UNCW Athletic Hall of Fame
David Allen's name is synonymous with the UNCW swimming and diving program following a 37-year career chock full of accomplishments. After coaching briefly at Allegheny College and Potsdam (N.Y.) State for six years, he established the UNCW program in 1977-78 and it flourished.
A native of Rochester, N.Y., he coached the men's and women's teams to a combined 16 conference championships from 1977-2014, including 13 on the men's side and three for the women, along with a pair of Eastern titles.
Allen led the men to an unprecedented streak of 13 consecutive Colonial Athletic Association men's titles from 2002-14 and also coached the women to three championships, including back-to-back crowns in 1998 and 1999, and the 1997 and 1988 ECAC titles.
Allen racked up 15 CAA Coach of the Year honors – 10 as the league's top men's coach and five for his success with the women's program.
During his storied career, Allen had six Seahawk swimmers compete in the NCAA Championships and numerous student-athletes earn All-CAA honors and other major recognition. Butterflyer Sam O'Leary became the school's first NCAA Division I All-American in 1982 and 10 years later, sprinter Dan Gallagher raced to a fourth place finish in the 50 Freestyle. Diver Dean Berman competed in the NCAA's in 2006 and Caitlin Kirsteier (2010), Rob Anderson (2010) and Carly Tanner (2013) competed in the NCAA meet as well.
Overall, Allen coached his teams at three institutions to 542 dual meet victories. In 36 seasons at the helm, Allen coached 15 All-Americans, 155 conference champions and 19 Eastern winners.
Allen's career with the Seahawks extended beyond the pool. Eight of his swimmers captured the Chancellor's Cup, the school's highest academic honor for student-athletes and Steve Hewins became the first UNCW student-athlete to earn a CAA post-graduate scholarship.
Allen is a member of three elite groups. He was inducted into the Potsdam State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997, the Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame in 2017 and the North Carolina Swimming Hall of Fame in April of 2019
