Dr. Mikki Allen

Dr. Mikki Allen was appointed Director of Athletics for Tennessee State University on April 9th and officially began his tenure on June 1, 2020.

Allen is a bold leader who moves forward while honoring the past. He’s a winner with roots in Middle Tennessee and understands that championships come from relentless work and a fearless vision. He comes to Tennessee State University after 11 years in sports administration, including his most recent position as the Assistant Director of Athletics for Player Relations and Development at the University of Tennessee.

After being hired in the middle of a global pandemic, Allen has proven he isn’t your typical first-time AD hire. His resume boasts more than a decade of fundraising and administrative experience. That experience garnered him an immediate seat on TSU President Glenda Glover’s executive team.

 LEADERSHIP 

Upon his arrival, Allen began restructuring the athletic department and unveiled a refreshed and modernized brand identity, “Unleash the Roar”, that included an updated, sleeker version of the iconic Tigers’ logo.

Looking for a winning and family like atmosphere, Allen made several staff changes and in April of 2021, Allen made another leadership change this time in football and hired Tennessee Titans legend, NFL All-Pro, Heisman Trophy winner and successful entrepreneur Eddie George to be the new head coach of the TSU football team. The bold hire was the top story for several days in April as every major national news outlet covered the story. George hired one of the most professionally decorated coaching staffs, not just in the FCS, but in the entire country, bringing in former Raiders and Browns head coach Hue Jackson as his offensive coordinator, NFL and collegiate assistant Brandon Fisher as the defensive coordinator and Philadelphia Eagles legend Clyde Simmons to coach the defensive line among others.

Allen also made a change in women’s basketball and hired long-time Auburn Associate Head Women’s Basketball Coach Ty Evans to lead the Lady Tigers. Subsequently after hiring Evans, Allen also solidified a contract for legendary alum and Director of Men’s and Women’s Track and Field, Chandra Cheeseborough-Guice.

In the area of student-athlete academic development, Allen forged a summer internship partnership with Backfield Motion, Inc. for Tennessee State student-athletes. The non-profit focuses on educational, literacy and job skills for at-risk youth in the Nashville community. More than 30 student-athletes have participated in the internship program.

 VISION FOR THE FUTURE 

Allen has been strategically developing a facility enhancement plan that will have a positive impact on helping to advance all 15 TSU sports programs. During this process, Allen tapped into his entrepreneurial background that would feed his relentless commitment to setting up an infrastructure that will support external engagement and fundraising opportunities for alumni, corporations, and Big Blue fans respectively. With his background in development, Allen Launched the Tennessee State Athletic Fund, a fundraising arm dedicated to providing financial resources necessary for student-athletes to have a championship level educational and athletic experience. Since taking over, Allen has raised over $3 million in private and corporate support for TSU Athletics and developed a partnership with the Paddle Agency to boost corporate partnerships and marketing. Under Allen’s leadership, the Tennessee State Athletics program has already received the largest private gift commitment in its’ long-storied history. On November 12, 2020, TSU alum and NBA star, Robert Covington agreed to make a seven-figure gift to fund the Covington Pavilion-a state-of-the-art basketball practice facility for the TSU men’s and women’s basketball programs. Allen Spearheaded a partnership between TSU and the NHL, Nashville Predators and College Hockey, Inc., to complete a feasibility study to explore the potential of Tennessee State adding men’s and women’s ice hockey teams. If done, the Tigers would be the first HBCU and first Tennessee Division I university to sponsor the sport. Understanding that media accessibility is key to recruiting and alumni relations, Allen launched the Big Blue Sports Network, an extension to the TSU Athletics Media Relations Department which serves as the exclusive home for all TSU video/audio content as well as live broadcasts on ESPN+. He also solidified an unprecedented partnership between TSU Athletics and Sirius XM Radio for TSU football and men’s and women’s basketball radio broadcasts. In keeping with alumni relations, Allen Developed the Roar City Tour. This was an opportunity for TSU fans, donors, and alumni to meet Allen, George, and members of the TSU coaching staff at family-friendly events across the state and region.

 THE MAN WITH A PLAN 

After a brief stint in the NFL was cut due to injury, Allen joined the University of Tennessee Athletics staff in 2009 and excelled during multiple record-breaking fundraising years. Allen played an invaluable role for Tennessee Athletics in helping to secure more than $20 million in capital campaign gifts during his tenure as an elite athletics fundraiser.

Under his leadership, Allen set a new standard in the Southeastern Conference by creating a comprehensive development and transitional assistance program for Tennessee football student-athletes. The program was designed to guide football student-athletes at the point of enrollment through their transition to post-football professional careers.

A four-year letterman and member of the UT 1998 National Championship team, Allen has strong ties to TSU, where he earned his master’s degree. His wife, brother and grandparents all received their undergraduate and graduate degrees from the university as well. Allen, a native of Murfreesboro, Tenn. received his Bachelor of Arts and Science degree at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 2001, Master of Arts and Science in Sports Administration from Tennessee State University in 2007 and a Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University in 2016. He and his wife, Jekia have two children, Mikenzie, and Jansen.