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Michigan native Allie Allen is less than a fortnight away from starting her NCAA career. Hailing from Livonia, MI, Allen will head east to start her swimming career with the Big 10 program at Rutgers University, located in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
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At this past fall’s Michigan High School D1 State Championships, Allen, swimming for Livonia Stevenson, placed 13th in the finals of the 50 free, recording a time of 24.55. She barely missed returning to a second event, finishing 17th in the 100 free (54.23). Allen led off the teams 200 Free Relay team in 24.61 and, along with Faith Roberston (24.55), Kaari Peecher (25.20), and Joan Foster (25.52), finished in 8th place in 1:39.88
More recently, at the 2024 MCSA Senior Cup Championships, Allen, representing her club team of Livonia Community Swim Club, took on some off events, swimming the 400 IM in a PB of 4:50.06 and the 500 free in 6:05.95.
Allen, who is a strong breaststroker/freestyle, holds many PBs from her junior year state meet (Nov. 2022), where she placed 5th in the 100 free (51.66) and led off the 200 Free Relay in 24.05, both of which were PBs. Anchoring the 200 Medley Relay, Allen split the fastest leg in the field of 22.89 to finish second overall in 1:43.61.
Best Yards Times
- 50 Free – 24.05
- 100 Free – 51.66
- 100 Breast – 1:05.49
Allen will join a Rutgers Scarlet Knights team led by head coach Jon Maccoll, which finished 10th out of 12 teams at the 2024 Big Ten Women’s Championship, where they scored 363.5 points. Last year, the Big Ten had 12 teams compete at the meet, but will balloon out to 14 teams as both USC and UCLA sponsor women’s swimming.
Last season, Rutgers freshman Brooke Thompson tied for 44th in the 50 free in a personal best of 23.56 and was the second fastest Scarlet Knight in the 100 free (51.61) behind grad. student Jade Smits, who placed 38th in 51.24.
While unlikely to score in an individual event at the Big Ten Conference level, Allen could make an impact if she can get back down to her personal bests from 2022. Rutgers finished last in both the 200 and 400 free relays, but with the aforementioned Smits (23.26/50.62), likely done with her eligibility, as is Molly Urkiel, who was also on the 400 free relay (50.37) with Smits, Allen could find herself in contention for one of those relay berths.
Joining Allen on campus in New Brunswick this season are fellow Michigan native and breaststroker Ava Jurkiewicz, New Jersey’s Isabela Valle and Holland Spangler and Missouri native Ella Arbeiter.
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