State posted a 29-4 record including a 20-0 record in the American Athletic Conference as they advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and finished the season ranked No. 14 in the AVCA poll. The team won the AAC title and was ranked No. 9 nationally in RPI. During her first season at WSU in 2016, the Shockers won the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament and finished the season with a 24-8 record, 15-3 in the MVC. During her two year stint at Wichita State, Allen worked with a pair of All-Americans in Jody Larson (2016) and Abbie Lehman (2017) along with Missouri Valley Conference Setter of the Year Emily Hiebert (2016).
Before coming to Wichita State, Allen was an assistant volleyball coach at UTEP for the last five seasons. While at UTEP, she served as the recruiting coordinator and the team’s technical coordinator. She shared in all of the program’s coaching responsibilities, including offensive director and opponent scouting game prep.
Allen guided UTEP middle blocker Xitlali Herrera to AVCA Division I All-America, AVCA All-Southwest Region first team and all-Conference USA first team honors. Recruiting Herrera in 2011, Allen helped her to become the only C-USA middle blocker to play all six rotations. The senior ranked 23rd nationally, fourth in C-USA and first on the team in kills with 465 including a career high 27 against Tulsa (11/15) and Southern Miss (11/19). The Juarez, Mexico native tallied 29 double-digit kill performances in her last season with the Miners. She finished her career fourth all-time in program history with 1,182 kills.
Allen joined the UTEP volleyball staff after a two-year stint at Arkansas State. While at Arkansas State, Allen helped direct the Red Wolves to back-to-back winning seasons, 22-11 in 2009 and 21-12 in 2008. She also tutored Cayla Fielder, the 2008 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, and Defensive Player of the Week Heather Bowman.
Prior to Arkansas State, the Sebastopol, Calif., native spent two years as an assistant coach at Georgetown (2006-07) where she handled scouting, offseason recruiting and team development. Her efforts helped the Hoyas improve from a 0-25 record to ten wins and win the Georgetown Classic Title.
She began her collegiate coaching career at Chico State (2004-05) where she assisted with recruiting, travel and summer camps while leading the men’s club team to a fifth-place finish at the national tournament.
Allen is a 2005 graduate of the NCAA Women’s Coaches Academy, a program that provides skills training for coaches at all levels to assist them in being more efficient, productive, resourceful and successful. She also participated in the NCAA Women Coaches Academy Dimension 2 in 2007.
Allen received her bachelor’s degree in education with a concentration in social studies from the University of Portland in 2002, where she was a four-year setter for the Pilots. She finished her career fifth all-time in Pilots’ history in assists. And, completed her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) with an emphasis in intercollegiate athletics, in 2017.
Allen recently became the Assistant Athletic Director for the Aggies, in May 2021.
